28. Anson
ANSON
Istood waiting for my turn at the altar, smiling as I watched Rosalie and Klaus kiss. I clapped and whooped loudly before he released her to me, the smile so big on his face that it warmed every fiber of my being.
“Anson,” the minister said, turning to me. “Your vows.”
I took Rosalie’s hands and smiled at her. My heart raced as I drew in a deep breath. I’d waited for this moment my whole life, it seemed.
“LeeLee,” I began. “I loved you before I ever had the courage to admit it. The moment I saw you, something inside me settled and unraveled all at once. After that, I found every excuse I could to be near you. One more conversation. One more smile. One more minute in your presence. One more song.” I grinned at her as I held her hands in mine.
Her eyes sparkled for me, making me relax.
“I still think about our first kiss. And if I have one regret, it’s that I didn’t take that chance sooner.
You are my everything. The breath I need to live.
The dream I didn’t know I was searching for until I found you.
Today, I vow to spend my life making your dreams come true the way you’ve made mine.
I vow to honor you, cherish you, protect you, and love you for eternity and beyond.
I vow to stand beside you through every season, every triumph, every heartbreak, and every miracle.
Because loving you isn’t simply part of my life.
It is my life. If love is measured by what remains when everything else is gone, then know this: When time takes my strength, when years steal my memories, when this world finally asks me to leave it behind, my soul will still know your name.
And I will spend eternity looking for yours so we can do it all over again. ”
A fresh wave of tears trickled down her cheeks.
“I love you, LeeLee, today, tomorrow, always, forever.” I slid her new band from me onto her finger, which was engraved with my words for her.
Today. Tomorrow. Always. Forever.
Her lips trembled as she tried to contain her emotions. Fuck, I wanted to kiss the pink from her lips right now, but I held back, knowing she had vows for me.
“Rosalie, your vows,” the minister said.
She breathed out, holding my hands. “Ani, your love saved me in a way you’ll never fully understand.
It kept me alive through the darkest days.
It gave me hope when I had none. It reminded me how to dream, how to laugh, and how to keep moving forward when everything felt impossible.
You have always been my light in the dark.
And if I have one regret, it’s that I didn’t kiss you sooner, too.
Maybe even on the very first day I saw you.
Because some part of me knew then what I know now—that you were a forever kind of love.
Today, I vow to protect you the way you’ve always protected me.
I vow to stand beside you through every joy, every storm, and every chapter still waiting to be written and every song yet to be sung.
I vow to love you fiercely, faithfully, and completely for the rest of my life.
You are one of my greatest adventures. If souls are real, I think they recognize each other long before we do.
Mine has been finding its way back to yours from the very beginning.
And it always will because you were the song I was meant to sing.
I love you, Ani. So damn much. Forever.” She pushed a wedding band onto my finger.
“Mine,” I murmured fiercely.
“Yours,” she whispered back, her voice shaking.
“Anson, Rosalie, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.”
I didn’t hesitate. I lunged forward and dragged her against me, kissing her hard and deep. She moaned softly against my lips, her hands on my chest.
“I love you,” I whispered against her lips.
“I love you,” she answered back before kissing me again.
Fuck. YES. I got the girl. Officially.
I didn’t know such joy existed, but this? It was definitely real.
Klaus and I walked into the wedding venue with Rosalie between us to the claps and cheers of our friends and family.
While the wedding wasn’t large by any stretch, it was perfect. Music played softly as we took our spots at the head table with Evan, who greeted Rosalie with a deep kiss before hugging Klaus and me to him.
“I love you guys,” he said thickly.
“Love you, man,” I said as Klaus clapped him on the shoulder and repeated the sentiments.
“I can’t believe I’m married.” I breathed out, grinning.
Evan chuckled. “Believe it, brother. You got the girl.”
“I did.” I smiled at him. “Thanks to you.”
“Nah, that was all you.” He nodded for me to sit, so I followed him and took my place next to Rosalie, with Evan on my other side.
The dinner was spectacular, and the wine and alcohol flowed.
I shared my first dance with Rosalie after she and Klaus danced. They looked damn good together.
Everything was so damn perfect. It was better than I dreamed it could ever be.
I watched as Rosalie danced with Dante before Malachi took over, both of them grinning at one another.
Then Asylum danced with her.
She laughed a lot, so it must not have been too terrible.
“They’re OK,” Evan said, watching the pair.
“He’s a strange one,” I replied.
“But he cares, and that’s all that matters.”
I smiled. That was true.
“Dance with me?” Jamie asked, coming up to me.
I glanced at Evan, who nodded for me to go. Klaus was too busy talking to John and Santino, so I took Jamie’s hand and led her to the dance floor. Rosalie grinned and waved at us, making me smile.
“Hey,” Jamie said nervously.
“Hey,” I answered, staring down at her. We didn’t have a close relationship, but she meant a lot to Rosalie, so I was always open-minded when it came to her. Plus, she was with Colten Scott, Cole’s older brother. Of course, he wasn’t here tonight. He’d stayed behind with Spencer, her other guy.
“Um, I just wanted to tell you this, since I didn’t want to say it to Rosalie.”
I raised my brows. “I’m intrigued. Spill.”
“Well, Colten called Cole. They talked.”
“Yeah?” I asked tightly. “Did he happen to mention why he’s been weird the last few days?”
She glanced at Rosalie, a frown on her face. “Yeah.”
“Tell me,” I said urgently. “Whatever it is, I want to know.”
“Damnit.” Jamie shook her head. “Please, don’t tell her tonight. I just… I don’t have the heart to do it. I know she’s expecting, and-and…”
“Jamie, tell me,” I said gently. “I’ll make sure Rosalie gets the message.”
She breathed out. “H-He cheated.”
I stopped dancing and stared down at her for a moment, my heart in my throat.
“What?” I snarled.
She tugged on my hands, forcing me to fall back into the dance.
“Yes. That’s what he said. I don’t know who it was with. I just know it happened. He’s struggling with it and how to tell her. It sounds like he’s broken. I’m worried.”
I frowned. “Cole was so excited to join us. He was head over heels about the baby. I don’t understand. This doesn’t make any sense…” Cole didn’t strike me as the cheating type. He was so hopelessly devoted to Rosalie. I needed to dig deeper into it.
“Just don’t tell her tonight. Or even tomorrow. She’s so happy. I don’t want her to hurt.”
I sighed. “I won’t. Thank you for telling me.”
“Colten wasn’t even supposed to tell me, but he was worried and needed to talk to me about it.”
“I get it. I won’t say where I heard it from. I’ll look into it.”
“Thank you. You’re a good guy.”
I chuckled. “I’m a pissed-off guy.”
She winced. “I didn’t mean to ruin your night—”
“You didn’t. I’d rather know what’s going on than find out too late. Really. Thanks.”
She nodded as the song ended. Rosalie rushed over and took her, dragging her back to Asylum. He grinned and put his arms around both of them, dancing to a faster song.
I walked back to Evan and Klaus, who had now joined him.
“We need to talk,” I said, my hands shaking.
And maybe… take a trip to Chicago.