Chapter 19 #2
“What he doesn’t know until later won’t hurt him.”
Adira keeps speaking, but he’s listening to us. I can tell by the gleam in his eyes.
“What he doesn’t know might give him hives. Do you really want to give your twin hives on the eve of his wedding?”
“He can take an antihistamine,” Rebel says. “I don’t want to wait. Unless that’s what you want.”
Riot chuckles. Obviously, he’s listening in too.
“Your turn,” Adira says before addressing the crowd. “Now Rogue and Ivy have prepared their own vows, but honestly, I don’t know what these two are going to come out with. Summer would you like to go first?”
Holy shit. Holy shit. Is this real? Rebel squeezes my hand. This is really happening. “I…
“Take a deep breath, red,” Rebel says gently. “Good. Let it out.”
“You’re my best friend,” I blurt out. I didn’t realize how true those words were until I said them.
“You’ve been my anchor and my safe place.
You’ve taught me how to be unafraid and unapologetic of who I am and how I look.
You’ve protected me from people who would harm me.
And my own fears. You’ve made me a better person…
helped me find strength in vulnerability and opening up.
Given me two babies…” I press my hand to my belly.
“A family we’ve made. You have literally given me a life I could not have imagined and would not want to share with anyone else. I love you Rebel Maddox.”
“I love you,” he tells me back. His eyes are wet.
So is my throat. I sniffle as the emotions I’m feeling threaten to overwhelm me.
“I promise to hold onto us with both hands. To never take your love for granted. To communicate and work on us every day. No matter what obstacles and challenges we face, because this love we have… it can only grow with each passing day.”
He smiles at me, squeezing his cheeks tight. He swallows hard.
“Rebel?” Adira asks.
“Summer Heart, you were a fucking wrecking ball.”
There’s a titter amongst my brothers.
Rebel reaches out and carefully wipes a tear from my lashes with his thumb. “You are so stubborn. And brave. And beautiful. And sexy. From the moment you entered my world you turned it upside down. I hated you for that.”
“I know.” I capture his hand and press my cheek into his palm.
“I was a bitter, angry man who had turned his back on everyone and everything that used to matter.”
“Except your brothers,” Rogue calls out.
“Except for my brothers,” Rebel says. “But even they couldn’t reach me. You did. You trespassed on my property—”
“I had an appointment.”
A couple of people chuckle at that.
“You set up camp on my lawn. And in my heart.” He lifts my hand to cover the center of his chest. “You didn’t back down. You didn’t let me push you away. Heaven knows I tried. You saw in me someone I had forgotten how to be.”
“I love you,” I tell him.
“I swear to you that I will always do my best to live up to the man you believe in. I will love you the way you deserve to be loved. I will push you when you need someone to be your strength. And I will give you the space to flourish. At the end of every day, for the rest of my life, I promise to be the man you can trust and confide in.”
Damn it, I’m a mess. I’m sure of it. Tears streaming, emotion all over my face, utterly in love with the man I’m going to call my husband from this day on.
“Do we have rings?” Adira asks.
“Uh.” Riot pats his pockets. Pulls out two bands. “Sure do.”
“If you’d like to place them on each other. They symbolize unity and eternity.” Riot hands Rebel one and he takes my hand and removes the engagement ring only placed there yesterday so he can slide the band on first.
I recognize the ring immediately. My grandmother’s wedding ring. My momma never took it off. Owen must have been holding onto it.
There’s a hush through the crowd. Like maybe they’re catching on to what’s actually happening.
Riot hands me the other ring. “Here you go.”
I smile at him as I take the metal circle. It’s simple steel and the workmanship is obvious. I fight back happy tears while I look to my brother. “Jett, did you make this?”
Jett nods.
Placing it around Rebel’s finger, I push it over the joint and firmly into place.
“You may now kiss the bride,” Adira announces. “And make it sloppy. No one wants to see one of those chaste pecks.”
“It better be chaste,” Storm calls out.
Rebel stares at me like he’s committing this moment to memory.
I know I am. I’m never going to forget how handsome he looked, or how his gaze shone with his love.
Or that the dress the queens whipped out of thin air and my momma’s curtains made me cry.
Or that I didn’t know how special our wedding day would be because I didn’t know it would be our wedding day until we were in the middle of doing it.
But mostly I’m never going to forget the way my heart beats hard as he flattens his hand to the small of my back and brings me flush against his chest before lowering his mouth to claim me as his wife.
His tongue probes my mouth, claiming every inch as his in front of all these people. They cheer us on. My brothers the loudest. And when we finally break apart, I catch a red eyed Owen with his handkerchief in hand.
He strides into the aisle as Adira announces us Mr. and Mrs.
I’m scooped up in a big bear hug and whirled around before being placed back on my feet. Owen lunges to grab Rebel’s hand in both of his and pumps it up and down. “You sly dog, I did not see that coming. I thought we’d be waiting an eon.”
“We didn’t want to wait.” Rebel slips his arm around my waist.
Riot has taken the tablet from Kia, and he hands it to Rebel with a, “Rogue wants a word.”
“The fuck bro? Did you just steal our wedding?” Despite the noise around us Rogue comes through clear as Rebel takes the device and holds it up in front of us. “And why was there no point where I could have voiced my rejection?”
“I told Adira not to,” Rebel says, admitting he had at least in part planned this surprise. But I don’t hate that he did it. I wanted to marry him. I’m thrilled to be his wife.
“It was beautiful,” Ivy gushes. “Seriously, that dress is the sweetest thing ever. Congratulations Mrs… What are you going to be?”
“Maddox,” I say.
“Maddox-Heart,” Rebel says. “I’ll keep Maddox on the screen, but I’ll be adding Heart too.”
“Well, congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Maddox-Heart. We can’t wait to celebrate with you,” Ivy says.
“After our wedding of course. And don’t expect me not to upstage you and those vows. Did you pull them out of thin air? Or have you been practicing them since the day you two met?”
“When the right words come, they’re easy.” Rebel shrugs. “Don’t overthink it. You know what Ivy means to you the way I know what Summer means to me. What I would do for her.”
“Yeah. Steal my damn wedding,” Rogue grouches, but then his face breaks into an easy smile.
“I’m glad you did it, bro. Even though we couldn’t be there in person.
And I was supposed to be your best man. But whatever.
Just don’t steal my honeymoon. I’m looking forward to endless days in a cabana on the water. ”
“Actually, that sounds damn good,” Rebel taunts.
“I’m hanging up now,” Rogue mutters.
“I’ll call you back when it settles down around here,” Rebel tells him. “And I have a second to catch my breath.”
When we won’t be overheard by the people around us.
They sign off and Rebel hands the tablet to Kia. He takes my hand and lifts my knuckles to his lips. “I love you, wife.”
“I love you, husband.” I beam at him. It feels like such a big moment.
“Congratulations.” Kelsey hugs us both at the same time. “Thank you for letting me be part of your big moment. I’m sorry it was almost ruined”
“It wasn’t,” I promise her. “Are you okay? Is your ankle…?”
“It’s fine… I’m fine…” She glances at Riot and hurt etches her face. “If you’ll excuse me.”
“Congrats again you two,” Riot says as he pushes past us to chase after Kelsey, who is limping. Catching up to her, he scoops her off her feet and carries her up the stairs with her demanding to be let down the whole way.
The dark, angry look he gives her might be misguided, considering the way he handled the altercation between the two women.
“Do you think Sonatina really tripped her?” I don’t trust the popstar. She seems to have an agenda. But she arrived too late to cause any of the trouble we’ve been worried about, so it can only be because it’s obvious she wants to get between Riot and Kelsey.
“It’s possible.” Rebel spins me back into his arms and claims my mouth for another kiss. “But let’s leave them to it. I want to focus on the beautiful, amazing woman I married.”
“You’re right. They’ll sort it out.” I’m suddenly breathless, giddy. “I want you to focus on me too.”