The fact that she’s so real is what made me fall for her this deeply and why I could never find a way out.
Not that I’d ever want to.
A huge grin lights up her features as her intense green eyes meet mine. She’s more than ready to belong to me. Just like I can’t wait to belong to her, now and beyond.
Lord Clifford places his daughter’s hand in mine and says low, so only I can hear him, “I’m giving you a piece of myself and if you hurt her in any way, I will murder you. Not even Jonathan will be able to save you.”
“Dad!” Astrid whisper-yells at her father, but she can’t wipe the grin off her face.
I give a curt nod, and he brushes his lips against his daughter’s forehead. “Be happy. You deserve it, Star.”
Then he joins a solemn-faced Uncle, who hates everyone and everything in this world — especially Lord Clifford. Let’s hope they don’t burn the place down before the ceremony ends.
“Lev?” Astrid’s eyes meet mine, and I take my time committing this face to memory.
It’s almost like I’m seeing her for the first time.
This moment is too special to just let it go without engraving it in the box inside my heart that has her name all over it.
Her dark brown hair is pulled up, revealing her delicate throat that’s surrounded by a star necklace I gave her as an early wedding gift. Her makeup is barely there, as usual, but she couldn’t look any prettier than she does right now.
If there was a way to screenshot this moment and safekeep it, I wouldn?
??t hesitate.
“Levi,” she calls again. “The priest is talking.”
“He has to wait until I get my fill of you.”
Her cheeks redden as she smiles.
“You’re blushing, Princess. I love it when you blush.”
She tightens her clutch around my fingers and I vow to myself in this moment that from today onwards, this woman will be the reason I’m alive.
7
Aiden
Age Nineteen
Whoever invented the thing about not being allowed to see your bride before the wedding is a fucking idiot. If I could find him somewhere, he’d be finished.
But hey. Not seeing Elsa beforehand means there will be a surprise element, and I’m here for that. Mostly.
“Can’t you get one thing fucking straight?” I glare at the bowtie in the mirror and then at the fucker sitting behind me who’s reading from a book as if this were an everyday occurrence. “Choosing you as the best man is the worst decision I’ve ever made.”
Cole turns a page. At least he looks presentable in his tux with the neat bowtie and the elegant shoes. “No one said anything about fixing ties. Besides, you didn’t choose me. You’re stuck with me, King.”
“I did choose you.” I completely remove the bowtie and start from scratch.
“If I remember correctly, Xan said he’d have Ronan as his best man, and Ronan said he’d reciprocate because he doesn’t like us most days and wouldn’t allow either of us to ruin his wedding day. So you, being an arsehole, wouldn’t have picked either of them, knowing they wouldn’t reciprocate. Since your cousin hurt his leg, he wouldn’t be able to stand for a long time. That makes you stuck with me. You’re welcome, by the way.”
“Fuck you, Nash.” I yank off the bowtie again because it’s still wrong. “You’ll be stuck with me in your wedding, too. You better be prepared for what I’ll do then.”
“I’m more than prepared. After all, all this is happening for a purpose.” Nash tilts his book to the side to watch me through the mirror. “Wait a second. Are you nervous?”
“Piss off.”