I barely hear the words the priest is saying as Alexandre takes my hands in his, his gaze fixed on mine. All I hear is what he says to me, when it comes time for our vows.
“In the darkest moment of my life, Noelle, you once read to me from a book you loved, without ever knowing it was my favorite.” Alexandre’s hands tighten around mine, his eyes misty with emotion. “You can give without loving, but you can never love without giving. The great acts of love are done by those who are habitually performing small acts of kindness. We pardon to the extent that we love. Love is knowing that even when you are alone, you will never be lonely again, and great happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved. Loved for ourselves, and even loved in spite of ourselves.”He recites it from memory as if he’s read the passage over and over again, and I know without a doubt that he has. “There is no better way to express what you did for me, Noelle. You have loved me for myself, and in spite of myself. You have been kind, and you have forgiven me for everything and trusted me with everything, down to your very soul. In so doing, you have healed mine. There is no greater gift that you can give me, Noelle Giles, than to say you will be my wife, to allow me to cherish and hold and protect you, to earn your trust and your love, again and again, day after day, to choose me as I will choose you, in sickness and in health, for better or for worse, for all the rest of our days.”
“I will,” I whisper, my throat so choked with emotion I can barely get the words out, much less the ones in French that I’ve been practicing over and over, for days. “C’est ainsi que commence l’amour, et ainsi seulement.It is in this way that love begins, and this way only. I saw you, Alexandre Sartre, when you laid yourself bare to me, and I knew there was good in you. I knew that you were worthy of being loved, of showingmewhat beauty could be found in the world. And you have, again and again, day after day. You have shown me what it means to push past your darkest moments and find the light again, and I can think of no way I want to spend my life more than to choose you, day after day, moment after moment, for better or for worse. I love you, Alexandre, and I want you to be my husband, for all the rest of our days.”
His jaw tightens with emotion, his fingers sliding through mine, and he pulls me to him as he murmurs, “I will,” before the priest can even announce us, man and wife. His lips are on mine as the few guests chuckle, clapping and laughing, rose petals thrown in the air as the disgruntled priest finishes his pronouncement, and Alexandre and I walk down our aisle, man and wife.
The reception is a blur, the night afterward a haze of pleasure. In the morning, Alexandre wakes me with packed bags by the door, whispering sweet words in my ear as he urges me out of bed and into a cab, telling me that he has yet another surprise for me. It’s not until I see the blue water and white domes of Santorini that I realize he’s planned us a honeymoon. We barely make it to the hotel before we fall into bed together and spend the rest of the afternoon there.
That evening, we dine at a restaurant overlooking the water as the sun goes down. As the waiter pours wine for us both, I glance down the row of tables, and my heart nearly stops.
At a far table, a handsome Japanese man in a suit, with a face that I recognize, catches my eye. He looks between Alexandre and me, smiling, and then as I watch, he raises a glass toward us, his smile turning to a satisfied smirk as he looks away.
“Oh god,” I whisper, and Alexandre looks at me, startled, before seeing who has caught my eye.
He laughs softly, reaching over to put his hand over mine. “There’s nothing to worry about,petite souris,” he says gently. “Kaito likes to see the results of his plots and games, that’s all. But it means nothing to us now.”
“No?” I look at him, my brow still creased with worry, and Alexandre shakes his head. “Kaito might have given you to me,petite, but that wasn’t what made you mine. It was youchoosingto come back, choosing me, over and over, again and again. That is why we are here, now. Not because of him.”
I turn back to Alexandre, the tension leaving me as I slide my fingers through his. “I would make the same choice again,” I whisper softly, leaning into him as we watch the Grecian sunset together. “You might have been a beast once, my love, but you weremybeast…and my man. My husband.” I tip my chin up, leaning forward for a kiss. “I love you, and I always will. The past doesn’t matter—only the future we will make together.”
Alexandre kisses me softly, his hand threading through my hair. “My only future is you, Noelle Sartre.”
We kiss like that, for a long time, as the sun sets. When I look back down the row of tables, Kaito Nakamura is gone, vanished into the night.
All that is left is us—and the life we will have, together.
Happily ever after.
I hopeyou loved reading Alexandre and Noelle’s story! Read on for a sneak peek at the next M. James title, the first in Max and Sasha’s story,Forbidden Obsession! Get it here!
32
SASHA
It’s been a year.
Today?
Well—I don’t know the exact date. It’s not like—burned into my brain. I know some people think it should be, but it isn’t. I just know it was summer. The warehouse where they kept us was climate-controlled, and we had plenty of water—we were valuable, so it’s not like we were mistreated. But it was still hot. All of us were exhausted from the flight over.
And you were afraid?
Of course. We’ve talked about it before.
I just think that today, of all days, it might be good to reevaluate your feelings about what happened. We talked a few months ago about you trying to go on a date, to develop a more normal relationship with men. One that isn’t violent. Your employer—
Has turned his life around. He’s a good man. He’s changed. What happened to me wasn’t his fault.
Well, in a way—
It wasn’t.
Alright. Well, about the date. Have you tried—
I don’t have any interest.
Is this because of the man you told me about? The priest?