Her mother had insisted we get married at one of the most iconic churches in the city and had pulled some strings to do it. Apparently, marrying the Park Avenue Punk and his princess would be a media circus, especially since we’d insisted on getting married so quickly after our engagement.
Devlynn’s mother had orchestrated the venue, even though she wasn’t happy we were getting married. In fact, Devlynn had spent more time planning the details of the wedding with my mom and sister than her own.
“She’s right. I am about to kill you.” Mom placed a hand on her shoulder. “Now go wait for your girl at the end of the aisle. I need a minute with her.”
I frowned, not liking that she hadn’t been in my arms for more than twenty-four hours. I fucking hated traditions.
I’d begged Devlynn to elope with me after I heard both of our mother’s plans for our wedding. But Devlynn had been so patient, as always, and we’d managed to make this uniquely ours, even with their influence.
“Elis!” Sarena called, waving her expensive bouquet of fresh flowers from her place near the aisle.
“Wait, honey.” Mom straightened my bowtie as a smile whispered at her lips. “I’m so proud of you. I wanted to pass down something of your grandfather's, but I know you don’t have much use for stuff. So I decided…well…” She pulled a small sapphire necklace from a pouch. “This was your grandma’s, and I thought I’d give it to Devlynn to be her something blue.”
“It’s great, Mom.” I kissed her cheek, wishing Grandma and Grandpa could be here to see me marrying the girl of my dreams. They’d passed in the years since Devlynn’s and my breakup the first time around in high school, but they’d known and loved her then.
Just like everyone had.
“I love you, Mom. Thank you for being so accepting and supportive through everything,” I whispered, nearly overcome with my emotions.
“Anything for my babies. I love you so much, sweetheart. You make me proud every single day.”
We hugged for a long moment before Mom slipped into the room with Devlynn, and I trailed up to the head of the aisle. Sarena’s fingers danced across her screen the entire time. She’d gotten the job as nanny to Devlynn’s lawyer, but I suspected there was a whole lot more going on by the way her face lit up every time she talked to or about him.
I couldn't be sure, but my sister looked like a young woman for the first time in, well, ever, and I didn’t like it one little bit.
I was about to stomp over to her and shut down whatever conversation had her so distracted, but the organ music started, signaling my girl’s entrance.
One of the stipulations of our church wedding was that we kept the ceremony small and the guest list to close family and friends only. Devlynn hadn’t wanted a bridal party, only her mother to walk her down the aisle.
Untraditional to the core, my girl.
And while my mother and Devlynn’s hadn’t talked much, they’d shared a few dinners and come to a quiet agreement to forget the past in favor of the future.
“Elis,” Sarena whispered from the front row.
I glanced up to find Devlynn waiting, a large sparkling sapphire at her neck and a smile on her face.
My eyes traveled her form, getting my fill of her for the first time in the expensive wedding gown my mom had insisted on buying for her.
And no wonder… She was radiant.
And she was mine.
By the time she reached me at the end of the aisle, my heart was battering my rib cage as I fought the need to haul her over my shoulder and steal her away for some privacy. I hated sharing her and having other eyes on her. The only thing that made me feel better was that she was mine and only mine.
Devlynn Price had only ever been mine.
“Hi.” Her eyes clung to mine.
“You look beautiful,” I uttered, pulling her close enough to hear my words.
She nuzzled into my chest. “Are you sure you want to marry me?”
“Are you fucking kidding? I want to wake up to this smart mouth every morning for the rest of my life.” I grinned and placed a kiss on her lips. “I want every Christmas with you. Every birthday. Every memory. I want it all.”
“And here I thought you only wanted me for sex.” Her eyes swam with amusement.
“I want that too.” My lips curved up in a cocky smile. “You sure you want to marry me? I’m a demanding, controlling asshole.”