Total pages in book: 238
Estimated words: 231781 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1159(@200wpm)___ 927(@250wpm)___ 773(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 231781 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1159(@200wpm)___ 927(@250wpm)___ 773(@300wpm)
Michael stood frozen, his chest rising and falling hard as he watched her, looking almost in pain.
Her jaw flexed the closer she got, and I saw tears glisten in her eyes, because it was all too much.
Once upon a time, she was a kid who blew our minds and ran with us all night.
She hadn’t changed.
She ascended the stairs, needing no one to lead her or give her away, and took Michael’s hand, smiling up at him.
“Hey,” she said.
And he dove in, his chest caving as he pressed his forehead to hers and hovered over her mouth.
But Kai pulled him back. “Soon, man.”
Rika and Michael both laughed, Michael watching her lick her lips and struggling to take his eyes off her.
Clasping her hand, he walked with her to the judge, more than ready.
But I stepped up, stopping them. “Where are the girls?” I whispered.
Rika turned to me, smiling like she had a secret.
Then, her eyes flashed beyond the gazebo, and we followed her gaze, seeing the others all standing at the ends of the other three pathways leading up to the gazebo.
What…?
I walked to the other side, Kai and Damon taking the other pathways, and I saw Emmy standing there in a silver gown, her dark hair spilling around, her eyes locked on mine.
Winter stood off to my left in a dress of white feathers, and Banks to my right, dressed in black.
What were they doing?
Was this…?
And then…I stopped breathing, realization hitting me.
Shit.
“Is this okay?” I heard Rika murmur.
“Come here,” Michael whispered, and I heard kissing. “I love you.”
I remembered Rika planning to marry Michael at St. Killian’s. At the cliffs under a midnight sky, she’d said.
Excitement coursed under my skin. I guess she had a better idea.
They all started walking, and Damon started off to meet Winter, but Rika stopped him. “She wants to do it herself, Damon.”
He paused, all of them making their way down their paths toward us, Damon’s body tense, but his eyes on her every step.
This was what Rika was planning. Why she took the girls.
I glanced over, seeing Alex seated with Kai’s parents, dressed in midnight blue.
My heart pounded, smiling as Emmy climbed the stairs.
Was this for real? We were actually doing this?
Barely aware of anyone else as the world spun around, I held out my hand, helping her up the stairs.
“I was thinking you could kiss me this time,” I heard Banks tell Kai.
And then Damon took Winter’s hand. “You look so beautiful, it fucking hurts,” he said.
But I couldn’t swallow, my mouth was so dry.
Her dress, her body, every curve… What did the back look like? Holy shit…
“Are you up for this?” she asked in a quiet voice, looking hopeful.
I felt the ring on her finger, my eyes trailing over her breasts. Emory Scott. What the…?
She took hold of my chin and forced my eyes back up, trying desperately to hold back her laugh. “Are you up for this?” she asked again.
I nodded. “Yeah, for like, ever now.”
She took off her ring and handed it to me so I could marry her with it, and then she took my arm, all of us coming back to the middle.
Damon wrapped his arms around Winter, holding her to his body and not taking his eyes off her, while Banks held on to Kai, standing at his side.
They were the only ones actually married, but their first wedding was pretty tense. I was happy we were all here. It was perfect.
“Welcome,” the officiant said as the music died down.
“Michael and Erika—”
But then…lights illuminated above us, and we all tipped our heads back as the crowd gasped and the judge fell silent.
The crystals above that I saw earlier were chandeliers. A dozen of them, hanging in the trees, coming to life and lighting up the leaves, their branches, and looking like a whole other world up there.
Emmy sucked in a breath, and I looked over at her, seeing her chin tremble and a tear hanging at the corner of her eye.
“Oh, my God,” she murmured.
She seemed to love chandeliers, didn’t she?
Reaching up, I wiped the tear, the lights glowing across her beautiful skin.
“Michael and Erika,” the officiant started again. “Damon and Winter. Kai and Nikova. William and Emory.”
We all looked at her, air filling my lungs and feeling Em’s eyes on me.
“Are you happy?” the judge asked.
And I blew out my breath, breaking into a low chuckle, all of us laughing within a moment.
The judge nodded, needing no further answer. “I’ve been proud to watch you grow here, and I’m excited to see everything that comes next.”
I clasped Emmy’s hand.
“Rings, please?”
I held Emmy’s, Michael held Rika’s, and Damon and Kai took their women’s back from them temporarily.
But then, all the girls opened their palms to reveal the bands they had for us.
I looked down at it to see silver rings emblazoned with a crest I didn’t recognize. A skull hovering above a bed of grass where a snake laid. Antlers stretched out of the bone against a black background.