The Fighting Series (Books 1-5)

by Nikki Ash

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Ashley

  “You look breathtaking, sweetheart,” my mom gushes like it’s the first time she has ever seen my wedding dress.

  “I’m just so glad Sandra was able to get the seamstress to bring it out more. I need to hurry up and get married before my belly grows again!”

  We’re sitting in one of the rooms at the amazing wedding venue Kaden and his mom picked out. Parkside Mansion is gorgeous on the inside and outside. The ceremony will be held out back under a huge white tent, which will shield the blazing Colorado sun, and the reception will be held in their ballroom.

  Most of our guests flew in yesterday, some early this morning. Since it’s a tradition for the bride and groom to not see each other the night before the wedding, the girls planned a spa day for us yesterday with lunch. It was the perfect bachelorette luncheon. The guys all stayed at Bentley’s cabin and spent the day skiing, returning this morning.

  Earlier this morning, Kaden’s mom brought me by the venue so I could see everything before the wedding. She told me that it will all feel like a blur once the wedding gets started so she wanted me to take it all in now. The outside is simple. White wooden back chairs that lead up to the front where we will say our vows. Light pink petals are littered along the walkway and upfront.

  The ballroom is filled with large circular tables with light pink linens all covered with sterling silver vases that are filled with fresh gardenias. It’s all simple and elegant and I love it. The linens even match the bridesmaids’ dresses.

  “Oh, Ashley, you look beautiful!” Hayley comes over and gives me a one-handed hug since she’s holding something in the other. “This is for you, from Kaden.”

  I take the wrapped box from her hand and unwrap it. Inside is a puzzle box with the image of what the puzzle will be when it’s completed. It’s a picture of Kaden, Tristan, and me holding up the sonogram we got last week at my appointment where we found out the sex of the babies.

  “A thousand-piece puzzle?” Kayla laughs. “That’s more like work than a gift.”

  “No, it’s perfect.

  Inside the box, there’s a note on top of all the pieces.

  Ashley,

  Love is like a puzzle, hard to piece together, but beautiful when all the right pieces are put together. I can’t wait to spend my life putting all our puzzle pieces together, baby. I love you.

  Love always,

  Kaden

  “Don’t you cry! You can’t go messing up your makeup until he at least sees you!” Rose pulls me into a hug. “Thank you, my darling girl. You took my broken grandson and pieced him back together.”

  “What did you get him?” Hayley asks. I feel the blush hit my cheeks.

  “I did a boudoir photo shoot…”

  “Nice!” Kayla exclaims, and all the women giggle. I look over at Rose, embarrassed that I just admitted to doing a sexy photo shoot for her grandson, but she just smiles and winks.

  “You ready?” My dad opens the door, extending his hand to me. “Yes, I am more than ready.”

  Once we get to the backdoors of the mansion, Bella and Tristan walk down the walkway first. Bella is the flower girl and Tristan is the ring bearer. Next, Hayley, Liz, and Kayla all walk down the aisles escorted by their husbands. Once they get to the end, the wedding march begins and my dad walks me down the aisle.

  As my dad kisses my cheek giving me away, Kaden takes my hand in his. “There are no words, Ash. You look gorgeous.”

  “Thank you. You look handsome yourself. Thank you for the puzzle.”

  “Do you know what it took to make my dick go down after seeing those pictures of you right before having to come out here?” Kaden whispers, making me smile.

  We stand in front of the Ordained minister and say our vows to one another. We’ve created our own vows but decided to keep them simple—beginning and ending them the same. I couldn’t memorize mine to save my life, so I pull the paper out of my dress. Kaden chuckles.

  “I, Ashley, choose you, Kaden. To stand by your side and sleep in your arms. To be the joy to your heart and the food for your soul. To learn with you and grow with you. I promise to respect you and cherish you as an individual, a partner, and an equal. I vow to support you, push you, and inspire you, and above all love you, for better or worse, in sickness and health, for richer or poorer, as long as we both shall live.”

  I take the ring Tristan hands me and put it on Kaden’s finger. He looks down at it for a moment then back up at me with unshed tears in his eyes.

  “I, Kaden, choose you, Ashley. I promise to choose you every day, to do the hard work of making now into always. To laugh with you, cry with you, grow with you, and create with you. I promise to protect you and above all love you, for better or worse, in sickness and health, for richer or poorer, as long as we both shall live.”

  Kaden takes the ring from Tristan and slides it onto my finger.

  “Kaden and Ashley Scott, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

  Kaden bridges the gap between us and kisses me. Everybody claps and cheers.

  After we take way too many pictures, we make our way to the reception where the deejay announces us as Husband and Wife.

  After we enter, we’re called to the dancefloor for our first dance. Kaden insisted since he was planning the wedding he would also plan the song for our first dance. Then by Brad Paisley comes across the speakers and tears hit my cheeks.

  “May I have this dance, Mrs. Scott?” Kaden puts his hand out for me to take and I nod because words can’t be spoken.

  He pulls me into his arms and my face goes to his chest as he softly sings the lyrics of the song to me. When the song ends, Kaden stops moving and lifts my chin so I’m looking him in the eyes. “You’re my whole world, baby. My missing puzzle piece. Thank you for making me the happiest man in the world.”

  We spend the rest of the night celebrating our wedding with our family and friends. I dance with my father and father-in-law several times, as well as with all the girls. The night is amazing and I couldn’t ask for anything more.

  As the night comes to a close, Kaden lets me know the valet has pulled our vehicle up. He has a surprise for Tristan and me and is driving us to it tonight. We decided since Tristan was off school for a week, we would bring him along with us, and honeymoon family style.

  “Thank you everyone for joining us.” Kaden, Tristan, and I wave to everyone then get in the car to head to the secret destination.

  “The wedding was amazing. Thank you.” We’re driving down the dark highway to wherever it is Kaden insists we will love.

  “I’m glad you enjoyed it, baby. It was fun planning it with my mom, but I’m glad I don’t ever have to plan another one.” He squeezes my hand. I turn in my seatbelt to check on Tristan and Kaden stops me. “I can see him in the rearview mirror. He’s fine. Don’t even think about taking your seatbelt off.”

  I turn back around and reach down to grab my iPad to read, since I don’t know how long we’ll be driving for. When my head pops up, I see a set of bright lights coming toward us as Kaden’s hand hits my chest to protect me.

  There’s a flash of something, I don’t know what, but it looks like beautiful angel wings, and then everything goes black.

  Epilogue

  Kaden

  Nine Months Later

  “I miss you so damn much. Hell, we all miss you. But I know you’re up there with Gabe and Gabby looking down on us, watching and protecting us all.”

  “Of course she is, Kaden.”

  I turn to see my beautiful wife standing next to me.

  “I’m just glad my grandmother got to meet the twins before she passed away.”

  “Me, too. Thank you for giving me a few minutes at Gabrielle’s grave alone.”

  “Of course. You ready to get back to my parents and the kids?”

  “I sure am.”

  We get back to my parents’ house, and after searching the house, find them on th
e back porch. Morgan and Emma, our twin girls are both in portable swings and Tristan is sitting in front of them, just watching them. My mother and father are sitting at the table, drinking iced tea and eating lunch.

  “Tristan? What are you doing, bud? The twins are only three months old. You know they sleep a lot.”

  “You told me to watch them. This is the first time you both left them. I had to make sure to watch them good.”

  “He hasn’t left that spot since you both left. He takes being a big brother very seriously,” my mother says.

  “You’re the best big brother,” I point out to Tristan, making his face light up. I sit next to him, looking at my beautiful little girls, remembering the night I thought for sure I would never get to meet them.

  The bright lights.

  The crunching sound.

  The screaming.

  The silence.

  For the briefest moment, I thought for sure fate was fucking with me and presenting me with the most sick, twisted form of déjà vu. The ambulance was called, and when we got to the hospital, I wasn’t allowed in the back with Tristan because legally, I wasn’t his father. The nurse broke the rules and let me know Tristan had a couple bruises on his head but was otherwise perfect.

  Ashley was rushed back to be assessed, and after a thorough check, had nothing more than a broken arm. The babies both had perfect heartbeats and the doctor said everything looked good. It was a close call, but for whatever reason, we were all protected. Ashley swears Gabby and Gabe were our guardian angels, looking down and protecting us.

  The next day, since the hospital insisted on keeping the two of them over night to be monitored, we made it to our destination. I purchased a cabin near Bentley and Kayla’s so we could continue our tradition of skiing during the holidays. We spent the rest of the week at the resort taking it easy, and once we returned home I doted on Ashley the entire rest of her pregnancy.

  After the accident at the hospital, and the doctors refusing to talk to me about Tristan since I wasn’t his legal guardian, Ashley and I filed the papers with the court for me to legally adopt Tristan, only to find out the papers that asshole Tyler gave her were fake. I hired a PI to locate him, and we found out he was killed shortly after taking the money from Ashley—a fight gone bad. Since he was no longer living, it made it easy for me to adopt Tristan, officially making him my son four months later.

  Two months after me legally becoming Tristan’s father, Morgan and Emma made me a father of three. They graced us with their presence on September second via Caesarean.

  Once the twins were six weeks old, we brought them to Denver to meet my grandparents and I’m glad we did because a few days later, my grandmother passed away in her sleep. We stayed for the funeral and flew home a few days afterward. Now we’re back for Thanksgiving, since we’re planning to go to Breckenridge for Christmas.

  Morgan stretches her tiny arms and Tristan jumps up to make sure she’s okay. He is not a fan of them crying at all.

  “She’s okay, bud.”

  “Mom, I think she’s hungry. Grab her a bottle.”

  Emma starts wiggling as well. “Mom, wait!” Ashley looks back at him from the doorway. “Emma needs one, too. Hurry before they cry.”

  I look over at my wife and smile, and she holds back her laugh. “Sure thing.”

  Both babies start to whine, waking up more, ready to be fed. “Dad, grab Emma, and I’ll pat Morgan.”

  When I don’t pick her up quick enough, Tristan says, “Dad, now!”

  “Tristan, you know it’s okay for them to cry, right?”

  He looks at me like I just told him he would never be allowed to fight again. “Okay, okay. Got it.”

  I pick up my sweet princess, talking softly to her as she continues to stretch. Before the crying starts, Ashley hands me a bottle and I pop it right into Emma’s mouth.

  Ashley picks up Morgan, and once Tristan is situated sitting Indian style with a nursing pillow in his lap—we bought it just for him to hold the babies so he could feed them—Ashley sets Morgan down and hands Tristan the bottle. Morgan starts to whimper, but Tristan puts the nipple into her mouth before it gets loud. “Whew, that was close,” he says, dead serious.

  We all look at each other, holding in our laughter.

  * * *

  Ashley

  I look around at the people in front of me. Tristan is feeding Morgan, softly patting her head, and Kaden is feeding Emma. The night of our wedding, when we got into that car accident, I knew we would all be okay. Many people don’t believe in ghosts and angels, but after that night I’m not one of them.

  When the car hit us, I know what I saw, two pairs of angel wings flying above. I believe Gabrielle and Gabe were watching us from above that night and protected us, and nobody will ever tell me any different.

  When we came to Denver to visit Kaden’s family, I insisted on needing a few minutes alone with Gabrielle and Gabe at the cemetery. I needed to thank them for shielding us and protecting us from harm’s way. Kaden doesn’t really believe it or understand. I don’t blame him. Unless you saw the wings the way I saw them, it’s hard to convince someone to believe.

  I sit down in front of the two headstones and place a single rose on the top of Gabrielle’s. “Hey there, I’m Ashley. Although you probably know that, since you’re up in heaven looking down on us. I just wanted to say thank you for protecting us. I want you to know that I’m going to make sure Kaden is always happy. I’ve seen the pictures of you two and know how much you loved each other. Your love is one people wish for their entire lives and I promise to live every day loving him the way you would have. Thank you for being our guardian angel that night.”

  Turning to Gabe’s headstone, I place a set of boxing gloves. “Thank you for protecting us. Your daddy misses you every day. Soon you’ll have a couple of siblings. I’ll make sure they know you saved them that night.”

  “Hey Ash, you ready to go home?” I shake myself out of my memory and see both babies are fed and smiling. Tristan is staring at Morgan in awe and Kaden’s parents are both smiling at us.

  “Yep, I sure am.”

  Kaden and I both stand. He hands me Emma, but before releasing her, pulls me close to him, giving me a kiss. “I love you, baby.”

  “I love you, more.”

  * * *

  Kaden

  Eight Years Later

  I’m sitting on top of the picnic table in the backyard staring at my wife’s ass while she lays out on her towel in the grass next to Hayley, Kayla, and Liz. They’re all talking quietly and every now and then I hear my wife giggle. I love that fucking giggle. They all stand at the same time. Hayley walks with Ashley toward the table where Caleb and I are sitting, while Kayla and Liz walk toward Bentley and Cooper who are dicking around on the four wheelers.

  “Hey Dad.” Tristan throws the wet towel at me from the four wheeler he’s cleaning. “After dinner, can you drop me off at Bella’s to study for our finals.”

  “Yeah, sure, but why didn’t she come over for dinner.”

  “She needed to study… just like I do.”

  Caleb is sitting next to me texting on his phone, looking frustrated, but I can’t think about what has him annoyed when my wife is getting closer to me in her tiny bikini. Even after having three kids, my wife’s body is banging.

  “I’m going to go start dinner.” She gives me a chaste kiss before walking inside.

  Hayley sits next to Caleb. “Everything okay?”

  “Yeah, just texting with Marco. I don’t think we’re going to win this battle, Hayles.”

  “I’m going to miss him like crazy, but Caleb, we have to let him go and spread his wings. He’ll be twenty-one in six months.”

  Giving them a few minutes to talk in private, I follow my sexy wife inside the house.

  “Ash,” I call out.

  “In here.”

  I find her in our room changing out of her bathing suit, but before she can put her feet into her shorts to put t
hem on, I grab her by her hips and pick her up placing her on top of our dresser.

  “Hey.”

  “Hey.” She giggles. “I need to start dinner.”

  “How about I just eat you instead?”

  “Hmm… that would be great, but what would everyone else eat?”

  “Fuck them.” I spread my wife’s legs and pull her to the edge of the dresser, my tongue darting out straight to her clit.

  “Kaden, we have company!” The last word comes out in a long moan and I know I’ve got her.

  “Fuck them,” I repeat. I start to tongue fuck her, circling her hard nub, then gliding my tongue up and down her slit. She moans louder.

  “Shh… Ash. We have company,” I mock her words.

  “Fuck them,” she growls as I bite down on her clit. Her hands go to my hair and she pushes my face into her pussy needing more. As she moans my name, I bring my hand up to her inner thigh, fingertips brushing her pussy lips. Inserting one, then two fingers deep in her, my wife begins to buck in pleasure. “Play with your nipples, baby,” I say before I continue to devour her pussy with my fingers and tongue. A few minutes later and Ashley is praying to the gods as she comes all over my face.

  Not even waiting for her to come down from her high, I stand, grab her off the dresser, and turn her around, bending her over the edge of the dresser. My cock slides right into her slick pussy and I still for a second, willing my dick to cooperate so I don’t come in seconds.

  “Kaden, what are you waiting for? Fuck me.” And I do. Grabbing the curves of Ashley’s hips, I pound into her pussy from behind. The edge of the dresser keeps her in place as I fuck her hard. With the mirror in front of us, my eyes find hers, which are filled with lust and love—the same way I feel. Reaching around the front of her, I massage circles on her hard nub. Already sensitive from her just orgasming, she squirms and moans, her eyes never leaving mine.