Finding Forever (Found in Oblivion Book 7)

by Cari Quinn

  “I’m sorry she kept it from you for me. This isn’t the first time she’s hidden things from you to protect me.”

  “It isn’t, and I told her it’s not to happen again. You don’t have to be afraid of my reaction about stuff. I won’t go postal.”

  Elle crossed her arms, giving him her best older-sister-by-two-minutes expression. “Really?”

  “I’ll try, okay?” He narrowed his eyes. “You sure about this?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “He makes you happy?”

  She fanned her face to try to dissipate the rush of joyful tears before they ruined her makeup. Thank God for waterproof mascara. “Yes. He makes me laugh and he makes me nuts and he takes care of me, just like I take care of him. But most of all, we make each other happy.”

  “Then I can’t ask for anything more. But if that ever changes, I have a shovel and an alibi.”

  She had to giggle. “Thanks. I can’t say the same about you with Li though, because she’s more likely to kill you first.”

  He gave a mock shudder. “Truth. That woman scares me.” As Lila approached, he gave her a grin. “But it’s a good kind of fear.”

  “More lies and hubris, Nicholas?”

  “You know it.”

  As if it was all perfectly prearranged, Lila took one of her arms and Nicky took the other. Elle cuddled in close first to Li and then tipped her head toward her brother, fighting off a sniffle as he cupped her head and gave the top of it a hard kiss.

  “Here we go,” Elle breathed as the wedding march started for the final time.

  This was it. Her biggest day, her biggest moment.

  She smiled as her nieces, Charlie and Avery, and her new nephew and niece, Axl and Hope, charged down the aisle scattering flower petals. And what looked like a few clumps of grass. Whatever, the effect was sweet and everyone oohed and aahed at their cuteness.

  Then one by one, the women she loved walked down the aisle before her. It was so long she could barely see the cluster of men in dark suits at the other end. One of those was Mal, of course. He was the biggest, brawniest of them all.

  Knowing he’d be nervous despite how tough he tried to seem at all times warmed her heart. He loved her that much to do all this. To gather the people she loved and try his hardest to make it perfect for her, without care for himself.

  Because God knows, Mal did not want people around when they got married. If he’d had his way, they probably would’ve gotten married in a deep sea cave by an anonymous JP.

  He was just that sweet to do all this for her. She squeezed Lila’s arm and they exchanged smiles. Him and Li.

  Granted, he’d rushed her timeline a bit, and she’d missed a night of pseudo debauchery with her gal pals, but she’d make up for it by screwing him blind as soon as they were in the honeymoon suite they’d rented for the night.

  Not a bad trade off.

  When it was her turn to walk down the aisle with her brother and Lila, she sucked in a breath, squeezed their hands, and took that first step. And another and another until Mal came fully into view and all the jangling nerves inside her seemed to burn off like the fog over the water after the sun rose in the sky.

  How could she be nervous when he was standing there waiting for her beside his brother and Lila’s dad, so resolute, his hands clasped, his jaw so tight she knew he had to be freaking the hell out? Instead of crying at the sight of him, she laughed, and kept on laughing as everyone around her shifted to look between them as if there was a punchline missing.

  “You okay?” Nicky asked out of the side of his mouth.

  Lila just kept giving her side-eye. Lots and lots of side-eye.

  “I’m fine. Better than fine.” She demonstrated it by breaking away from Nick and Li with a quick kiss for each and aiming right for her groom, reaching up to grab his face and haul his mouth down to hers.

  “I love you. So much. This is amazing. Beyond my wildest dreams. But you scooped my timeline and my bridesmaid’s dresses and you’re gonna pay, Shawcross.” Then she planted a full-on kiss—including copious amounts of tongue—on him in front of everyone, without paying any mind to the JP.

  Elle pulled her mouth away from Mal’s. Nope. Try again.

  Not a priest either.

  Lauren?

  Mal groaned and fisted a hand in her hair. “Stay put, woman.”

  Guess he didn’t mind an audience now. Damn exhibitionist drummer.

  But he reluctantly let her go as Elle shifted toward her bandmate’s girlfriend, who at some point when Elle wasn’t looking had pulled a serene looking black cape thing over her dress. She stood there like Yoda, watching them unblinkingly.

  “Are we ready to begin?”

  “Are you legal?” She frowned at Mal. “Not really the place to cut corners, dude.”

  A wave of laughter went through the guests.

  “She begged me. Said she needed to ‘move up’ in the Universal Way of the Word Church or whatever the hell it is. But it’s legal. She’s licensed. Went before a judge.” Mal jerked a shoulder. “She’s your friend. Don’t blame me.”

  More laughter.

  Lo remained unfazed. “I assure you, my license is valid in the state of California, as that is where the Universal Word Church is based. It’s more a pagan and nature-based religion, built upon the tenets of friendship, love, and healthy copulation.”

  This time the laughter took a few minutes to subside. Even Mal joined in.

  “Sounds good to me.” Elle grinned and leaned forward to kiss Lo dead on the mouth. “Marry us, baby.”

  “I like her confidence.” Lo grinned and pulled out an official-looking book from one of her voluminous sleeves. “Let’s begin, shall we?”

  She started off reading a passage from the book about bonds of love. Elle slid a glance at Mal, who lifted his brows as if to say all your fault. Then he grabbed her hand, officially breaking wedding protocol just as she had. His big thumb made circles on her palm as Lo spoke, and Elle bit her lip to keep from giggling like a besotted high school girl.

  This man.

  God, this man.

  “What does all of that have to do with these very non-traditional people? More than it seems on the surface. I met Malachi first, when he interrupted West and I in an intimate moment.” She coughed and a few people chuckled.

  Especially Elle, who did not know that story. She glanced at Mal who was staring skyward and probably hoping to be beamed up.

  “My best friend Ethan had arrived to whisk me away to safety from the dangerous rockstar, and Mal had gone out to see if he was a crazy fan or someone worthy of listening to. You see, when you’re way over six feet tall and two-fifty, you kind of just run security whether or not that’s your job. Luckily for Ethan, Mal did not kick his ass.”

  “I could’ve taken him,” Ethan called out from where he stood with Luc.

  “Meeting Elle was a different story. She passed me a copy of Cosmo and recommended the article on self-pleasure if it was really true I was a virgin. Which I was then and am not now. Go me.” Lo did a little fist pump and Mal made a sound that crossed between an agonized moan and a strangled laugh.

  Elle just squeezed his hand and leaned against him. His torment was probably the cutest thing she’d ever seen. “Cosmo has helped many a woman.” She winked. “And man.”

  By now, the laughter was pretty much continuous.

  “But those separate meetings were nothing compared to when I met Mal and Elle together. You see, they hated each other. I mean, obviously. Look where we are right now.” Lo grinned. “Jules told me it started when Mal picked up Elle from a bench and physically moved her out of his way, though from what I just saw with how she greeted him, pretty sure she’s forgiven him.”

  “I like when he picks me up now.” Elle laughed, shifting her flowers out of the way as he growled and wrapped his arms around her from behind. She’d happily stay there for the rest of her life.

  And she’d get to, because she was a lucky woman
.

  “From day one in their acquaintance, I’ve seen Elle be nothing but welcoming and sweet to anyone she met. Let’s just say Mal is not the same. He’s, um, more selective about whom he bestows kindness upon.”

  Elle tipped back her head and patted Mal’s cheek. “Almost over,” she whispered in his ear, feeling acutely the tension that vibrated through his body.

  He just kissed the side of her head.

  Didn’t have to say a word for her to get the message.

  For you, I’ll do this.

  For you, I’d do anything.

  “But even if Mal does grump and growl with a skill rarely seen among mere mortals, he does something else extremely well.”

  “Family show,” Elle called out, making cheers erupt.

  Mal just shut his eyes, though he was smiling.

  A little.

  “He’s really good at loving Elle. As such, he’s written some words he’d like to say. Malachi?”

  “You have?” Elle turned in his embrace. “Wait, not like vows—”

  He nodded, his eyes more than a bit crazy. As if he’d just realized what he was going to do.

  “I don’t have vows,” she whispered. “I’m not prepared. I thought we’d just use the standard ones and we hadn’t even gotten that far…oh God.” She covered her face with her hands until he carefully peeled them away and made her look up at him.

  In his face was everything she needed to see to forget she wasn’t ready.

  There was just this moment.

  The words he was about to say without even consulting a piece of paper. He’d memorized them for her.

  “Before, I was happy being alone. Or what I thought was happy. I didn’t realize I was just waiting for you to walk into my world. Not because you loved me at first. Or liked me. Hell, or even tolerated me.”

  More laughter, softer now.

  “I couldn’t ignore you. Couldn’t ignore myself. And when I thought I could lose you—” He closed his eyes and it was her turn to reach up, to cup his scruffy jaw until he opened them and focused on her fiercely. “You fought like hell and you got in my face and everything changed. The me I was before is gone. The me I am now doesn’t exist without you. I may not be the best man, but no one will ever love you more than I do.”

  Tears clogged her throat as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a box with two rings. This wasn’t how it usually worked, but this was how it was working for them.

  They always found their own way.

  He slipped the ring on her finger. She stared at the diamond-inlaid platinum and gold band for a long moment before she shifted her bouquet under her arm to pick up the other ring. The one that was meant for him. The weight of it in her palm made her swallow hard as she searched for something to say to match the beauty of what he’d given her.

  Not that she could.

  “I write lyrics for a living. I put together happy endings for people on paper, even if most of those words are never sung. But I never dreamed of one where an unhappy, broken girl meets her Prince Charming in the form of Oscar the Grouch.” She barely heard the chuckles around them, mixed with a healthy dose of sniffling. This was all for Mal, and no one else existed. Just those steady blue-black eyes that never left hers. “I’m still broken. I probably always will be. But I’m not unhappy anymore. I never guessed that just waking up beside you every day could be my miracle.” She swallowed hard. “Just don’t plan any more weddings without telling me, huh? I love you like crazy, but I’ll still kick your ass.”

  Their friends and families’ laughter echoed around them as she slipped the ring on his finger. He looked at it for a second, then made a fist. She kissed his knuckles and he smiled his first real smile of the night. No tension. Nothing but pure happiness.

  Her tears bubbled over and she didn’t even try to stop them.

  Hey, it was her wedding, and she’d cry if she wanted to. And she did, the happiest of happy tears.

  “Though they’ve already exchanged rings, we’re still going to say the I dos. Malachi, do you take Richelle to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love, honor and cherish, forsaking all others?”

  “I do.”

  “Richelle, do you take Malachi to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love, honor and cherish, forsaking all others?”

  “I do.”

  “Then by the power vested in me, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride. Again.”

  Just like last time, Elle launched herself at him, laughing through her tears as he caught her and met her mouth with his own. She could taste the salt on her lips. On his. His laughter poured into her, and she gave her own right back.

  Just like their relationship. Joy mixed with the darker past they shared, and the burdens they alone had carried. But not anymore. Neither of them would ever be alone again.

  She let out a whoop when he swung her up into his arms and carried her down the aisle while their friends and family clapped and cheered as if they were at a rock concert. Close enough. Except this one had a crescent moon overhead and the soothing sound of the waves battering the shore behind them as they walked into their future.

  With a hard kiss, she murmured, “Put me down.”

  “Huh?”

  “Save it for the bedroom, Hercules. This one’s gotta be side by side.”

  His brows knitted and then he grinned and set her on her feet. He held out his hand and she took it, walking with him the last stretch of carpet. She turned, about to speak to their guests, when a flash of blond hair and a pink shirt in the crowd caught her eye. Then the woman shifted and Elle’s raging heartbeat settled back down again. It was just Lindsey’s blond hair tucked into a bun and she had on a pink top.

  Her mother wasn’t there, watching from a distance as her baby got married. She just wasn’t. Elle hoped wherever she’d gone, she was okay. That maybe she’d found her own slice of happily ever after.

  Hers was right here, and she was holding on with both hands.

  “Thank you all for coming,” she called out, looking into the sea of guests. More than she’d ever guessed would take time to be part of this spontaneous late night wedding. “Think we can go back to my new brother-in-law’s place and dance til dawn?”

  Her only answer was applause and whistles. They liked that idea, all right.

  Mal drew her against his chest, nearly crushing her flowers. “The only dancing we’re doing until dawn is the kind that requires no clothing.”

  She smiled and leaned up to nip his lower lip. “Gee, sometimes I think you only want me for one thing.”

  “Nah, I like how you play guitar too.” Shamelessly, he reached down and grabbed her ass, hauling her up against him.

  She nearly purred. Oh yeah, that was no idle threat about naked dancing. Her new husband was ready to go right now.

  But first…

  “Almost forgot something,” she shouted over the clash of voices. She waved the bouquet in her hand without turning to face everyone. “Time to throw the bouquet. Think fast.”

  She heaved it with only the slightest clue of which area held the most unmarried ladies. Not that there were many left amongst their guests. Just Molly—though she was damn close to official with Ethan and Luc—Teagan, Lindsey, and James.

  “Oh, Christ on a cracker, I got it. Booyah!”

  Oh, yes, and their officiant.

  Elle grinned up at Mal as Lo continued to hoot and holler behind them. “Just think, the next wedding we may be attending is hers and West’s.”

  “I think I’ll be sick that day.” Mal reached down and grabbed her hand, pulling her with him up the beach in a determined beeline toward the house.

  And she laughed.

  Twenty-Three

  That whole thing about rockstars partying a lot?

  Yeah, not a lie.

  It was late. Not late for him, as he’d stayed up until near dawn since high school years. Less so now, since he had a fiancée who—

  Wife now. Christ, he had a wife. Sh
e hadn’t even had to bribe him into it. Actually, he’d nudged her down the aisle.

  Hard.

  Ricki leaned against him where they were sprawled on the sofa in Mike’s living room and fed him a couple of glossy green grapes.

  He had to say that being married wasn’t too bad so far.

  Not counting the fact that no one seemed to want to leave.

  Since this wasn’t their house and they technically weren’t having their real reception until the fall at Happy Acres, they didn’t have to stay. They could’ve sneaked out at any time. Except Ricki seemed to be enjoying the laid-back mood with her bandmates and the others who’d stuck around. The thing was definitely winding down, but there were a good number of diehards left.

  Molly, Ethan, and Luc, who were tangled together in a dirty kitten pile on the other leather sofa.

  Their officiant and West, who were jamming together on the baby Grand piano near the French doors. Their playing clashed with the metal music piped through the speakers, but most of the people still present were various levels of wasted and didn’t seem to notice or mind.

  Jules and Tristan were swaying together to either the metal music or West and Lo’s piano madness.

  Mike had Chloe on his lap in the leather recliner and they were laughing and talking quietly.

  The children were finally all in bed, including Nick and Lila’s set. They’d decided to leave them there for the night because the kids were already wired enough.

  Personally, Mal thought they might’ve sold them to the highest bidder after the way Charlie had howled for an hour straight.

  He seriously hoped those kind of genes did not extend to Ricki. Because if his kid acted like that…

  He shuddered.

  Ryan and Denver were playing air hockey on the portable game table someone had set up on the other side of the room. From the way Denver was crowing, Ryan had been thoroughly trounced.

  James and Lindsey from Brooklyn Dawn had split a short time ago. If he wasn’t mistaken, James had passed Ricki some kind of purple sex toy.

  There was a ringing endorsement on his wedding night.