by Gia Star
Her bawls filled the room. Maddie looked at me with sadness. Luke and Steven averted their eyes away from the scene. I could tell they wished they were anywhere but there at the moment.
“No Mom, Dad wouldn’t have wanted that.” I hugged her tightly. “Even though he’s gone, you did the right thing. His fate wasn’t as bad as some of the others.”
“Definitely wasn’t,” Luke added. “Most of his drive was animalistic greed. Your husband actually paid him back, just not quick enough. His fate could have been much worse.”
“It was worse.” Steven spoke up. “He came after your husband, came after you, and then dug himself into Kara. He infected your lives well beyond your loss. Your lives won’t ever be the same, thanks to him.”
“Nobody in this room will ever be the same,” Luke cut in. Collective silence owned the room as we digested that heavy admission. “The sooner we own that, the better we’ll be.”
“Indeed,” Steven agreed. “Luke and I took our share of his assets. We handled the monster. We’re free.”
“So what’s next?” I asked. A lump of dread filled my chest. Now that Luke was free, he wasn’t obligated to stay around me. My life was here in Albuquerque now, at least for the time being. I couldn’t bear to be away from my family after everything that happened.
Would Luke feel the same? Or would he pick up his things and drift through life, trying to figure out how to pick up the pieces and start over again?
Luke’s deep brown eyes swept the floor in contemplation. He raised them and stared into mine.
“We start fresh. Build a new foundation. Make every day better than the last.”
Later that evening, Maddie, Steven, Luke, and I headed to my father’s grave. There was so much I wanted to tell Kevin Taylor, my father, the man who sacrificed it all.
I placed the rose bouquet on his grave. Tears ran down my face as grief consumed me.
“Dad, you were the best,” I said. “I never knew how much you loved and cared for me until I learned the true meaning of sacrifice.”
Luke stood a next to me, an arm around my shoulder as I tears streamed down my face. I told my father about Antonio, about Mom and aunt Cori, about school. I also told him that “I met a wonderful man named Luke who sacrificed everything he had to keep me safe and put an end to the terror.”
“I love you, Daddy, and I’ll always think of you. Thanks for everything.”
I turned to walk away, but Luke grabbed my hand.
“Sweetheart, wait.”
I looked at him with questions in my eyes. “Yes?”
“Give me a second. I’d like to speak to your father also.”
He pulled me closer to the grave.
“Mr. Taylor,” he cleared his throat. “You don’t know me, and I don’t know a lot about you, but we have a few things in common. We’ve given a lot of ourselves to protect the ones we love. We’ve both been taken advantage of by Antonio. And we both love Kara.”
My heart melted as his candid confession. I squeezed his hand, and he squeezed back.
“Kara is the only woman who has shown me what it is like to be loved. She has showed me what it means to love someone, to think outside myself, sacrifice my survival for something larger than myself.
“Without Kara, the monster I once thought of as a father would be running free, continuing his reign of terror, destroying families and lives in the same manner he destroyed ours.” Bitterness laced the edge of Luke’s words.
“That being said, while we can’t change the past, we can change the future… and it would be my honor to protect, love, and cherish Kara for the rest of our future together.”
He dropped to one knee, and looked at me. Kissing the top of my hand, Luke looked me in the eyes. His gaze smoldered.
“Kara, we didn’t meet under the most romantic of circumstances, but you’ve been the answer to prayers I never knew I had. Every moment with you I learn something new about who I was, and who I can be. I don’t know what the future holds. I don’t know if I can be the man of your dreams who sweeps you off your feet for days, weeks, months and years to come. But I’m willing to learn whatever you can teach me. I’m willing to bust my ass to protect you, care for you, and keep you from feeling any ounce of harm, fear, or desperation that you felt when you were delivering yourself to Antonio. If you would accept my proposal… I don’t have a ring - we can get it tomorrow - but will you marry me?”
“Yes!” I shouted. “Yes! Yes! I will marry you, baby. I don’t want anyone else but you. Not now, not ever. “
He swooped me up as he rose to stand on his feet, and my heart soared as we kissed. Life was never perfect but all I needed was him. Him, Maddie, and my family.
This was life. This was perfect.
I turned, expecting Maddie to be screaming with me. Instead, I gasped. She and Steven were kissing. Both their tongues were going so far down each other’s throats, I thought they would choke.
“Looks like they’re celebrating the moment in their own little way,” Luke observed. We watched them for a moment, and cheered when they finally broke away.
“Hush,” Maddie scolded. Her complexion started turning red as she adjusted her hair.
“I didn’t say anything, love,” I teased. “You just missed the proposal of a lifetime.”
“No I didn’t,” she corrected. “I celebrated your love with a kiss.”
“Congratulations, lovebirds.” She hugged Luke, and then hugged me. “Best Friend I always told you make sure you get you a man who ruins your mascara and not your lipstick. Now let’s go out and eat. I’m ready for drinks. I’m ready to really celebrate.”
She grabbed Steven by the hand, and gave him a naughty yet innocent look, one she usually gave when she worked her charm on men. “You gonna feed me, baby?”
Luke’s Epilogue
I adjusted my shirt and tie. It was a basic black Hugo Boss tux with a crisp white shirt. The black tie was Italian, with sapphire threads that matched the cuff links Maddie had chosen.
I looked in the mirror, and noted the anxiety in my expression. In less than thirty minutes, I’d be married to the woman of my dreams.
… And I didn’t even know if I was good enough for her.
Kara was educated, ambitious. She was more than a pretty face and great pussy.
I was… who was I?
I was still trying to determine who the real Luke was. And by real Luke, I meant the Luke who didn’t have to commit crimes to survive.
I didn’t know what the future held, because I never thought the day would ever come that I’d be anything more than a part of Antonio’s organization.
There was a knock at the door. Maddie and Steven entered. Maddie’s golden brown skin glowed against the sapphire blue evening gown she wore. It matched perfectly against Steven’s jacket.
“How do you feel?” She asked. Her eyes were glittered with excitement.
“Shit,” I exhaled. “I don’t know if I can do this.”
“Do what?” Her eyes grew wide with concern before they narrowed in on my nerves. “Oh no. What you’re not going to do is waste this good money, and my perfectly beat face on your anxieties. You love the girl, you wanted to marry the girl… Oh, you are marrying the girl. Tuh-day.”
“Girl if you don’t come on with that…” Steven chuckled. He pulled her in for a kiss. “Calm your feisty ass down.” They argued playfully before he silenced her with another kiss, and slapped her on the butt. “Go check on your best friend, Maid of Honor. Let me handle the Groom.”
They exchanged looks as she slipped out the door.
“Whew.” I shook my head. “She’s a lot of work man.”
“She’s light work.” Steven waved. “Trust me, I can handle her.” A wanton smirk spread over his features. “All of her.”
“Now let’s talk about you,” he said, walking over to me. He placed a hand over my shoulder as we looked at ourselves in the mirror. “You are ready for this.”
“Am I?” Ho
w could he be so sure.
“Yes.” He counted it out. “You gave your life to this girl long before you even asked for her hand in marriage. She’s completely changed you, and you don’t even see it.”
“I do, I guess.” I know I didn’t feel this way before I met her. I never thought I could feel this way before I met her.
Open, happy.
Hopeful.
“I guess it’s just,” I turned to him, the question burning in my soul. “The fuck do I do, man? I’ve never been a boyfriend. I’ve never been a husband.”
“But you’ve always been a man.” Steven looked at me with certainty in his eyes. “A man protects. He provides. He makes sure his woman feels safe to fall. Look at that girl. She’s fucking crazy about you. You should see her out there, beaming and shit. We’re having a full blown wedding with like ten people in attendance. Fancy suits, ball gowns and shit. And all it is, is her, Maddie, you, me, her mother and aunt, and Maddie’s family.” He shook his head in jest. “And we’re only in Maddie’s parents’ backyard? What type of bourgeois hipster shit is that?”
We shared a chuckle.
“I just don’t want to fail her.”
“You saved her life. You can’t fail her when you’re the Knight in Shining Armor. Trust me, bro. You’ve got this.”
He slapped my back and turned to leave. “Now come on. I’m trying to get this over with so I can slide off with Maddie.”
I rolled my eyes. “Thanks bro.”
I made my way down the aisle, designed by Maddie and Kara. It was amazing what a pair of talented girls armed with debit cards and a Pinterest board could create.
The backyard was a summer wonderland, with candles and lamps all over the place. I took my place at the front of the aisle, and nodded to the pastor - Maddie’s uncle. He made a signal with his hand and the wedding music began to play.
Maddie’s niece and nephew were the ring bearer and flower girl. Steven and Maddie came out, hand in hand, with mischief glittering in their eyes. I’m sure they would sneak out the second they had the chance.
Music changed to Kara’s selection when it was time for her entrance. Everyone stood and cheered when they saw her.
She was a vision in her white dress. It was pure white, a bustier top accented with blue gems, and a huge puffy bottom half, the train flowing almost endlessly behind her. Aunt Cori walked behind her, making sure it didn’t get destroyed in the grass.
As she approached me, I couldn’t help but feel faint. She was beautiful, too beautiful, and I didn’t know what a guy like me had done to become so lucky.
Six weeks ago, I was a shit piece of scum, working for a man who destroyed lives for a living. It was all I knew.
Today, I was marrying the most beautiful woman on Earth, and starting a new life without the painful past dragging itself along.
Kara and I exchanged our “I Dos” and I’m not afraid to admit I cried. I wasn’t marrying this hot chick. I was marrying a woman who believed in me, saw me for who I was as opposed to who I was forced to become.
After we finished our first dance, Kara broke away to hug Maddie, who was running up towards us.
“Maddie, this wedding… it’s so small, so perfect. Thank you for everything,” she said. She grabbed my hand and looked at me. “I’m going to be so sad when this is over. I never want this day to end.”
“Oh Best Friend, you have nothing to worry about,” Maddie winked. “True love stories never have endings.”
About Gia Star
I write steamy contemporary romances featuring hot men who understand that love is written in the stars!
Love Billionaires, bad boys, menage, BDSM... and more? Zodiac Alphas is for you!
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