Nathan blinked, like he wasn’t sure he’d heard me right. “Elise—”
I smiled softly, my fingers tracing the line of his jaw. “I’m serious. We’re in Vegas. I have a white dress tucked in my luggage somewhere.” A quiet laugh slipped out, half nerves, half certainty.
His brows furrowed, blue eyes flicking over my face as if he was searching for hesitation. “Are you serious?”
“Yeah,” I said, my voice steady. “I can think of worse things than marrying the man I love, especially if it means helping him keep his dream alive.” I reached for his hand, threading our fingers together. “You once told me you built Edge Records for people who believed in something bigger than themselves. So let’s believe in ourselves.”
For a long moment, he just looked at me like he was trying to memorize this version of me, the one who wasn’t running anymore, just before a slow, disbelieving smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
“Vegas, huh?”
“Vegas,” I echoed.
He let out a low chuckle, shaking his head before pulling me closer. “You have no idea how many times I dreamed of marrying you, Cupcake. But I never imagined it’d start with you suggesting a shotgun wedding.”
I grinned. “Guess I’m full of surprises.”
Nathan’s smile softened. “You’re sure?”
“I’m sure,” I whispered. “I love you.”
“I love you too, Cupcake.” Then he kissed me, slow and deep, his movements grounding and consuming all at once. Every inch of contact between us felt like a promise. A tether. A vow.
We moved together, not just as two bodies but as two souls still tangled in the aftermath of love that refused to give up. And when our eyes locked again, I saw it all.
Desire. Hunger. Pleasure.
But only one emotion shined brighter than the rest.
Love.
It was messy, complicated, built on everything it shouldn’t have been.
And worth every moment it took to get here.
EPILOGUE
NATHAN
“ARE YOU LEADINGme to a secret sex dungeon?” Elise’s voice was teasing, but the curiosity in it made me smirk.
I kept my hand firm against her back, guiding her forward with slow, deliberate steps. The silk blindfold covering her eyes forced her to rely on me completely, and I didn’t miss the way she leaned into my touch, trusting me despite the suspicion in her tone.
“If I was, do you think I’d let you wear clothes for this long?”
She sucked in a breath. I could practically hear the heat creeping up her neck.
“Nathan.”
“What?” I chuckled. “You’re the one who brought it up.”
Her frustrated sigh only made my grin widen. “You’ve been acting weird for weeks, sneaking around with your phone, locking doors, whispering with your assistant. Forgive me for assuming I might be walking into some billionaire version ofFifty Shades.”
I laughed, shaking my head. If only she knew how much I’d obsessed over getting this right. How many nights I’d spent making sure every detail was perfect. Everything was finally secure, the company, the legacy of Edge Records, and now, with Elise as my wife, everything was exactly as it should be.
The papers were signed, the ring was on her finger, and our vows, impulsive and perfect and ours, had sealed more than alegal bond. They had sealed the truth that we chose each other freely, that love wasn’t a risk but the only thing worth taking.
Edge Records was safe, but even if it wasn’t, it wouldn’t have mattered. She was everything and she was mine.
