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Beck smiled. “You look like a queen. And Buddy will always treat you like one.”
Gloria drew in a ragged breath and swallowed tightly, eyes glistening with unshed tears. “For the first time in my life, I feel like one, instead of a worthless hooker.”
“You’ve never been a worthless hooker, sweetheart.”
“Not even to you?”
“Especially not to me.” He squeezed her hand. “You’ve always been my savior and my friend. You’ve said for years that I would have survived without you, but I don’t think so. If you hadn’t plucked me off the streets and showed me how many ways my life had purpose and meaning, I’d either be dead or behind bars. Your understanding, patience, and guidance made me the man I am today. And the man I’ll be tomorrow. Thank you isn’t enough to convey the love and gratitude in my heart for you, Gloria.”
When a fat tear rolled down her cheek, Beck reached up and caught it. “Don’t cry. You’ll mess up your makeup, and Giorgio will beat us both with a tube of mascara.”
Gloria choked out a watery laugh as she cupped his cheek. “I’m trying not to, but you don’t understand.”
“What, the power of mascara?”
“Stop. I’m being serious. You’re the one who saved me.”
“From nasty-assed johns. Yeah, I know. That was our deal.”
“No. You saved my life.” She swallowed tightly and glanced at Buddy, who looked impatiently at his watch. “I lied to you all those years ago.”
“About?”
“My parents didn’t kick me out at thirteen because I was running with the wrong crowd.” A pained expression marched across her face. “I left because my dad got me pregnant. He’d been sexually abusing me as far back as I could remember.”
With shock slamming his system, Beck did his best to keep his expression even. “Why didn’t you ever tell me?”
Gloria gaped incredulously.
Beck understood then. “Ah, Messiah City.”
“You’d just escaped a whole clan of child molesters. I didn’t want you thinking me a victim like the women and girls you’d left behind.”
“What happened to your baby?”
“I miscarried ten days after I hitchhiked here.”
“I’m sorry.” He frowned.
“It was for the best. Truly. I could barely take care of myself.”
Beck nodded in understanding, then quirked a brow. “I still don’t get how I saved your life.”
“The night you ran into me, nearly knocking me off my stilettos?” She weakly smiled. “It was going to be my last.”
“Your last night turning tricks?”
“No, my last on earth,” she whispered. “I was tired of selling my body. Tired of aching for someone to love me for me, not my pussy or my mouth. When you came barreling around that corner and chased that horrible john away, I knew it was a sign from God or whoever’s out there pulling the strings. I had a more important job to do.”
“To save me?”
She nodded, a melancholy smile softening her face. “And let you save me right back.”
Beck leaned in and pressed a kiss to her forehead as he swallowed back emotion. Then he eased away and smiled. “And now that we’ve served our purpose and saved one another, I get the honor of placing your big, beautiful heart in the hands of a man who, no doubt, loves your pussy and your mouth, but loves you—the real you—even more. Thank you for asking me to walk you down the aisle and give you away.”
“Don’t make it sound like you’re walking out of my life, Kenn—”
“Never,” he assured, cutting her off. “I’m simply letting you go to live the happily ever after you’ve always deserved.”
Gloria dabbed another tear from her cheek, then glanced at Heavenly and Seth. “Seriously, it’s time for you to start living yours.”
“I’m working on that.”
As if hearing his heart, Heavenly glanced over her shoulder and flashed him a loving smile.
“Love Me Tender” began blaring from the surround-sound speakers, filling the room. Beck squeezed Gloria’s hand one final time, then walked beside her as she floated down the aisle. A finality he hadn’t felt when their divorce had become legal wended through his system. This part of his life was over. The only thing ahead of him now was the future. The question was, how did he get it started?
At the altar, Beck kissed her cheek and held her gaze with a warm smile, then placed her hand in Buddy’s before melting back to the nearby pew with Heavenly and Seth.
He was already making plans.
