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“Yes.” I nod, for some reason, slightly nervous for a wedding to a man I know I love, and am already technically married to. This is sweet, though. It certainly was not my idea to have a literal shot-gun wedding. Now we get the chance to have a beautiful memory. And not a moment too late because our story is just as special the way it was meant to play out.
Olive grabs my hand and I take a deep breath. “Be my maid of honor?” I ask and she grins excitedly, nodding.
“Of course.” we wrap our arms around each other just as Kira flicks her hand towards the door.
“Okay, people. We’re moving out.” She says all authoritatively like we’re marching into battle, and you have to love Kira for all her Bratva quirks. I know I love Adrik for his. My heart fills with expectancy as we head down the steps and through the main dining hall that's also decorated for a reception. I barely get a good enough glimpse of it, but if it’s anything like the foyer, I’m sure it will be incredible.
We head to the back door that leads to the garden, and they stop me right before I can exit, getting in a single file line like they practiced this a few times. The door parts open and in comes my father, grinning from ear to ear. Instantly, I smell his aftershave and cologne mixed— a core memory that always makes me feel at home. He looks me over, tears welling up in his eyes, before he takes me in his arms and holds me closer to his chest.
“My beautiful daughter. Today is a good day.” He pulls me back to look at my face and notices a tear in my eyes before I do, wiping it away with his handkerchief. “Today, you marry for love.”
I nod, pulling him close to me again and trying to savor this precious moment of him and me. Olive leaves when someone pops their head in to tell her the music has started, and the sound of violins briefly floods the room as she steps outside, closing the door behind her to bring us to the silence again.
“Are you ready?” My father asks, his arm still around me when Jess walks out next.
“Yes.” I nod, smiling softly and taking in the warmth of his embrace.
The girls follow one after the other until I’m the last to go and Pops retracts his arm, bending his elbow for me to take his arm. I do so just as both of the doors part and a soft round of string instruments play a soft ballad. A long pathway into the garden is lined with white wildflowers and every chair is filled with family— blood and gang.
We take steady steps forwards, and then I see him at the end of it all, under a flowery canopy spanning the entire area— Adrik. He’s dressed in all black from head to toe, shiny black boot that look newer than his usual chained ones. I look back up into his eyes as I continue forward, his lips are quivering like he’s trying to keep it together. I won’t look away, but a tear rolls down my cheek at the immense joy and utter disbelief, fate has generously gifted me.
Adrik is everything to me— Everything I ever wanted in a fairytale, he’s it, wrapped up in leather packaging and delivered just on time.
We stop right in front of the altar, where Vince is standing as officiant. Adrik steps over to us and shakes my father's hand, who proudly pulls him into a hug and slaps him on the back.
“Take care of her.” He wags a finger at him and Adrik nods.
“Always, sir.” My father gives him a smile of approval just before kissing both of my cheeks and taking his seat next to an empty chair with one flower on it, reserved for my mother. If she were still alive, I would have wanted them both to walk me down the aisle. Adrik takes me by the hand and guides me back to our spot, front and center.
“You’re so fucking gorgeous.” He whispers to me as the music softens to a sweet melody with only a violin. Vince begins the ceremony by seating everyone, continuing on to declare the notions of our gathering and the traditional marriage spiel. I don’t listen much because when I look at Adrik everything else fades away.
All I know is that when a ring is on my finger, and we say, “I do”, I kiss him like the world would end if I didn’t. And we’re wrapped up in one another until the whistling starts and clapping resounds. Adrik raises our hands like we won a championship, and we walk back down the aisle as the cheering continues.
“Where do we go?” He laughs, and I laugh back because I have no idea. One of the boys ushers into the house and when we get inside, we get to the dining room. Two seats are at one head of the table tonight, and they’re reserved for us. We sit down before Adrik whispers something to one of the security boys, and he scurries off like he’s on a mission.
“What task did you give him?” He looks over my face like he’s trying to memorize it before kissing me softly on the lips.
“You’ll see.”
The rest of the guests flood in as the kitchen staff serve drinks, and within the hour we’re all cackling and carrying on as music plays in the dining foyer and the kids run around crazily. Somehow, Adrik has become best friends with Sawyer, who is attached to him now, sitting on his lap and chewing on his fingers while the guests carry on. I lean in a few times to talk to them both, and Adrik’s hand never leaves mine.
After dinner, which was mostly steak and edible flowers, the guy that Adrik sent away comes in with a box, handing it to him like he’s presenting a royal scepter.
“Thank you.” Adrik takes it, placing it on the table in front of me and passing Swayer over to Kira.
“What’s this?” I point to it, and he leans in. “A gift we talked about a while ago. Open it.” He kisses my cheek and chills run down my neck.
“Is it appropriate to open?” I laugh and he nods sheepishly.
“Yes.”
“Alright.” I tear it open and resting on top of black tissue paper is a little box. I open that up and find gold hoop earrings.
“They’re beautiful, but I don’t have my ears pierced, Adrik…” I put the box down when he doesn’t say anything and peel back the tissue paper in the bigger one. Underneath it is a piercing gun. My jaw drops a little and he chuckles.
“You said you always wanted to get your ears pierced and—“
“And you promised you would go with me when we got married.”
