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“Adonis, you’re going to get your blood pressure up again,” I said, cutting him off.
“You were going to get married without me?” he asked. “I had to race here. I almost didn’t make it.”
I felt a smidge bad as he huffed at me. “Adonis…”
He walked up to me and placed a hand on my shoulder. “I am so proud of the man you’ve become.” The old man had tears in his eyes as he looked up at me.
“I’m sorry I didn’t call. Things have been…hectic,” I replied. “I couldn’t imagine getting married without you here. You’ve been more of a father figure than both the men who claimed me as their son.”
Adonis blinked. “Don’t say things like that, Your Majesty. I’m a grown man. It would be humiliating to cry here in front of everyone.”
I shook my head and wrapped him in a hug, a broad grin on my face. “I love you, Adonis. Thank you for putting up with my sorry ass all these years.”
When I pulled away, he was full-on crying. “It has been my greatest honor, Augustus,” he whispered before swiping at his tears and finding a seat on the front row.
The crowd began to stir as my attention gravitated back to the ceremony, and I saw Christine approaching in all her magnificence. Everyone stood to welcome her and my heart swelled. Her arm was locked tightly onto Atticus’s, who was pale and unsteady but determined to march her to me. In his own flawed way, he was offering me the chance to share in the love of this woman he’d possessed ever since he first laid eyes on her. Her beauty and strength radiated from her as if it were written on a script, like an exquisite masterpiece waiting for its grand unveiling.
The moment she stepped onto the platform, her eyes were fixed on mine. She looked like an eternal goddess in her red gown, the color of passion. I wanted to take her in my arms and ravage her right then and there. My cock throbbed beneath my trousers as I drank in her beauty shamelessly.
Beside me, Leo gave an approving nod, with a knowing smirk on his lips. We both couldn’t help but beam goofily with pride.
The hushed murmurs of the congregation filled the air as the priest spoke. His voice boomed as he uttered the fateful question, “Who gives this bride away?”
Atticus stepped forward from his place in the crowd, standing tall and smirking at me as Christine stepped beside him. His eyes fixed on her, and in the same instant, his lips crashed into hers. He took her with a wild urgency, exploring her mouth hungrily with an intensity that left everyone in the crowd breathless. I could feel the electricity in the air, and I knew this was his way of displaying his unrelenting possessiveness of her. Nothing less could be expected from the brutal asshole. He truly was devoted to Christine.
When they eventually broke apart, Atticus held on to her hand tightly, preventing her from leaving him. I had no intention of taking her from him, but I wanted to make my own mark on our relationship by being part of what would be one of its most important moments yet: Atticus’s blessing.
Christine’s face flushed a bright red as he pulled away slowly, her lips swollen and her eyes bright. “No one is giving her away today,” he said, loud enough for everyone to hear. “Christine decides for herself what she wants. She’s my queen. My heart. My Little Monster. My everything.”
I cleared my throat, gently raising my arm for prominence. Atticus looked up at me with a fiery glare before slowly releasing his grip on Christine’s hand and reluctantly stepping away.
Christine walked toward me with a newfound confidence that filled me with pride and love, taking my proffered hand without hesitation. She smiled up at me with steadfast assurance that showed just how deeply she trusted me to keep her safe and protect our love.
Atticus moved to stand beside Christine. The way we were situated, all four of us were at the altar, with my love and me in the middle.
I stood proudly with my man, Leo, at my side. His presence brought me a peculiar sensation of courage and security. We towered over the priest at the altar, and I could feel Christine’s admiration and desire as she looked upon me.
The priest cleared his throat before commencing. “We have gathered here today to witness the union of two souls. A union of love, devotion, and an unbreakable bond.” He opened his ancient book and began the ceremony. His words spoke of the courage it took for us to unite, of the irresistible force that pulled us together, and of the passionate love we had for each other that would last for seven lifetimes. He beamed his approval as he continued to read, and I could feel Christine’s arms around me in a pulse of warmth as if she wanted to shout out to the universe how happy we were.
The priest spoke of fate, and I looked up at him with a bit of a snort. Fate fucked me so hard; I didn’t think I’d have to work for anything in life, but I was wrong. A mother with more secrets than I ever knew. An abusive father that wasn’t even my real father, and a biological dad that wasn’t much better. I had all my luxuries stripped away. My title. My future. But I never realized that fate gave me more than I ever expected. She gave me the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen in my life, with a spirit that could break through the coldest of hearts. Fate gave me the brother who almost died, only to make me a better man. Fate gave me an unlikely family with my guard. Fate took my hand and led me to Christine.
I tightened my grip on her small, dainty hand as I turned to face the priest. The weight of the crown sitting atop a pillow in his grasp radiated throughout the room. The crown I was soon to inherit.
“Augustus of Aldrich, please speak your oath to the kingdom,” the priest said.
My lips curled into a knowing smirk as I looked at her. Sure, there was a formal oath that I was expected to read, but I wanted to take this opportunity to express my own vow.
“I accept the crown that comes with her hand—her beautiful hand that I’m so lucky to hold—because Christine would want me to. There’s no way of knowing what life is without her. Her gentle and determined spirit makes me a better man and leader. I solemnly swear to devote my life to Aldrich and support her as she leads this kingdom. I vow to earn the people’s trust and lead them with honor and grace. I will protect her from any hardship and love her through everything.”
My eyes barely held back the glistening tears of raw emotion as I watched the priest raise his hands, placing my crown onto my head, a weight I hadn’t expected to carry so lightly. This new path was no longer a sentence, but a way to show Christine how much I loved her.
Leo handed us both our wedding bands, and I grasped Christine’s hand, never wanting to let go.
“Christine Abernathy,” I declared with certainty. “I’ve been in love with you since the moment we first met. And now, here we are.”
The electricity between us was tangible, as if we were both daring to take a chance on something that we’d thought impossible for so long. “I vow to love you until the stars burn out and the earth crumbles. I’ve seen you grow into an awe-inspiring creature, a brilliant being radiating beauty and passion. Every day, I dream of being the man you deserve, the one who can shelter you from harm, your beacon in the shadows of life. That’s what I vow to do—fight for your joy and share the life we build together. No matter what comes our way, I will take it head-on, all for love’s sake.” I put the ring on her finger and smiled. She looked up at me with tears streaking down her face, and she was beautiful.
She spoke. “Augustus.” I smiled as I looked into her glistening blue eyes. “I love you. You are my reason for breathing. I promise to cherish you and always be there. I love you more than I could ever say. I never thought I’d be this happy. I never thought I’d find someone who looks at my soul and still loves me. Someone who grounds me and reminds me of the parts of my innocence I’d long forgotten. And I’m thankful that fate brought us back together. I promise to take care of you, to love you no matter what, to lead the kingdom with you and honor you always.”
