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She placed the ring on my finger and squeezed my hand. She smiled and I could feel the warmth in her hand as she squeezed it. “I love you.”
“I love you,” I whispered, squeezing her hand back.
“By the power vested in me by the kingdom of Aldrich, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Official king and queen.” People cheered loudly, clapping for us. The priest’s voice broke through the noise. “You may kiss the bride.”
I bent down and kissed her. Her lips were soft and warm, and I savored the taste of her. When I pulled away, she looked at me with the brightest eyes I’d ever seen. I still had one more gift to give her. One last thing to bring her joy—because that was my ultimate purpose in life now. Make the girl I love happy.
I held her hands and guided them to Leo. The crowd grew quiet with confusion. She looked at me curiously as she grabbed his hands, and Leo swallowed while staring at our girl.
“This is your moment, too, Leo. It’s time to step out of the shadows,” I whispered.
Leo looked at the crowd, then back at her. Clearing his throat, he then said, “I promise to love you, Christine. I promise to fight for your happiness. I promise to cherish you and make you feel safe. I promise to try to keep that smile on your face for the rest of my life. I promise to nourish the soft parts of you that Augustus loves.” She sniffed and he pulled her close. “I promise to lead the kingdom with you—to do my duty and to help you shoulder the burdens of leadership. I promise to never be far away. I promise to fight your demons and stand beside you as you fight. I promise to cherish the parts of your soul Atticus has brought to life. I promise to love you in the dark, and in the light.”
Christine was sobbing as Leo spoke. Her sobs grew louder as Leo spoke, as he laid down his oath. “I promise to love you forever.”
He kissed her on the forehead, and she looked at him. She squeezed his hand, and I saw her whisper something I couldn’t hear. He nodded and smiled.
The crowd cheered for us, and I felt the weight of what we had just done. As Christine and I walked down the aisle, I thought about the promises we had made to each other.
We had promised to love each other unconditionally, forever. We had promised to fight for each other’s happiness, no matter what life threw our way. And we had promised to lead Aldrich into a brighter future. It was a lot of responsibility, but one that I knew we could handle together.
Suddenly, a cheer erupted from the crowd. People started throwing roses and lilies in our path, creating a path of petals as we walked toward our future.
We reached the end of the aisle and I paused for a moment to take it all in—the starry sky, the burning fire, our people clapping and cheering us on—and said a silent thank-you for this beautiful beginning that lay ahead of us.
Christine looked up at me with tears in her eyes and smiled as she grabbed my hand tight in hers. Atticus and Leo followed close behind us as we stepped out into our future together as king and queen of Aldrich.
What better way to begin our lives than together.
Chapter Twenty-Six
LEO
The air was thick with the stench of Redview soldiers, drunk on Theodore DuPont’s finest wine. Christine and August were at the head of the room, their heads close together as they chattered excitedly over the remnants of the feast. The royal wedding reception was far from the elegant event Nathan had planned. Every detail had been meticulously crafted—no doubt expecting his own enjoyment—and here it lay, wasted, a mere memory on an altar of ashes.
It was so much more than a royal wedding ceremony. The soldiers were celebrating their new queen. It was dirty and raw and perfect.
The room was dimly lit by flickering candles and shrouded in a deep green fabric that hung from the grand chandelier. The platters of meats and cheeses were half-eaten and wilting, covered in a swarm of frenzied flies. People were singing and laughing around them, but Christine and August remained still, eyes focusing on each other while they silently communicated in a language more intimate than words. The tension between them was so palpable that it made the air crackle with anticipation.
I should have been jealous.
But I was so fucking happy.
Because I knew that I had my own claim to Christine’s heart as well.
Atticus sat vigilantly, barely keeping his eyes open, at his mother’s side. He had a monumental recovery ahead of him, but he wouldn’t leave Elizabeth DuPont’s side—not even for a moment. His worry was apparent; she had killed her husband earlier today and it had taken its toll.
I was worried about him. There would be plenty of men that would want revenge for killing Theodore, not to mention power seeking individuals that would challenge him. He had a long road ahead to claim his empire, but I knew he was up to the challenge.
Christine was breathtakingly beautiful, and in that moment, I knew I had to prove to her that I was committed to making things right. I’d made too many mistakes and hurt her gravely, yet here we were. I could feel the hope in the air and silently promised myself that I would never let her down again.
Despite everything I’d done, she still let me back into her life and accepted me in places that no one else could go. I wouldn’t ever be perfect, and I’d never be able to erase the horrible things I’d done in the past. But I wanted to show her that we could make one another happy.
A burning passion took over me as I stepped closer and softly kissed her cheek. A faint hint of a smile curved up her lips.
“You alright?” I muttered, my lips brushing against her earlobe.
“It feels too surreal,” she whispered. “Can’t help but think something will ruin it all.”
