Beckham took her hand and kissed it once before guiding her down the aisle to their seats in the front row on the groom’s side. Just as they sat down, instrumental music filled the room. The guests rose, turning to see Laura appear. She looked like Cinderella in her wedding dress. Reyna peeked back at Brian to find his mouth open and his eyes wide with shock and admiration. Laura swept down the rose-petal aisle to her beloved. As they stared at each other, Reyna realized she had never seen either of them look so unbelievably happy.
Elle had given them this. Elle and Beckham and security they hadn’t known back in the warehouses. It was a magical thing to witness. She squeezed Beckham’s hand as tears came to her eyes at the sight. He squeezed back, and when she turned to look at him, she saw that his gaze was on Reyna and the joy this moment brought her.
“Thank you,” she whispered, leaning her head onto his arm as Brian and Laura said “I do.”
“Anything for you.”
The ceremony ended, and everyone helped to clear the chairs to the side of the room for the reception. Meghan and Tye wheeled in refreshments, and music played from the speakers.
Reyna approached her brother and tugged him into a hug. “Congratulations, big brother.”
“Thanks, little sister.”
Beckham held his hand out to Brian. “Congratulations.”
Brian shook his hand. “I appreciate what you did for us. Maybe I had it wrong about you the first time.”
“It’s an easy mistake to make.”
Reyna liked that he didn’t try to correct Brian, didn’t disagree and say he wasn’t one of the good ones. It had to be a sign of progress.
“Well, thank you again. We owe you. Big time.”
“Absolutely not. It’s a gift. A wedding gift.”
“It was very generous.”
“We’re going to let other people say hi. I’m so happy for you,” Reyna said, pulling Beckham away. “You made their life. You know that, right?”
“I hardly did anything.”
“When you have nothing, anything is a miracle.”
After all the congratulations, Brian led Laura into the first dance. The rest of the party joined in on the next song. Reyna saw, with some amusement, Gabe slip in and pull Meghan into a dance. Tye looked disgruntled. When he tried to dance with Jodie instead, she flipped him off and grabbed Xavier. What a lovers’ quadrangle.
Reyna’s eyes widened even farther when she saw Drew work up the nerve to ask his roommate, Gregory, to dance. She was even more surprised when the man’s smile lit up his whole face and he all but dragged her brother out onto the dance floor. They’d joked that Gregory was his boyfriend, but this was the first time she’d gotten real confirmation of that without Drew blowing them off.
“Would you care to dance?” Beckham asked, holding his hand out.
“I’d love to.”
They moved forward into the crowd of people as a slow song came on. Reyna slipped both of her hands around his neck, and he placed his hands on her hips. The moment felt surreal. Here she was in Beckham’s arms, surrounded by the people she loved. It was impossible to believe that after what she had suffered…all was right with their world, at least for this one night.
They danced through the night, laughing and cheering and celebrating this blissful union. Taking all the happiness they could where they could. In the midst of a rebellion organization, these moments were rare. No one wanted the night to end.
Even Reyna.
Though she was having a hard time keeping her hands to herself after the bottle of champagne she split with Jodie. Her head buzzed. She felt amazing. All she could think about was Beckham’s promise to shred her lingerie. She was ready to take him up on that.
Meghan and Gabe slipping out of the room was the first sign the festivities were winding down. Reyna kissed Brian and Laura as they decided to return to their own room. He squeezed her hand, and then they were off.
“Oh, Reyna,” Beckham said as she twirled back toward him. “You are intoxicated.”
She trailed a hand down the front of his tux. “I’m fine.”
He hefted her into his capable arms against her protests and carried her all the way back to her room.
“Okay. Okay. Put me down. I can walk,” she insisted.
