“You’re right. I’ll try.”
“You ready to be Mrs. Black?” I could hear the smile in his voice as I lay with my cheek pressed to his firm chest.
“Very ready,” I grinned.
“I got you something,” he surprised me by saying. I eyed the beautiful diamond ring he’d slipped on to my finger the same evening he’d proposed and wondered what else he could possibly have to give me. He gently moved me so he could sit up, pulling what looked like a jewelry box out from his bedside drawer.
“What’s this?” I asked, sitting up cross-legged on the bed.
“Open it.” He shrugged, his intense expression countering the casual movement.
I opened the box and sucked in a gasp. Inside, sat a beautiful silver necklace, almost identical to the one my grandmother had given me. The one I’d been forced to leave behind. I was floored that he’d remembered.
I simply stared at it for a few beats feeling warm tears slide down my face.
“Hey, what’s this?” he asked, quietly swiping my tears away. “It wasn’t supposed to make you sad.”
“It doesn’t,” I assured him hoarsely, my eyes lifting to meet his. “It’s just so beautiful and so incredibly thoughtful. I’m just so…” I searched for the right word settling on the one that eclipsed everything I felt. “Happy.” I smiled through tears. “Thank you.” I leaned in to kiss him deeply.
“You’re welcome, darlin’. Is it close?” he asked with a wrinkled brow and I knew he meant the likeness.
“Very,” I nodded, unclasping the necklace and putting it around my neck. He moved my hair over to my shoulder and fastened it securely in place around my neck.
It was close to my heart where, like Axel himself, I planned to keep it for the rest of my days.
Chapter 17
The small part of me that had been concerned Ryker wouldn’t take his officiant duties seriously, needn’t have worried. From the moment I walked down the aisle with Sal, watching Axel’s eyes grow bright and his chest heave with a shuddering breath, Ry had led us through the ceremony with a type of assured calm I hadn’t seen in him before.
I clasped the large hands of my gorgeous husband-to-be and let Ryker’s soothing voice wash over me. Holding Maddox for part of our vows, we promised to devote our lives to each other, to be the family we’d never had. With tears obscuring my vision, I put my gold ring on his finger where it would stay forever.
“I love you, Sophie,” he said with a fierce growl after Ry had pronounced us husband and wife. He kissed me with a passion not entirely appropriate given the fact that we had an audience. I didn’t give a damn and gave as good as I got. He pressed his forehead to mine, our breathing labored and a different kind of warmth spread across my skin.
“I love you, too,” I smiled, rising on my tiptoes to kiss him again.
From there, it was all a blur of loud music, good food and rowdy revelry. The Knights knew how to party and I was happy to be swept up into the chaos. Everyone from the club was there and even a few Sinners too.
Kat had volunteered to watch Maddox and Scarlet seemed to be unofficially helping quite a bit with Mason.
In one of the few relatively quiet moments of the evening, I found a seat next to Jill who sat alone, admiring the view out on the deck. “Okay?” I asked, taking the seat at her side.
“Wonderful,” she smiled. “You are gorgeous.” She stroked a finger over the tulle of my skirt.
“Thanks. How long do you plan to stay?” I wanted to know, watching Axel as he stood laughing inside with Cole.
“I may not leave,” she muttered as my head whipped around to face her.
“What? What’s going on, Jill?” I asked as forcefully as I dared.
She shrugged, her posture too deliberate, too casual for my liking.
“Jill?” I pressed.
“I left Tim.”
The silence weighed heavily between us as I tried desperately not to react too strongly to her words.
“How can I help?” I asked instead.
