KAI

“Swear to God Yami, if you don’t stop pacing you’re gonna wear a groove in the floor.”

I clench my jaw and glare at Monty. “Fuck off. How much longer?”

Darling walks over and hands me a glass of water. “Twenty minutes, brother.”

I exhale slowly, and force my body to still as I sip the water. Twenty minutes until I can see her. Marry her. Kiss her. Make her mine for fucking ever.

“Who the hell came up with the dumb as fuck idea that the bride and groom can’t be together the night before their wedding anyway?” I complain. 

“No one said you had to go through with it,” Mav says mildly, and I turn my scowl on him.

“Isabelle wanted to,” I grumble under my breath as the guys chuckle knowingly. Every single one of us would do damn near anything our ladies asked us to do, no matter how much it sucks. Even so, I’m wishing I’d pushed back on this one. I don’t think anything will calm me down except seeing my girl.

It’s not like I have any reason to doubt today will be the most amazing day of my life. I’m marrying my best friend, the woman of my dreams. My nervous energy isn’t coming from worry, or anxiety. It’s more a restless anticipation, a deep desire to step into this next phase of life where Isabelle Murphy becomes Isabelle Yamaki.

My wife.

“Sit your ass down, Yami. It’ll be time to go soon.”

I drop down into a chair next to Monty and drain the rest of the water Darling gave me, then exhale my breath slowly. “Fine. Okay.” I look at each of them in turn. The four men who are the closest thing to brothers I have. “Thanks for being here with me guys. Guaranteed I’d be a lot more fucking antsy without you.”

“Nowhere else we’d rather be,” Sin replies gruffly, dropping a hand on my shoulder. The other guys all make sounds of agreement. And I know without a doubt, they mean it. We’ve been through a hell of a lot, the five of us. Heartache and joy, babies, weddings, scandals, injuries and more. I’m a better man because of each of them. And I couldn’t imagine going through today without them by my side.

“How much longer?” I ask again, and they all laugh.

“It’s time, brother. Let’s go get you a wife.”

***

ISABELLE

“You look so beautiful, Belles,” My mom sniffs, dabbing at her eyes with a tissue.

“Yes. Bellisima my piccola mia,” Dad adds in a voice gruff with emotion. “I am so proud to call you daughter.”

My parents exchange a look that speaks volumes. I might have been what some would call an accident. But I’ve never once felt like I wasn’t loved deeply and wholly by them both. Even my father, who came into my life when I was twenty, has never once made me doubt his love for me, and his joy in discovering he had a daughter.

“Thank you for everything.” I look at them both in turn. “I can’t really believe this is happening. I’m getting married.” I shake my head, blinking back tears.

“Yes, you are,” Mom says. “Let’s not keep Kai waiting any longer.”

We turn and face the tall wooden doors that lead into the sanctuary where our ceremony will take place. Even though neither one of us is all that religious, the old church in the town where my father’s family lives is so beautiful, I couldn’t imagine getting married anywhere else. Thankfully, our families and friends were quick to get on board with the last-minute plan. And I do mean last minute.

Kai proposed just one week after the Tridents were knocked out of the playoffs. And neither one of us wanted to wait long to make it official. I wouldn’t have thought it was possible to pull off an international wedding in a matter of weeks, but here we are.

I run my hands down the front of my satin dress. It’s both simple and elegant, with a deep plunging v-neck, straps that fall off the side of my shoulder, and a full skirt. But the part I know Kai will like the most is the long slit that runs up the front, showing a tasteful yet sexy amount of leg.

The woman at the doors to the sanctuary gestures to us, and I give her a nod. It’s time. She pulls open the doors, and even though the room in front of me is full of our friends and loved ones, my eyes see only one person.

Kai.

It’s a struggle not to drag my parents down the aisle in my haste to get to him. Why the heck did I decide to follow that stupid tradition of not seeing him the night before? That was dumb. Because looking at his smile, his deep brown eyes shining with tears, and the pure love radiating from him, I can’t imagine ever going another second without being his wife.

Finally, we reach the end of the aisle. I kiss my father and then my mom, handing her my bouquet with an extra squeeze of her hands, and then Kai takes me and guides me up the two steps to where the officiant waits.

“You’re so gorgeous,” he whispers, lifting my hands to his mouth to press a kiss to them.

“You look very handsome,” I whisper back, blinking back my own tears with a shaky smile.

All too soon, it’s time to say our vows, and this time I’m glad Kai insisted on writing our own. Because our love is not like any other. And our vows are the same.

“Isabelle, when I first fell in love with you, I thought I had found my forever. I had no idea that our lives would need to go separate ways for a while, but a part of me always held onto you. Fate, or luck, or whatever higher power made your mom fall in love with my coach brought us back together, and I’ll never stop being thankful for that. It didn’t take long for me to realize that losing you once was enough, and getting you back meant I would never let you go again. Today, I vow to love you through all of life’s twists and turns, and to always fight for us, because I know now that some love stories are meant to have a second chance.”

There’s no holding back the tears when he finishes, and when I look to the front row where my parents sit, with Tony next to my mom and Luisa next to my dad, they’re all crying as well.

“How am I meant to top that?” I whisper to him, and he just kisses the back of my hand again.

“All you have to say is that you’ll love me forever.”

I shake my head and take a deep breath. Because I will say that, but I’ve got so much more to say as well.

“Kai, you made me believe in love before I was ready for it. I was convinced that I had to let you go, to find myself, not realizing you were a part of my heart all along. I had to lose you, to learn what it meant to live without you, to realize just how desperately I needed you. Some things are meant to be, and we are one of them. I promise to love you, to cherish you, and to never let go again. You are my best friend, my safe place, and my greatest love. And this time, I choose you forever.”

Tears are pouring down Kai’s face when I finish, and I can feel the wetness on my cheeks as well. I barely register the officiant finishing the ceremony. The next thing I’m aware of is my husband gently cradling my face in his strong hands, and laying the most perfect kiss on my lips.

“You’re mine forever, Isabelle Yamaki.”

I kiss him again. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

THE END