by Adom Sample
“I’m glad your feelings stayed true, and I’m also happy that you saved me from that terrible abusive coward. I hope he never gets out of prison.”
“Let’s not dwell on the past. How about we focus on our future together? I’m still in awe that you, the love of my life, are carrying my child. All of my wishes for this life have come true. I never dreamed of being a successful businessman, and I never dreamed of being rich. The only thing I have ever dreamed of was this.” He placed his hand on my belly. “You are my life, and I am nothing without you.”
I blushed and put my hand on top of his. I was putting everything I was into his hands, and I had faith he would never do anything to hurt me or to lead me astray. I could be totally open with him, just as he was with me. I lived in this moment as we began the journey that was our life together.
I respected his wishes and left him alone for now. I watched him as he turned around and walked out of the tub. His boxers were hanging half-off his waist, and I could see his hard, muscled ass. I reached out, wanting to grab it, but I stopped myself. I had to get control over my urges, but he was so damn sexy.
“You coming?” he asked, pulling up his boxers and collecting his shirt and pants. The wedding was tomorrow, yet the only thing I could think of was how perfect my life was right now. Years of heartbreak, change, loss, headaches, and hope had led to this moment. He helped me to grow and to realize there was so much more to life than being stuck in situations you thought you weren’t able to change. I couldn’t have asked for more.
He looked around the bath and reentered the water, grabbing my hands. “You stay in here much longer, and I’ll be marrying a raisin tomorrow,” he joked. I put my arms on his shoulders and breathed in the steam in the air around us.
“I was just thinking . . . how lucky I am that you came into my life.”
He smiled and put his arms around my waist. “I’m the lucky one here. If it weren’t for you, I probably would have ended up drowning somewhere in Peru. You saved my life.”
“Just as you have mine, Dante.”
He clenched my chin with his thumb and index finger and kissed me softly. “Now, let’s get out of this tub and head to bed. We’ve got a big day tomorrow.”
“You’re coming to bed with me? I thought your cousins and friends planned a bachelor party for you tonight while they’re in town.”
His face wrinkled up, and he shook his head. “I told them I changed my mind about having one. Maybe when I was in my early twenties, I would have wanted one, but I’m in my thirties now. I’d rather spend the night with you, babe. I have no desire whatsoever to go to a club and get drunk with half-naked women shaking their curves at me.”
“Do you really mean that?”
He put my chin in the palms of his hands and looked me directly in the eyes. He kissed me on my lips and neck.
“Of course, my love.” He then hoisted me over his shoulder and carried me out. I grabbed his ass and squeezed his cheeks as hard as I could. He took me upstairs, laid me on the bed, and removed my wet clothes. The look in his eyes shouted lust. He poured some lotion into his hands and began to rub my breasts and stomach.
“I thought you said no sex.”
“I’m just going to give you a massage. Lie down and relax,” he said. He went to the restroom and came back with some almond oil.
“I don’t think I’m going to be able to take this, Dante. I’m going to want you.” My desire for him was building.
“Just lay down here, close your eyes, and relax.” His voice was commanding, and it was about to send me over the edge. With my face down in the pillow, I heard him pour the oil onto his hands. He blew on the upper part of my neck and shoulders, then slowly rubbed the soothing liquid into my skin. The feel of it was warm and tantalizing. He rubbed downward into my backside and legs. The smell of it made my eyes roll into the back of my head.
I squeezed down on the pillow, trying to hold back from forcing myself onto him. It was so relaxing and sensual. I couldn’t take it. He stopped and poured more into his hands, then rubbed it into my back. It had such a cold feeling, as if I had jumped out of a sauna into a cold bath. It tickled my skin.
He flipped me over and rubbed the oil into my breasts and stomach. He opened my legs and rubbed my inner thighs. I was dripping wet. I couldn’t take much more of this. I wanted him. I needed him. Was this his way of torturing me for smashing the cake he’d spent an hour making into his face? The insides of my thighs started to shiver when he blew on the oil on my skin, giving me an unbearable sensation of wanting.
He flipped me over onto my stomach again. I arched my backside into the air, and he continued to massage me. He caressed and blew on my skin, all over. I felt as though I might climax. Each time I thought he was about to touch me down there, he avoided it, always going around my pleasure spot. It was driving me insane.
“Please, Dante!” I begged him, but it was almost as if he couldn’t hear me. He was too caught up in the moment to listen to my pleas. With my backside arched upward, his hands slowly made their way onto my backside, and he inserted his middle finger inside of my pussy. With no time and no will to savor it, I climaxed right then. I could hear him licking his fingers.
“You taste delicious.”
I was trembling. This was pleasurable torture. The oil must have been more or less an aphrodisiac, because I lost complete control over my senses and the only thing in the world that mattered was the feeling. He placed the covers over my body and climbed into bed with me, then wrapped his strong, muscled arms around my body. We soon fell asleep. I could live this way forever. In his arms, I was home.
Epilogue
Dante
“This is happening. I can’t believe—”
Gaspard knocked on the door of the anteroom I had locked myself into.
“Dante, are you all right in there? You sound a bit nervous,” he said. And he was right. However, I wasn’t sure why. I was glad I’d made him my best man, though. He always had a knack for talking some sense into me and calming me down when I was anxious.
“Are you getting cold feet?” he joked.
I unlocked the door and stepped out. Gaspard was wearing a sharp black tuxedo with an off-white shirt and bow tie, the same color as his tux. I was sure it matched the setting of whatever Isabella had designed. I had yet to see it. She wanted to surprise me.
“No, I’m not getting cold feet. I just can’t believe the woman of my dreams is going to be my wife in less than an hour.”
“Believe it, Dante. After all the things you two have been through, you deserve nothing less. I just wish she hadn’t made your tux the same color as her dress. I would have liked to see you in a traditional black tux.”
“I gave her full control over the wedding designs and plans, right down to the tux I’m wearing. I think it looks great.”
“All right. Well, I’m going to join the others outside. Good luck.”
He left as my mother entered the room. Her eyes were red.
“Your wife-to-be is the most dashingly beautiful young lady I’ve ever seen. I only wish your father were still alive to see this day. He would have loved to see you settling down with the girl you talked about so much growing up. I’m so happy for you, son,” she said.
“What’s the matter, Mother? Why are your eyes so red?”
“You know why.” She wiped her eyes with a handkerchief and blew her nose. The joy on her face made me happy. I took her hand and sat on the cushioned chair next to the door. Behind the joy in my mother’s eyes was sorrow. I could tell she was distraught that my father couldn’t be here to see this. Everything I was, I owed to him. He made me the man I was today.
I supposed this moment reminded my mother of the day she married my father. He’d pursued her just as relentlessly as I’d pursued Isabella, and in the end, we’d both gotten what we’d earned. I could only hope Isabella and I would live long lives together and be just as happy as my parents had been.
“What’s on
your mind, Mother?”
Her handkerchief was used, so she pulled out a tissue from her purse and wiped her eyes. “I didn’t think you were ever going to get married. I’ve wished for this day for so long.”
“I’m sorry to keep you waiting, Mother. I just wanted to find the right one. Once I get married, divorce isn’t going to be an option. I wanted to be sure I married for love and nothing else.”
She rubbed my shoulder.
“I know that woman out there loves you, son. There’s no doubt in my mind about that. Remember you once joked when you were a teenager that you would never get married unless it was with the girl you met when we were living in Florida?”
We laughed.
“Yes, I remember, Mother. I never thought that joke would become a reality. To tell you the truth, I never thought I would see her again. Everything seems like a dark fairy tale that had its happy ending.”
“The only thing left for you to do now is to walk down the aisle and say the words I do. I want you to love her. You’d better cherish every moment you spend with her. Treat her as if she were a queen of your world. She, in turn, will treat you the same. Love each other. Be there for one another. Through hardship and pleasant times. Never give up on one another. Even through the bad times. Especially through the bad times. Promise me that.”
I rubbed my mother’s hand and nodded. “I promise that and much more.”
She pinched my cheek and opened the door to the anteroom we were in. For me, this was what living was about. Forget about my wealth, my houses, my cars, my collection of helicopters—everything. The only things I needed were Isabella and our child. I put my hand on my mother’s shoulder and shook with nervousness when she said it was time to go. Isabella and I were about to become one for all time.
This was it. I had to get a handle on myself. I didn’t want my bride to see me like this. I could only suspect she was just as nervous as I was, or at least I hoped so. My mother took my hand and walked me out of the room into the head of the aisle. Everyone was there, and I did mean everyone. It looked as though Isabella had invited every person we knew. There had to have been close to a thousand people there. The place was packed. I was amazed.
Her surprise was revealed to me, and it was quite stunning. She’d instructed my groomsmen to conceal it from me when I’d come into the building. She didn’t want to ruin the surprise. We decided to have the Boca Raton Resort & Club as our venue. This was a Waldorf Astoria resort, so we were sure they’d be able to accommodate the number of people Isabella invited.
I’d once told her a story about old money and new money, and how they were interrelated with people like us. At times, I would often be looked down upon because I didn’t come from money. That was one of the reasons I didn’t have a large inner circle of people from my world. I always thought people like myself were the fittest. I came from nothing and built an empire without relying on anyone. I believed that to be the most honorable way. I would never have thought she took my words to heart.
But as I looked around, this definitely seemed quite similar to one of my favorite novels. She’d had them transform the cathedral room into The Great Gatsby wedding theme. I would never have guessed. Everything looked just as extravagant and elegant as the novel’s description. I could see her inspiration must have been the 2013 film starring Leonardo DiCaprio. I looked around, and everyone was dressed as if it were the 1920s. I was living a dream.
Down the aisle, I saw her bridesmaids staring at me. Maya was maid of honor. We locked eyes and she giggled. I supposed she could tell I was nervous. Gaspard was smiling at me. I would have thought my cousin Felix would come, but I didn’t see him anywhere.
No doubt, he had probably hacked into one of our computers or smartphones and was watching from whatever dark basement he was dwelling in. I knew for a fact Isabella invited him because I saw Commodore Noah in the back row with his wife. I supposed if Felix had come, he wouldn’t have dressed the part and would have been unkempt. That didn’t matter now.
I made it to the altar. The massive chandelier above us shone white and gold, and soft strings of music began to play in the distance. It was beautiful, just beautiful.
Suddenly, everything went dark, and the only light in the room shone from the chandelier. I looked back, and the doors opened, revealing Isabella in her platinum diamond dress. The light reflected off her as if she were an angel. My angel. I heard the strings, saxophone, harp, and piano play Sade’s Kiss of Life as she walked down the aisle. I faced forward. I couldn’t take it. Her beauty was blinding. A tear ran down my face as I tried to keep my composure. I dared not look back at her, for I may have crumbled to my knees.
I saw the shimmering lights reflecting off the walls the closer she came to the altar. I bent over and grabbed my knees in an attempt to stay afloat. Gaspard came to my aid, grabbed my right arm, and lifted me up.
“She’s there, Dante. Look at her,” he whispered. I turned around and there she was with her father handing her off to me. I broke down in tears. All composure was lost.
“It’s all right, love. I’m right here for you, babe,” she said. My bride wiped my tears away with her sweaty palms. Her dress was so graceful and stylish I could barely believe my eyes. Everything about her was perfect. I loved her so much.
My mother began to cry as the music played softly. My uncle comforted her while everyone in attendance reveled in the moment. The music slowly died down, and everything went silent. The lights turned back on, and the officiant began the marital sermon. I didn’t take my eyes off her, not once. How I wished I could remove the veil from her face and kiss her right now, but I must wait until the words were said. Until the words you may now kiss the bride were spoken.
All my attention was focused on her gleaming eyes as I waited to say my vows. I hadn’t written anything down. Everything I wanted to say would come straight from the heart, no thought-out plans or prewritten notes. I’d known for years what I wanted to say on this day.
There was no need for notes. I wanted her to know I was sincere in my words just as I had been in my actions. We held each other’s hands and smiled. I couldn’t tell if she was crying. The veil camouflaged her face. I did hear a sniffle now and then, and as usual, her palms were moist.
“The couple would like to say a word to one another,” said the officiant.
“I’d like to say mine first,” Isabella whispered.
“Of course, m-my love,” I stuttered. She looked at me and held my hands tighter and closer to her chest. I felt her trembling, shaking even, as she stuttered her words. I placed my lips close to her ear. “I love you, Isabella. Everything is going to be all right. This is our moment where only you and I exist.” She gained her bearings.
Dante Alonso. I am here before you, surrendering myself. I am yours, for better or for worse. The day I found out you went missing is the same day everything that I was died. I vowed never to give up, no matter the condition you were in. The thought of losing you is equivalent to a lifetime of torment. I love you. When you gave me this ring before I left to stay with my mother, I knew then someday we would be here, standing before each other about to become husband and wife. I promise to always be faithful to you and to love you in bad times and in good.
I vow to never give up on us and to never lead you astray. You are my sun, my stars, and my very breath. I vow to put you before all else and to forsake all others in life until death. If you go, I go with you. If you leave, I leave with you, and if you die, then I will surely die with you. Our lives may not have begun together, but they will end together. I vow to take this lifelong journey with you until we grow old and watch our grandchildren make the same vows to their true loves.
If there is ever any sadness in your heart, I will be there to cleanse it. And when there is happiness in your heart, I will be there to heighten it. I promise from now until forever to be your shining light in the darkness. This I swear to you, before everyone. Nothing will break this vow, and nothing will break
us apart. I am yours until the end of our time. I love you, and I hope to be just as good a wife as you have been a friend, a mentor, a boyfriend, a fiancé, and a lover to me.
I wiped my tears and pulled her hands closer to my chest. I allowed her to feel my heart beating. All the emotion and misfortunes I’d been through to get to this day made my heart palpitate faster. I needed her to feel this. I cleared my throat and looked through the soft white veil, taking a deep breath.
Isabella, this day has finally come. All my wishes have come true. I have dreamt of nothing else since I was that skinny little kid riding his bike around the neighborhood, hoping you’d notice me. I had always hoped you and I would meet again and fall in love, transcending to the highest high of emotional attachment. You saw through my letters and my secrets to find the truth. You knew I was in love with you when we were in Korea. You knew I fell for you when I came to see you from England. You knew all along and forced it out of me despite my promise to myself.
You saved my life and brought happiness where there was once a hollowed shell. To know that with the simple bat of your eye you could cause me to crumble into nothing is the gift I give to you. I give you all of me—my mind, body, soul, wealth. Anything and everything you could ask of me is yours. I proclaim my love for you in front of all our family and friends, and I hide nothing from you any longer.
The journey of us coming together has been a rough one, but we saw it through with the one thing that bound us together. When you were lost, I found you. When I was lost, you found me. Now that we are found, let us cherish our time together and never part again. With this vow, this ring, I give myself to you and I promise never to hurt you. I would willingly sacrifice myself before I would ever allow that to happen.
I promise to love you, to care for you, to comfort you, to please you, and to always put your needs ahead of my own. I love you, Isabella. I always have. Accept my love and this vow as fulfilling guidance on how our lives will come to be. Until we are old and gray, for as long as my life will remain in this world. I love you, forever and always. My Isabella. My love.