“Where are you taking me?” Loren asked in a whisper.
“There is one more thing we need to do. Trust me.”
He felt his heart swell as her slender fingers tightened in his. That small silent communication meant so much. To finally have her trust and to know he honestly returned it was one of the greatest gifts he’d ever received.
Their slippered feet made no sound as they crossed the great hall toward the small private chapel that formed part of the castillo’s ancient history. The well-tended chapel door swung open silently beneath his touch.
“Wait here a moment,” he instructed before moving swiftly down the center aisle of the centuries-old place of worship.
Moonlight gave eerie illumination to the stained-glass windows that had been fitted by successive generations of del Castillos. At the altar Alex lit the thick candles in their squat candelabra, letting their golden glow chase the shadows of the past to the corners of the chapel.
He turned back to Loren, covering the short distance back to the door, to his bride, in seconds. Taking her hand again, he led her to the altar.
“I should have done this right the first time. I owed you that,” he said, stroking the side of her face softly before letting his hands reach down to take both of hers in his own.
“It’s all right, Alex. We survived anyway.”
Her smile was bittersweet and Alex made a silent vow to ensure that the last of their ghosts were banished from this moment.
“We may have survived but you deserve more than that. This time I don’t want there to be any doubt.
“Loren, I love you for your strength in the face of adversity, for your pride and incredible sense of honor and for the gift of your love to me, even when I didn’t deserve it. From this day forward, you will never again be lonely for I will always be at your side to give you comfort and to support you in whatever you do for all of our lives together.
“I promise you, I will always be your rock, I will always honor you, remain true only to you and I will always love you—today and forever.”
He lifted her hand and placed a kiss on her ring finger, sealing a brand upon her skin where his rings already claimed her as his by law. He rested their clasped hands against his chest as Loren took a deep breath and started to speak, her voice low and clear in the air between them.
“Alex, I have always loved you for your principles, for your direction and your love for your family. I am honored to be your wife, to be your partner for life and to be the one to support you and love you through whatever comes our way in the future. I treasure your love for me and will always do everything in my power to protect and nurture that love.
“Together I know we can weather any storm and be safe in the knowledge that it will only bring us closer and will only serve to help me love you more. I can’t wait to have children with you, to watch them grow with your guidance and strength behind them and I promise that I will always be there for you and always love you.”
She reached up and kissed him, sealing their vows to one another with a hunger and a pledge that promised a happier future.
As one, they bent to blow out the candles, then left the chapel to return to their chamber, oblivious to the fading apparition in the far reaches of the shadows—a woman in eighteenth-century dress—smiling.
* * * * *
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ISBN-13: 9781460382592
The Tycoon’s Charm
Copyright © 2015 by Harlequin Books S.A.
The publisher acknowledges the copyright holders of the individual works as follows:
The Tycoon’s Paternity Agenda
Copyright © 2010 by Michelle Celmer
Honor-Bound Groom
Copyright © 2010 by Dolce Vita Trust
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The Tycoon's Charm: The Tycoon's Paternity AgendaHonor-Bound Groom Page 31