“I need to see him,” I tell the two women and begin to stand from my position.
“Oh, no, no, no. I need to fix your makeup again and then we have to get your dress on. Only then can you go.”
I huff out a frustrated sigh before taking a seat again. My knees bounce up and down as I think about his touch. When these two ladies first showed up, Liam refused to leave me alone with them, but I swore to him that I’d be able to handle it for the short period of time.
Right now, though, I wish that I listened when he insisted on staying. I need him.
It takes them an additional twenty minutes to finish up before each of them takes one of my hands and helps me step into my heels. I remove the plush hotel robe when my dress is brought over. I close my eyes and keep them shut as they work together to get it correctly positioned on my body. I cringe at the feel of their fingertips against my bare skin, but I manage to remind myself of where I am before a panic attack ensues. Before I’m allowed to leave the room, the makeup artist applies one more coat of blood-red lipstick before they insist on taking a handful of images, which they’ll send to Liam once the ceremony is over. I know that he asked them to do it, so I’ll indulge them for a moment.
I thank each of them before walking out of the suite and to the elevator bank on our floor. Once I hit the down button, I stare at myself in the full-length mirror on the far wall.
The iridescently white material hugs my curves flawlessly with the beading and lace flowing down from my breasts to my hips in erratic yet precise patterns. The mermaid cut fits closely to my body until it flares out at my knees. The sweetheart neckline with spaghetti straps gives a great view of my girls for Liam, and I’m eager to see his reaction to the finished product.
My hair is swept over to one side of my shoulders where half of it is pinned up, and the other half lies softly over my left shoulder. I know that he’ll like it like this because he’ll be able to see the column of my neck . . . the side that he didn’t leave a hickey on yesterday.
My favorite thing about the woman staring back at me in the mirror, aside from the fact that my hair is back to its natural color, is that I see myself. I don’t see the damaged and haunted woman that I thought I would. I see someone who is thrilled about the next steps in life and who she has waiting for her downstairs.
I run my fingers through the curled locks of black hair as the elevator opens and I step into it, immediately impatient for it to take me downstairs. It makes a lot more stops on the way down than I’d like, allowing more and more passengers on each time.
My heart starts to beat wildly in my chest, and I have to remind myself to keep breathing as they stare at me like I’m locked up behind bars or . . . or shackled to a crucifix.
Liam. Oh God, I’ve never needed him to save me from anything so inconsequential before like I need him to right now. I shouldn’t be panicking. I shouldn’t be afraid of their smiles, but I am. I don’t know what they are thinking or what they might do. All I know is that I need to get out of this thing.
My palms get sweaty while I hold my bouquet and my entire body starts to tremble as we continue to pass one floor at a time. I shut my eyes and start to count backward from a hundred, and once I’ve reached eighty-nine, I feel us come to a complete stop. I wait to hear the rustling of bodies leaving the confined space before I even attempt to open my eyes, let alone step out. Once I leave the confines of the elevator, I’m able to breathe in the untainted air. I turn in the direction of the private room where I was told to meet Liam but halt my movements when my heart crashes against my chest.
He’s here.
This cannot be happening.
We’ve traveled so far away, but yet he’s here. Right in front of me.
I don’t know whether to run or walk, but he’s here, and he’s watching me as if I’m something to behold. I look back over my shoulder, wondering if I’m seeing things, but when I glance back in his direction, he’s taking quick and purposeful strides to get to me from his position in the hotel’s lobby.
I seize up and start to hyperventilate all over again.
“Holy shit,” I say under my breath as he finally reaches me and pulls me against his hard chest by my arms before wrapping me in a tight hold that I can’t escape from.
His light chuckle fills my ears, and it’s only when he’s touching me that I allow myself to take a breath.
“Brass.”
“It’s good to see you, Isla.”
“You’re here?” I look up at him and try my damnedest not to burst into a torrent of tears at the sight of my best friend dressed to the nines in a tuxedo.
“Did you believe that you’d be able to get married without my being present?”
“I mean . . . I gave it a good shot, right?”
“And you failed miserably.” He holds up my left hand and smiles. “Plus, I had to make a special delivery.”
“You brought me my ring?”
“I doubt that anyone else would have the uncanny ability to get inside of another man’s safety deposit box, Isla.”
“Thank you,” I say as I squeeze him with my right arm.
“Come on. I’ve got a job to do and delivering you to Liam is first on that list.”
“Delivering me?” I pull back and stare up at one of my best friends, one of the two people in my life that saved me from sinking. “Are you . . . you’re not . . . are you?”
“Am I walking you down the aisle? Yes, if you will allow it.”
“Of course I’ll allow it. I cannot believe that you’re actually here.”
“Liam was rather insistent when he told me what you wanted to do.”
“He’s such a shit,” I mock.
“Hey, you’re the one who’s about to get married to that shit. Not I.”
I laugh and hug him once more before moving out of his arms and straightening myself up again. “Okay. I’m ready.”
“You look stunning, Isla. I’m glad that you’re safe. I cannot begin to—”
“Please don’t. We can speak about it, but not here. Not today.”
“All right.”
I shy away from him as we walk to the ballroom that Liam managed to secure for this afternoon. Wade stops us at the door and offers me his arm. I slide mine into the crook of his and beam up at him as the door starts to open.
“You’ve got this, Isla.”
“Definitely.”
I know that I should be terrified at what I’m doing, at making such a significant commitment, but the truth is that I cannot wait to do it. I’m beyond ready to start our life together.
The faint sounds of Kiss Me by Rebel start to get louder as the doors open wider and my heart starts that hammering-against-my-chest bullshit again.
Liam’s eyes find mine the second he looks up, and if Wade was not by my side supporting me right now, I would have crumpled in a mess of love onto the floor.
The smile on my groom’s face is one that I haven’t seen him wear before as I make my way toward him. I would so much rather hike up my dress and sprint down the aisle into his arms, but then again . . . I’m unsure whether I can feel my legs right now.
Liam’s gaze drops to the floor in front of his feet for a second before he looks up at me again. The rest of the world seems to fade away at the moment I see a solitary tear leak from his eyes and then another, and I’m suddenly not moving fast enough to get to him.
It takes me a moment longer to reach him when Wade places my hand into Liam’s outstretched one. I gasp at the physical reassurance I feel from him at his touch.
“Liam.”
“Isla.”
I reach up and wipe the tear from his jaw before placing my lips on his and kissing him slowly. Screw the order of nuptials and any bad luck that it may bring me. I need him. Always.
A clearing of a man’s voice brings me back from the world that only Liam and I reside in when we’re alone with each other. He cups my cheek and smiles down at me. My entire body lights up from his touch, and
as much as I was looking forward to this, I want it to be over now so that it can be just the two of us again.
“You’re beautiful, doll.”
I lean into his touch and blink up at him, loving the way he’s watching me.
“Shall we proceed?”
Glancing up at the man standing in front of us, I nod as Liam lowers his hand and takes one of mine in each of his.
“Ladies and gentleman, we are gathered here today to celebrate the union of Isla Madden and Liam Jensen.”
I hear someone whoop, and I shoot a glance over my shoulder. I’m astonished when I see Hadley sitting beside Wade, Eden, and Liam’s family in front of us.
“Liam,” I say interrupting the nuptials once again.
“I wanted to surprise you. You deserve this and much more.”
“Thank you,” I mouth as the ordained minister starts to speak again.
I must have gotten lost in his gaze because the next thing I know Liam is squeezing each of my hands to get my attention.
“Doll? Are you okay?”
“What?”
He chuckles and leans in to place a kiss on my cheek while whispering, “It’s time for our vows.”
“Oh. Right.”
I blush as he pulls away from me. I don’t even need a mirror to know because my cheeks scorch under his ogling.
“If you’ll repeat after me,” the minister says, but I shake my head.
“Actually, can I just speak from my heart? Please?”
“Certainly.”
I clear my throat and look up into my groom’s eyes before spewing the contents of my heart out to him and those around us.
“Liam-fucking-Jensen, I choose you.” He laughs with me and his eyes brim with unshed tears once more. “I choose you to give my whole heart to. I choose our unconditional love. I choose our forever. I take you as my best friend and my faithful partner. These vows will seal me to you in front of our friends and family, but I’ve belonged to you since the day we met. With you, I will celebrate the journey of life and provide you with more compassion, laughter, and support than you’ll know what to do with. This is a once-in-a-lifetime love, and I swear to never forget that as long as you provide me with an adequate amount of whiskey along the way. I’m yours for always. I love you . . .”
“Liam,” the minister instructs, and instead of repeating the first line that the minister feeds him, he follows his heart.
“Isla Jens . . . Madden, I have called you my best friend, girlfriend, fiancée, and soon, my wife. I swear to love you all of today, tomorrow, and the next. All that we are and all that we will become is something that I hold close to my heart. I will lift you up in the bad times and celebrate with you in the good. I’d choose you and our mutual weirdness above anyone else. Our future not only contains each one of us but together we have something precious on its way. I’ll be there by your side through every single moment of diapers, screams, tears, math homework, and first dates. We, Isla, are for always. Shit just got real, baby doll.”
Everyone laughs along with us as we exchange rings that I didn’t know that he had. To make it official Liam pulls me closer and bites down on my lower lip before locking our lips together in front of those with whom we shared our souls.
I lock my arms around his neck as he lifts my feet off of the floor and spins me around, all the while kissing me. “You truly own me now, Isla Jensen.”
“Deal?”
“Deal.”
Instead of the usual reception, Liam had the event coordinator set up an early dinner for all who were in attendance. We’re currently seated in the Hamilton room at the Four Seasons Hotel, and I cannot get over how gorgeous everything is. Surrounded by walls of windows, we sit at the long table that has cascading purple orchids in the center of it with gold accents everywhere.
I’m seated beside my husband while he plays with my fingers, and I try to take this day in.
“I was enough for you after all, huh?” he asks.
“You’ve been enough from our first kiss.”
“I remember,” he says as he squeezes my hand.
“You do?”
“Yeah. I just had this little fucking crush on you that I couldn’t drop. I was supposed to be hooking up with my girlfriend at the time, but for some reason, you walked into the bedroom at the house party instead of her, and I knew that I had to do something to finally settle what I was feeling toward you.”
“You did?”
“I did. I don’t know why you came upstairs to me, but I remember getting up and walking toward you. I locked the door behind you, and before you could protest, I had your lips locked onto mine.”
I giggle and squeeze his hand. “You can thank Waylon for that shit. He was the one who told me to go up and see you. He said that you weren’t feeling well or some BS.”
Liam glances up at Wade and shakes his head before turning his attention back on me. “That little crush turned into a lot more with every touch you laid on me.”
“You kept me coming back for more.”
“I always will, Mrs. Jensen.”
I rest my head against his shoulder and smile up at Wade. An odd feeling of serenity settles over me in knowing that Waylon had a hand in setting us up. We might not have known it over the years, but when I look back, I can see it. He always used to push us together. I mouth, “Thank you” to him, and he gives me a single nod, confirming my suspicions.
“Are you happy?” Liam asks as champagne is poured for everyone while I settle for sparkling cider.
“Incredibly. Thank you for doing all of this. I don’t know how you did it, but thank you nonetheless.”
“You’re welcome, baby doll.”
A clinking of glass and silverware sounds and Liam leans over to take my lips before the noise stops and he pulls back, running his fingers through my once-again dark locks.
Liam stands up and draws everyone’s attention to him, including his mother’s for a change. For the first time since I’ve noticed her, she’s not throwing daggers at me with her gaze.
I look up and watch as Liam clears his throat as he raises a flute filled with golden bubbling champagne. “I wanted to say thank you all for being here and dropping everything in your lives to help us celebrate the love we share for each other.”
He looks down at me and reaches for my hand. I don’t hesitate to lace my fingers with his before he continues. “As of today, May 21st, I’ve promised my life to one woman who hasn’t left my side in ten years, and I imagine that the next ten will be the same. Neither of us are the same people we were ten years ago. We’ve made mistakes that served a purpose, but ones that ultimately taught us how to live and grab hold of each other. I won’t define her by the worst things that she’s done in life, but only by the best as we take the next couple of steps forward.”
I squeeze his hand as he continues. “You’ve promised to be by my side through the tough shit, Isla, and I want you to know that regardless of our past or future, I’ll always have you by my side and in my heart. Both you and our child.”
My free hand moves over my stomach as the tears start to fall once more.
“Stupid hormones,” I ramble as everyone turns to look at me. It gets them all to smile, and I get to my feet to lay an innocent-looking kiss on my husband.
My husband. Holy fucking shit balls.
“Isla?” Connor says from across the table. “I want to be the first to welcome you into our family. Some of us might be renegade bitches, but our love is still the same.”
I almost choke on my water as I take a drink. “Th-thank you,” I stutter.
He nods and holds up his champagne flute to me. “Cheers, Mrs. Jensen.”
“I’m assuming that the two of you have discussed where you’ll next be moving,” Liam’s mother pipes in from nowhere as I take my seat again.
“Moving?” Liam asks as an answer.
“Yes, Liam. With a baby on the way, I don’t think that it would be wise to do it alone. Surely Isla has
n’t cared for another human being before.”
“Mother, you can go fuck yourself because Isla and I will be staying in Chicago, and she’s going to be the best goddamn mother—one who will not lie about our child’s upbringing and relationships. She won’t abandon the child either. I’m going to ask you politely to leave if you cannot keep your mouth—as well as your checkbook—closed.”
That earns a gasp out of her, and her eyes move to mine again, burning into me until I shift and look up at Liam.
“I’m sorry,” he says and places his hand on my stomach, “you’re going to be a remarkable mother.”
I watch as his mother excuses herself, and Delaney follows her out of the room just as our meals arrive.
I jump when my seat starts to move until I notice that Liam is pulling my chair up against his, but he doesn’t seem satisfied because he reaches out for me and lifts me onto his lap effortlessly. I lean against his chest and breathe all of him in. He smells like mine. Masculine. Delicious. Mouthwatering. Jensen.
“I can’t wait until I get to curl up with you on the couch and just be,” I say.
“We’ll get there tomorrow. Plus, I have a gift for you.”
“For me?”
“Yeah.”
I sit up as a weary smile crosses my face. “Are you going to tell me or do I have to get down on my knees and blow you right here, right now, and suck it out of you?”
He casts a glance to the others who are eating and involved in their individual conversations before attempting to answer me.
“I’d prefer if you got down onto your knees, but seeing as neither one of us likes sharing, I’ll compromise.”
“And what would that involve?”
“If your dress wasn’t so damn long and tight, I’d ask to touch you, but seeing as it is, I’m going to ask that you allow me to bury myself in you on our plane ride home whenever and however many times I want.”
“You’ve got yourself a deal, dickweed. Now tell me what you’ve been holding back.”
He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his phone. With a few taps of his finger, he pulls up a picture of a beautiful four-story home with a white stone face and black window frames. It’s a modern build, with two windows as large as rooms looking out onto the street. It’s undeniably stunning.
Intertwined (Redemption #2) Page 29