I’m here to stay.
Sweet Ellie… I love you.
Marry me today.
Sweet Ellie… I love you.
Marry me, baaabe.
Kelsey gasped beside me and clutched my arm, but I gasped harder, speechless. This was why Frank wanted me to set up—why Gage wanted me to be here. He was asking me to… marry him. Frank knew.
“Where’s my girl?” Gage asked as the boys continued playing. He took a quick scan and as soon as he met my eyes, he stepped away from the mic and stood in front of me. Gesturing me to come, he smiled boyishly, revealing all his teeth, and Kelsey pushed me up.
“Get up there, crazy!” she yelled.
I was almost frozen, but his warm smile melted me. Gage reached for my hand and I took it, struck with nothing but awe as we walked up the stairs. I bit back on my tears as he led me to the center of the stage.
“I’m gonna do something I never thought I’d do,” he said into the mic. I looked back and Roy and Montana were smiling at me, still playing their guitars. Deed winked at me and I grinned, allowing the tears to fall.
Gage took the mic off the stand, bent down on one knee and the crowd hollered like hell. He kept a hold of my hand with his free hand and kissed it while looking at me through his eyelashes. “Eliza Smith…” he said into the mic. I cupped my free hand over my mouth. I had to fight the tears, but seeing him like this—knowing all we’d been through and reaching this point in life, it was making me so emotional. “My Sweet Ellie.” He chuckled.
“Get on with it! My fingers hurt!” Montana shouted.
Gage flipped him off and Montana laughed.
“Eliza, I’ve never in my life felt this way about anyone. There’s not a moment I don’t think about you. You’re beautiful inside and out, and even though I was probably hard to handle sometimes, I know through thick and thin, you’ll always be here for me. And I’ll always be here for you. You and my kid.” He rubbed my belly, smiling. “Ellie, no matter what we go through, I want to make sure you’re by my side at all times. I want to make sure when I feel like I’m on my last limb, you’ll be my backbone. My crutch. You’ve been here for me since day one. You know the real me. I would die for you—fight for you. I would do anything as long as I can keep you in my life. As long as I have your love, your heart, and my family, I’m good. I don’t need anything else.” He reached in his pocket, pulled out a black jewelry box, and opened it, revealing a massive diamond on a gold band. “Eliza Smith, will you make me the happiest idiot on earth right now and marry me?”
I gasped as he pulled the ring out and slid it on my ring finger. The tears were blinding me without a doubt, but I didn’t care. “Yes!”
As soon as I said yes, the crowd hollered. Gage stood to his feet and crushed my lips with his, locking his fingers with mine. He smiled behind the kiss a little, reeling me in, making sure no space was between us.
And at this moment, I realized nothing could break us. Nothing could tear us apart. We worked hard to get where we wanted to be. We fought for our happiness, and in the end we won.
Some say life is far from easy, and I believe every word of it. Shit isn’t going to be handed to us—it never will be. You have to work for it. Fight for it. Chase after it. Gage and I were living proof that as long as we stuck by one another’s side, our bond was unbreakable, our happiness complete.
We weren’t done—not even close. We knew there would be more obstacles along the way. We knew there would be more traps, more demons, more rumors… but the thing is we didn’t care. We knew where we stood with one another. We knew to put our trust in one another because trust goes a long way.
We were two different people with two different lives, but somehow we took our lives and made them into one. I learned that our pasts and our difficulties are what makes us who we are. Our heartache, suffering, and pain…
Gage and I had a long way to go, but right now, as we stood on this stage, sharing an embrace that we knew would happen over and over again, I couldn’t ask for anything better.
We were finally complete.
Gage
This was the big day, and I felt like hurling all over the fucking floor, maybe all over Roy’s suit if I had to, just to get him to shut the hell up.
“Just cool out,” Roy said. “You’re good. She’s good.”
I wanted to agree, but Roy knew nothing about marriage. He always swore everything was going to be okay. I admit, he could calm me down sometimes, but not this time around because he had no experience whatsoever in this department of life.
It wasn’t me I was worried about. It was my bride. She’d just given birth to my baby a little under three months before and I was afraid she wasn’t ready for this—that maybe she was overwhelmed by it all. Kris warned me about knocking up a girl. She warned me of all the responsibility and sleepless nights… but I didn’t mind that. I knew Eliza. I knew she pretended to be strong at the wrong times.
“Eliza seems fine,” Roy said, checking his watch. “Kelsey said she’s more excited than anything.”
“You think I rushed this on her?” I asked, adjusting my tie in the mirror and giving him a sideways glance.
Roy shook his head and stepped forward, shoving away my hand. “No. And stop fucking with the tie!”
I scowled at him just as Montana burst through the door. “All right, shithead! Get ready. It’s your time to shine!” Montana wore a pressed white suit with a silky sky-blue vest, just like the rest of us. Blue and white were the colors Ellie chose. Blue was my favorite, but I would’ve preferred black over white any day.
“Shit,” I hissed, staring past Montana and out the door. I could see the people waiting. We were in Hawaii. It was beautiful with the sun high in the sky, shining down on us, and the ocean only a few yards away. I didn’t want this shit. I would much rather we went traditional with a church and all, but it’s what my Sweet Ellie wanted and I promised to make it the best day of her life. We were on the balcony of the beachside mansion Ben rented out for us.
Roy shoved me out the door, leaving me no time to prepare myself. As I walked down the hallway and stepped through back door, all eyes turned on me, and I swallowed the brick in my throat. Shit, I wish Kris were here. She would’ve calmed my nerves a whole lot. I couldn’t see Ellie until she was walking up the aisle, so right now all I had was myself. I had to make do. I was nervous as hell, but I was doing this for her. Because I loved her and my love was stronger than a wad of nerves.
I walked up the aisle with Roy, Montana, and Deed following after me. The organ played and I took a slow look around, spotting Deed’s girlfriend, Frank with his fiancée Monica, Ben’s fiancé Leo, Mr. Binds, who made me shudder, and of course, Kelsey holding our baby boy Dalton Christopher Grendel. Cal Avery was there, and I wanted to punch his fucking face in, but I played it cool. We were told Cal didn’t publish the article for Penelope about Kris—that he thought it was wrong—so I let it go… a little. Some other shithead did it for her. Cal had no part in it. He still screwed us over the first time, though. Eliza thought it was best to invite him and she swore he regretted the way things went. I approved of him attending, but I swore if he tried anything stupid like that again, I’d snap his neck. I’d even threatened him at my bachelor party. He didn’t take it lightly.
There were a few other familiar faces—people I really didn’t know personally, but I knew they worked for the band—but that was about it. It was a thick crowd, but not as thick as a normal wedding. She wanted it to be sort of small and simple. She was always down with the simple things.
I reached the front where the priest was standing and turned around. Dad was sitting on the front row, smiling proudly. I really didn’t want the fucker to be here, but he was my dad and all the family I had left. I guess it was only right… and Mom and Kris would’ve wanted him to be a witness. He was trying. That’s what mattered, I suppose.
Finally, the back door was pulled open, and just when I thought my heart couldn’t beat any
faster, there she was. She wore all white along with a classic lace veil. She was smiling behind it. Damn, she had a beautiful smile. Beautiful everything. She carried a bouquet of white and blue flowers and as she started down the aisle with Ben by her side, everyone stood and grinned like idiots. Cameras went off, flickering as my Ellie came down the aisle and the organs and harps played. She was like a princess walking up. Flawless. Beautiful. Gorgeous.
She finally met up front and Ben smiled at me, allowing a few tears to escape him. He kissed her cheek and then handed her over to me. I grabbed hold of her hand, helping her to my side. “Take care of my baby girl,” Ben whispered, sniffling.
“I always will,” I whispered back. He turned around, taking a seat on the first row with Leo.
The priest prompted Eliza and me to face one another and hold hands. I lifted the veil, revealing her angelic face. She was stunning, as always. Since day one, I knew I was going to make her mine in some way. I didn’t know how, but I knew. There was something about this girl… I could see her pain. I could read her like a book. She was innocent and I knew I couldn’t harm her. I swore I was going to forget about her and leave her alone when she first came on tour, but I think I screwed up by giving her a nickname. Ever since that first night her sky-blue eyes locked with mine, I couldn’t stop thinking about her. Not a day went by that I didn’t think about her. I wanted her, but I knew a guy like me didn’t deserve her. It still surprised me that I actually had her in my life after all the dumb shit I did and all we’d been through.
As the priest spoke and we recited our vows, I couldn’t help but look into her eyes. I couldn’t believe it. I was really going through with something permanent. This was something I never thought would happen, but I couldn’t have asked for anything better. Everyone I loved was here, physically and in spirit. Mom and Kristina were most likely looking down on me—or better yet, standing beside me, rooting me on.
I didn’t think I’d ever call a woman my wife, but with Ellie, I saw it coming from a mile away. This girl was my world. My heart. My fucking everything. I would’ve given it all up for her. I swore to never hurt her again, to never break her heart. I swore I would be there—not only for her, but also for my son who I loved more than I thought I could love anything or anyone on this Earth. She and Dalton were my family, just as much as my band was. No woman could get my heart going like she could. No woman could make me smile, comfort me, or be there for me like she could. She fought with me. She fought for me.
As the priest spoke up and asked me if I’d honor this woman, comfort and be with her through sickness and health, ‘til death do us part, I looked her straight in the eyes and said, “I do,” because I fucking meant it.
I swore I wasn’t going anywhere—that I wouldn’t screw up again—and as I looked deep into her gentle eyes, I knew she wasn’t going anywhere either. We made a promise and I was keeping mine. I’d been through hell and back with Ellie. We went through some tough shit, but it all led up to this. To us becoming one. To us sticking together no matter what. To us being together… forever and always.
With this amazing, beautiful girl in my life, with her smile brightening up my days, her kind heart making me feel nothing but good, and her body that I knew I would never be able get enough of, I couldn’t have asked for anything better in life. She was all I needed.
She was my Eliza Grendel.
There are so many people to thank. I thank God first for giving me this talent. Without him I’d be nowhere in life. Thanks to my family, my friends – everyone who has pushed me with this book. My sister Dajai for giving me that boost of confidence about it. I love you girl. My Juan Carlos for being my inspiration, my back bone, the guy who listens to all my book news and negatives. I love you so much.
Kim Bias – woman, I will never, ever be able to thank you enough. You’re good to me, and I’m forever grateful for it. Honesty is what I need with my books and you provide that, even if it does sting a little. LOL. At the end of the day I know your intentions are only for the good. And I truly appreciate it, so thank you!
Thank you Cassie McCown for being an awesome editor and working with my crazy grammar! Amanda Heath for formatting these babies and making them pretty. I’m rooting for you, girl. Don’t ever give up. Star Trek, baby.
Tamsyn Bester, Dawn Martens, Sarah Camargo, Heather Ogeron and Selene Malek for showing me things here and there with Who We Are – things to fix, make better… so on. It really means a lot to me. I’m so glad I have you beautiful ladies in my life!
Ena Burnette aka Superwoman! Thank you for all you do for me. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to repay you, but when we meet, be ready to have a ball!
To ALL the bloggers who give me kind remarks, who understand me, who appreciate me, who take the time out to read my books – to put it simply, you are all amazing. Your support is just… wow. It’s awesome. I’m blessed to have you all here for me and this series. It means a lot to wake up to positive comments each morning. It’s a warm, fuzzy feeling. I love it!
Cindy freaking Brown for being there at all times! Being my shoulder to whine on, my girl to bicker with, rant to – all the above. You’re amazing and I have no doubt you will continue being amazing. It all takes time. But your next is your IT book. It’s what I believe!
Stina – I miss you every day and even though we don’t get to talk as often now, nothing has changed and it never will. You’ll always be the girl who’s rooted for me since Helena Zane and I love it. It means a lot. I’m glad I have a friend like you!
And last but not least, my fans! My readers! My loves! You’re all so beautiful and you mean so very much to me. I will never be able to thank you all enough for the kind words. It was tough with Who We Are, but I had to stick it out. I had to give the best story possible because I love these characters and I love you all. I’m happy to have each and every one of you with me and I hope you all stick with me ‘til the very end. You’re the best! Why? ‘Cause I said so!
Roy Sykes has a story to tell in book 3 of the FireNine series! Be on the lookout for more of him on Shanora’s fan page and blog. There you can keep updated with all her works and the characters.
About Shanora:
New York Times & USA Today Best Selling author, Shanora Williams considers herself one of the wondrous, down-to-earth authors who's all about romance and the paranormal... but of course she always makes room for the many other genres out there.
She's a huge lover of Starbucks and a big kid when it comes to Haribo Gummy Bears. If she could swim in Coca-Cola, she would. She's a very avid reader and a huge fan of many other independent authors.
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I am always responding to emails from fans and readers. Don’t be shy! If you want to contact me, feel free to do so. I love to connect with those who read my work, whether it’s through Facebook, Twitter, email, or even my blog. I appreciate and love you all. Your support and feedback is beyond amazing.
Thank you,
Shanora
More books by Shanora:
The New York Times and USA Today best selling novel,
Hard to Resist
And it’s sequel:
Hard to Hold On
Prequel:
Hard to Forget
Find them on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo today!
Who We Are (FireNine #2) Page 26