In a sea of black on my chest, the once-empty heart now had her name scrawled across it in crimson red, against a backdrop of pomegranate seeds that filled the heart to the brim.
“I got it done instead of playing golf,” I admitted. “Even though your dad had just told us that we weren’t married, and I knew I was going to have to walk away for your own good—”
Her eyes flew to mine in a panic.
“—I realized that you own me, and that fact won’t change if you decide not to marry me today. You will always own me.” My brows knit. “And I guess that’s another con for the list—I’m never going to willingly play golf. Ever. It fucking sucks.”
She took in a breath, her lips parting, and I gently lifted her chin with my fingers.
“You promised,” I reminded her.
She swallowed as tears filled her eyes.
“I love you. I want to marry you, but I’m giving you this one last out because my biggest fear is becoming your biggest regret.” My self-control hung in tatters, but I made it to my feet. “If you can accept me for who I am, then I’ll see you out there, and if you can’t, if you need more than I can give you, I’ll understand. I just want you to be happy.”
I left the room quickly for fear that I’d fall at her feet and beg her to lower her standards for me.
“You guys all done?” Andromeda asked as she leaned against the wall in the hallway.
“I guess that’s really up to her,” I answered, leaving her bewildered as I made my exit.
Thirty-five minutes later, I stood at the altar, Logan at my side, and a few Reapers backing him up.
The October breeze was mild, rustling the flowers that laced the massive arbor we stood under as we faced the two hundred guests that made up what Mrs. VanDoren had called an intimate affair.
If this was intimate, I would have hated to see what she considered friendly.
“You have got to relax,” Logan muttered in my direction. “And for fuck’s sake, don’t lock your knees. You’re too heavy to catch if you go down, and Axel is three guys away.”
I grunted my response and tried to slow my heartbeat as I stared down the very long, very empty aisle. My left hand felt bare, and I wondered if Persephone would leave it that way.
My thoughts raced. Had my words been enough to convince her? Or just enough to make her realize that I really wasn’t the guy she wanted? Now that I’d given her my heart, was she going to break it? To be fair, I’d left the woman on pins and needles since we realized her mom was going to be okay, so me sweating it out for a little over half an hour as she made up her mind was getting off easy.
The string quartet just off to my left switched songs.
“Here we go.” Logan gave me a little nudge with his elbow.
My jaw locked as Lillian came down the aisle, holding a bouquet. That was a good sign, right? Next came Andromeda. When they both stood across from me, Sterling appeared. He had not worn a leisure suit, thank God. He walked slowly, but somehow still managed to swagger as he pulled a wagon up the aisle containing both Owen and Cerberus.
Okay, I wasn’t one for gooey shit, but that was fucking cute.
Lillian lifted Owen into her arms, and Sterling did the same with Cerberus, tugging the wagon out of the way. He must have hooked it up to some kind of spreader because it trailed flower petals in its wake.
The music shifted again, and everyone stood.
My heart galloped. I remembered what Logan said and bent my knees just slightly.
Please, God. Please. I take back everything I said in her bedroom. I’ll be whatever she needs. I’ll wear the fucking vest and make friends with the douchebags. Just please let her love me.
She appeared at the end of the aisle with her father by her side.
My breath abandoned me—she was that radiant. She’d shown up. She was going to marry me. Emotion clogged my throat and stung my eyes as she walked closer. Her dress was long and white, clinging to her every curve and shimmering in the dying light of the sunset with every step she took. Her veil trailed behind her but didn’t cover her beautiful face.
Our eyes locked and held as joy filled every molecule in my body.
My smile echoed hers as I stepped forward to take her hand. Her father kissed her cheek, then transferred her hand to mine and leaned forward.
“There’s a new, correct, legal license waiting for you both to sign in my study.”
My eyebrows shot up. “For someone who doesn’t want this to happen, that was a step out of your way.”
He scoffed. “I’m man enough to know when I’ve been overruled by my daughter’s heart. Treat her well.”
“I will,” I swore.
He stepped away, leaving me to stare at Persephone as the preacher started the ceremony. We didn’t look away for much, both content to take in every last detail of each other in those moments. God, she was beautiful and smart, and generous, and loyal, and so fucking mine that I wanted to pull a Princess Bride and demand the preacher just skip to the Man and Wife part.
I found a ring in my hand, and saw she had the same, and just about fist-pumped that we were moving right along.
“Oh, we’re going to do our own vows. Cannon’s not one for tradition,” Persephone said, tossing a wink my way.
We’re doing what? I stared at the love of my life in complete and utter shock.
She had the nerve to grin but went first.
“I, Persephone Julia VanDoren, swear to love you, Cannon Price, for the rest of my life. I will be your shelter in every storm, even when you swear it’s not raining. I will bake you peanut butter cookies and walk Cerberus by your side every night, but the early mornings are on you.”
A chuckle went through the crowd, and my heart soared.
“I promise to abide by rules one, three, six, and eight, knowing that rules four and five are off the table, and hoping that you might wiggle a bit on rule number two.”
I huffed a laugh. I was never touching her money. Ever.
“I promise to be your biggest fan, consume two-thirds of your closet, never make you eat jello, and always keep you up to date on the latest magazine articles.” Her eyes took on a wicked gleam, and I nearly kissed her right then. “I will love you the rest of my life, Cannon, just the way you are because you’re already perfect for me.” She slid the ring onto my finger, and my soul clicked back into place.
“It’s your turn,” the preacher reminded me when I stood there staring at Persephone.
Shit. Right. Okay.
I took her wedding band between my thumb and forefinger and poised it just at the tip at the end of her finger.
“I, Sheldon Cannon Price—”
You could have heard a pin drop when Sterling muttered, “Whaaaaat?”
“—swear that I will love you, Persephone Julia VanDoren, for the rest of my life, and every second of forever that follows. I promise that while I don’t have gentle manners, I’ll always be gentle with you. When I travel too much, I’ll carry you with me in my heart. When I can’t find the words, I’ll read them to you. When I lose my way, I’ll follow you, knowing that your light is all I need.”
A single tear slid down her face, but her smile was brighter than ever.
“I swear I’ll bring color to your life in every way, and to always have your back. I will build you a bigger closet for your tiny clothes, and get whatever you want, whenever you want it, from the highest shelves. I will always catch you when you fall, and I will never forget what a gift your love is. I will protect you, cherish you, adore you, and worship you every moment for the rest of our lives.”
I slid the ring onto her finger and heard more than a few sniffles from our audience.
“By the power invested in me by the state of South Carolina, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.”
I was already on it, cupping the back of her neck as I brought my mouth to hers. She tasted like love and home, and happiness. She tasted like Persephone.
She w
as mine.
“Not a poet, huh?” she whispered against my lips as the crowd clapped behind us.
“I guess you bring out the romantic in me.”
She grinned, throwing her arms around my neck. I swept her into my arms and kissed her thoroughly, uncaring if the audience thought it was too much. Then I mentally did the math and cursed the hours we’d have to wait before I could take this exquisite dress off her body.
I felt a tap at my shoulder and broke the kiss, ready to get the PDA lecture, but instead, I found Logan and the rest of the Reapers gawking at me.
“Your name is Sheldon?” Logan blurted the question with huge eyes.
“His name is mine,” Persephone corrected him, then pulled my face back to hers for another kiss.
I carried my wife back down the aisle to the cheers of our friends and family, letting the happiness soak in as we took our first steps into forever.
And this time, we remembered every single second of it.
Epilogue
Eighteen Months Later
Persephone
I rubbed my palms against my eyes, pushing off from the couch where I’d accidentally fallen asleep—an hour ago? What in the world? I thought I’d just closed my eyes for a second, but I hadn’t been getting regular sleep for a few months now.
I cinched my soft cotton robe around myself, having not bothered to throw a shirt on underneath it—not when I had to whip the girls out every five minutes it seemed these days. My legs bare, I padded down the hallway in search of my husband.
I turned not into our room, but the room directly across from it, softly opening the door to spy inside.
My heart skipped a beat as I held my breath.
Cannon sat in the rocking chair in the corner, shirtless, our three-month-old baby girl cradled against his chest. Her white blanket practically glowed against the midnight ink decorating his skin, but she slept soundly tucked against his chest. His eyes were on Melony, gazing down at her like she was an answer to a question he’d been asking his entire life. A soft hum radiated from his throat, a slower version of a rock ballad that had quickly become her personal lullaby.
Tears pricked my eyes, pure happiness and unbelievable bliss soaring through me in waves. How did I get so lucky?
I didn’t bother moving, didn’t make a sound, yet Cannon’s eyes slowly trailed to mine, as if he’d known the minute I’d opened the door. He flashed me a wicked smile, slowly rising from the rocking chair and gently laying Melony in her crib. The girl didn’t even make a peep—she was already Daddy’s girl, sleeping for him much easier than she ever slept for me.
I backed out of the doorway, allowing Cannon to softly close it behind him.
“I thought you were sleeping,” he whispered as he followed me into our room.
“I didn’t mean to,” I said, pushing back my long blonde hair. “You could’ve woken me.”
He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me against him. “Never,” he said. “Plus, I like it when I get to put her down. Gives us some bonding time between feedings.”
The mere mention of feeding had my breasts aching, and I groaned.
Cannon massaged my upper back, kneading his fingers into my tense muscles without me having to tell him where I ached.
“Mmm,” I sighed against his chest. “That feels amazing.”
“Careful,” he warned. “Talk like that, and I definitely won’t let you sleep.”
Instantly, I melted for the man.
“I’m very much awake now,” I said, glancing up at him.
He cocked a brow at me, then flicked his tongue over my lips. “How awake?”
“Fully,” I teased and backed out of his touch until I’d found the bed. I untied my robe and let it fall to the floor. I had nothing underneath except my soft cotton panties.
Cannon hissed, his eyes taking their fill of my post-baby body. “You’re incredible,” he said, spanning the distance between us. “Gorgeous.” He dropped to his knees on the bed and kissed the planes of my tummy. “Mine,” he growled as he nipped at my inner thigh.
“Impatient,” I growled back as he teased me over my panties.
He laughed, dipping his head between my thighs, and sliding the fabric to the side. He slid one finger between my heat, then two, and I arched against his hand.
“So wet,” he said. “I love how responsive you are for me.”
A moan was my only response as he worked me with those fingers and that mouth until finally, I lifted my hips high off the bed, silently demanding he take my underwear off.
He obliged, as well as striping bare for me, and the sight of him, even after all this time, made my mouth water.
Cannon settled between my thighs, our bodies aligned as he teased my center with the tip of his hard cock. His eyes burned into mine before he kissed me, a claiming of lips and tongue until I was a writhing, needy mess beneath him.
“I love you,” he said and punctuated those sweet words by sliding into the hilt.
I moaned, breathless as I nipped at his bottom lip. “I love you,” I breathed against his lips. I rolled my hips, adjusting to the sheer size of him, my entire body trembling with coiled heat.
Cannon pulled all the way out only to slam home again, sending waves of electricity crackling along my skin. Again and again, the man claimed me, body and soul until both our breaths were ragged, and sweat slicked our bodies.
More, I always wanted more when it came to Cannon Price.
And he constantly delivered.
Driving into me faster, harder, he took us to that sweet edge until my body crashed and shattered, trembled, and sparked beneath him. Until he found his own release inside me, and I was wrung with pleasure and sheer, delicious exhaustion.
Cannon gently cleaned us up before tucking me into his side, our faces nose to nose as we lay in bed, simply breathing in each other’s presence. My lids heavy, my muscles loose, I practically melted into his arms.
“Thank you,” he whispered as I nearly drifted into sleep.
“For what?” I asked.
“For loving me for me. For giving me the world. For making me a better man.” He kissed my forehead, holding me close.
“It’s not hard,” I said. “Loving you is as easy as breathing, Cannon Price.”
He smiled down at me. “Only for you,” he argued.
“Tell that to your daughter.”
Water coated those dark eyes, the smile on his lips free and genuine and raw. I reached up and kissed him, soft, easy, loving. Silently showing him just how damn easy he was to love, and hoping one day he’d accept it.
Until then, I certainly didn’t mind proving it to him every single day for the rest of our forever.
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Grinder Sneak Peek!
If you love the Reapers, you’ll love Gage! Turn the page for a peek at the first chapter of Grinder and learn how the hottest player in the NHL became the Reapers’ coach!
Grinder
GAGE
Getting a three-year-old to sleep should be an Olympic event.
“Is that better?” I asked Lettie, smoothing back her thick brown hair from those summer blue eyes as she drained the small glass of water. She nodded, her smile full of tiny, gapped teeth as she settled back against her pillow.
If hockey was my world, where I made my living breathing the game, the ice, the needs of my team, then Lettie was my sun—the only thing in this universe that thawed my heart.
She was also the only thing I’d ever be caught waxing poetic about, but I couldn’t help it, I was owned by a tiny three-year-old.
“Thank you, Daddy,” she said, but the way she plucked at her covers and wiggled her tiny feet
told me there was something else on my daughter’s mind.
“What’s up, sunshine?” I asked.
She looked up with excited eyes. “I like that Bailey is here.”
“Me too,” I said, unable to stop the smile that spread across my face at her happiness.
“I like Bailey.”
A small chuckle rumbled through my chest. “Well, me too,” I said, ruffling her hair.
“And now she’s here all the time? Mornings and everything?”
“Yep,” I answered, reaching for her bedside table. Bringing Bailey to live with us as Lettie’s full-time nanny was a no-brainer. As often as I’d need her to travel with me for away games, and with the unpredictability of my schedule, it was really the only way for her to have a life...for either of us to. She’d been doing the job for six months already, but with the season starting up, it was the right time.
“So when I get up she’ll be here?”
I paused before turning out the light and took a deep breath. “Yes, but Lettie, let’s wait until the clock has a seven on it, okay? Not everyone likes to party at five a.m.”
She bounced slightly, her eyes lighting with mischief. “I just can’t wait to see her.”
“You just saw her, remember? She tucked you in,” I said, bringing her covers back up to her chin and urging her to lay down.
“I know, wasn’t it amazing?”
I leaned forward, kissing her forehead. “Yes, it was amazing. And it will be amazing again tomorrow night.”
“She’s the best,” she said, her eyes as wide as her smile. “Maybe she wants to see me before the sun is up!”
I pursed my lips, fighting the laughter that came so easily around my daughter, but only her. “Scarlett McPherson, you leave Bailey alone until morning. Do you understand me?”
Cannon (Carolina Reapers Book 5) Page 26