The Bridal Candidate 2 (Heart Connections)

by Linda Verji

  Officially. Forever.

  Fortunately for him, she wanted the same thing. He didn’t know why. After everything he and his family had put her and Lincoln through, he wouldn’t have blamed her one whit for wanting to run.

  The last few months had been harrowing to put it mildly – for everyone. When he’d woken up, Lincoln had absolutely refused to speak to Aiko. All he wanted was to see Seraphina and make sure that Ryang hadn’t gotten to her. Unfortunately, Seraphina was too scared of him. It’d taken several sessions of therapy to bring him back into reality and finally he and Aiko had spoken. The man was understandably distressed when he’d realized just how badly he’d scarred his family when they weren’t even in danger, and for a while he’d been on the suicide watch. Thankfully, he’d pulled through his depression and was now doing much better.

  The state had declined to press charges against Lincoln but it was on condition that he remain admitted in a psychiatric facility for not less than ninety days. The ninety days had elapsed but Lincoln still wanted to stay a few more days just to make sure that he was mentally right. Damián and Aiko had visited him a couple of times, as had Archie. The meeting between Lincoln and Archie had gone better than expected. Surprisingly, Lincoln was just grateful that he’d gotten him out of there.

  Archie’s connections were far-reaching enough that no law enforcement agency had brought Lincoln in for further questioning about his suspected ties to North Korea. However, he was still on several watch-lists. Which was okay with Lincoln – he wasn’t a spy. They could watch all they wanted.

  As for Archie and Damián’s relationship… well, they were still working it out. At least they were speaking.

  The door suddenly barged open, cutting into Damián’s thoughts, and Lewis thrust his head in. “Are you two decent?”

  “Nope, I’m naked,” Josiah yelled.

  “Too bad.” Lewis walked into the room, closely followed by Damián’s other groomsmen, Will and Jayceon. “The bridal party just arrived.”

  Damián’s heart bumped against his rib-cage in immediate excitement. “Well, what are we waiting for?”

  He couldn’t help the grin that lit his face as he bounded out of the Reverend’s office. Somehow he managed to hide his impatience when Pastor Yu intercepted them in the hallway and held them back for a prayer. Thankfully, the prayer was short as were the reverend’s explanations of what was going to happen.

  “Are you sure you want to do this?” the petite pastor stared at Damián through narrowed eyes.

  “I’m very sure.” Convinced by the confidence in his voice, Reverend Yu led them into the church through the front entrance.

  The church’s pews were filled with buzzing guests who immediately quieted down when the groomsmen trooped in. Who knew that he and Aiko had so many friends and relatives? When Aiko had suggested that they plan for three hundred guests, he’d thought it a ridiculously high number – until they’d started listing who they wanted on their lists. Then he’d realized that there was such a thing as knowing too many people.

  Seated at the front of Damián’s side of the church were Archie and Carmen. They both smiled at him as he made his way to the altar. Even though he and Archie still weren’t completely okay, he couldn’t imagine having such an important event without him there. Then there was his mother. Though she had her faults, he knew that at heart she was a good person and really loved him. Thankfully she and Aiko had made up and were now on friendly terms.

  His gaze swept over to Aiko’s side of the church. Where his side consisted mostly of friends, her pews were filled with family. The woman had so many family members that they’d driven the wedding guest list up to three-fifty. Surprisingly, most of them had shown up. Even Aiko’s older sister, Kalila, who now lived in Nigeria had flown in for the wedding with her family.

  To be honest, Damián was jealous. Many of Aiko’s relatives weren’t as well off as his were, but what they didn’t have in money they made up in being supportive and there for each other through thick and thin. He couldn’t count the number of people who’d told him that if he and Aiko needed something to just call them – and they actually meant it. If he’d had so many compassionate people in his life, maybe his childhood wouldn’t have been so lonely. Thankfully he was now inheriting all of Aiko’s family.

  The sound of the organ crushed into Damián’s thoughts, rhythmically announcing the beginning of the service. Everything went by in a rush after that. Damián barely noticed the entrance of the bridesmaids or their march to the front of the church. All his senses were poised in anticipation, waiting for only one person. Aiko.

  Everything in him came alive when she finally walked into the church. His muscles tightened, his heart began to beat louder and his pulse sped up. Damián barely noticed Samuel walking beside her. He barely noticed Archie and Carmen rise from the seats to come and stand by him. All he saw was Aiko.

  No one was as beautiful as she was. The stark white mermaid gown she was wearing was the perfect contract to her dark skin. It lingered over her svelte figure like a lover appreciating her curves. Her veil hid her face, but Damián already knew the beauty beneath and he couldn’t wait to uncover it.

  His feet carried him automatically down the aisle to meet her and her father. He was vaguely aware of Archie and Carmen walking beside him, but all his focus was on reaching Aiko. He came to a stop halfway down the aisle, just a few steps from her. Being this close, he could see her face through the translucent veil and the smile that lit it. He tried to smile back but the lump that had taken residence at the back of his throat wouldn’t let him.

  “Take care of her,” Samuel whispered, sounding surprisingly lucid. They’d all been worried that he wouldn’t be able to walk Aiko down the aisle – and to have him so lucid and cheerful was a blessing in itself. Pride in his eyes, Samuel placed Aiko’s hand in Damián’s before stepping to her other side.

  Having Aiko’s warm hand in his was almost like being injected with a relaxant. Suddenly Damián felt calm, happy in fact. This time when he tried to smile, he managed it. With that smile still in place, he led her to the front of the church.

  Then the ceremony began.

  Most of the events of the ceremony whirled past Damian in a blur. All he was conscious of was Aiko sitting across from him as the reverend gave her sermon. He only came into full wakefulness when Reverend Yu asked them to stand before the church for their vows. Finally it was time.

  “Do you, Damián Colter, take this woman, Aiko Vaughn, to be your lawfully wedded wife?” The reverend drawled, her voice reverberating through the eerily silent church. Damián could feel her eyes burning holes into both of them but his eyes were only for Aiko. Reverend Yu continued, “Will you love, comfort, honor and keep her in sickness, in health, for better or worse, as long as you both live?”

  Yes. Yes. Yes. It took everything in Damián to keep from shouting out the words. Instead he kept his voice even and his gaze on Aiko as he answered, “I will.”

  “Do you, Aiko Vaughn, take this man, Damián Colter, to be your lawfully wedded husband?” The reverend turned her attention to the bride. “Will you love, comfort, honor and keep him in sickness, in health, for better or worse, as long as you both shall live?”

  Damián sucked in a long breath as did the crowd as they all waited for Aiko’s response. Her veil fluttered slightly perhaps because of the wind or released air then she smiled. When she spoke there was no hesitation in a voice. It was a simply but firm, “I will.”

  Damián didn’t even wait for Reverend Yu to say it; he took a step closer, lowered his face and touched; his lips to Aiko’s. Ignoring the congregation’s laughter at his flagrant flaunting of the rules, he kissed her long and deep like she was his. Because she was.

  His. Finally his. His wife.

  │ THE END │

  Thank you so much for sticking with me through Aiko and Damián’s story. Usually I don’t do two part stories (I don’t read them. I don’t write them) but the char
acters in this one were just begging for a second shot. So I let them run the show. I hope you enjoyed all the drama. If you did, please don’t forget to recommend The Bridal Candidate to your friends, as well as leave a review on your store of choice (just click on your preferred link below). It will be much appreciated.

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  What’s Next?

  I feel like Lincoln’s story is unfinished. The man went through a ton of crap only to end up the ‘loser’ in this saga. I’m tempted to give him a happy ending of his own. If you’d be interested in reading a book where Lincoln’s is the star character, please let me know through your reviews or you can email me through lindaverji@gmail.com.

  Meanwhile, I have a lot more stories that you can check out (See Full List of Books) and I’m working on a couple of new projects. If you’d like to be the first to know about new releases, discounts, free-offers why don’t you join my Reading Group ? I’d certainly love to have you there.