The Archbishop begins his little, or long, speech before the vows but the cameras keep switching between Noah and Tinsley’s faces, distracting even the most diehards of the religious watching because they radiate a glow of love between them. I’ve never seen two people happier, or more relieved, to finally be wed.
Then, finally, come the vows.
“Noah Leviathan. Wilt thou have this woman to thy wedded wife to live together according to God's law in the holy estate of matrimony? Wilt thou love her comfort her honor and keep her in sickness and in health and forsaking all others keep thee only unto her so long as we both shall live?” the Archbishop asks.
“I will,” Noah says seriously, but the happy smile on his face says it all.
They’ve waited so long to say these precious words.
“Tinsley, Catherine. Wilt thou have this man to thy wedded husband to live together according to God's law in the holy estate of matrimony? Wilt thou love him comfort him honor and keep in sickness and in health. And forsaking all others keep thee only unto him so long as you both shall live?” the Archbishop turns to Tinsley.
“I do,” Tinsley affirms.
“Noah Leviathan, will you repeat after me,” The archbishop continues.
Noah repeats every word as though he’s memorized them, as though he doesn’t need anyone to tell him what to say because he knows what he has to be, to be the husband Tinsley not only wants but needs.
“I Noah Leviathan
Take thee, Tinsley Catherine.
To be my wedded wife.
To have and to hold from this day forward.
For better, for worse.
For richer, for poorer.
In sickness and in health.
To love and cherish.
Till death do us to part.
According to God's holy law.
And thereto I give thee my troth.”
And then Tinsley repeats her vows, her eyes shining with a smile radiating on her lovely face. She looks as though she might cry when the camera closes up on her, but she does not shed a tear.
“I Tinsley Catherine
Take thee Noah Leviathan,
To be my wedded husband.
To having to hold from this day forward.
For better, for worse.
For richer, for poorer.
In sickness and in health.
To love and cherish.
Till death do us to part.
According to God's holy law.
And thereto I give thee my troth.”
On the last line, Tinsley’s mouth quivers and the camera catches a moment where Noah whispers ‘I love you’ though no one else can hear it.
“Bless O Lord this ring and grant that he gives it, and she who shall wear it may remain faithful to each other and abide in thy peace and favor and live together in love until their lives end. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen,” the Archbishop continues.
As Noah slips the ring on Tinsley’s finger, her hand is shaking, and no one can truly grasp how happy the couple is.
“With this ring.
With my body, I thee honor.
And all my worldly goods with thee I share.
In the name of the Father.
And of the Son.
And of the Holy Ghost.” Noah finishes.
Noah slides the ring on Tinsley’s finger, and Leigha steps forward to hand Tinsley Noah’s wedding ring. Something is whispered between Tinsley and Noah, and they laugh before Tinsley recites her promise to Noah, sliding the ring on his finger eagerly.
Then, breaking with tradition, the Archbishop announces that, “Noah Leviathan, you may now kiss your bride.”
“Wife,” Noah corrects him, “I may now kiss, my wife.”
45
Leigha
The food at the plaza is divine! First comes a beet Nicoise salad that I devour as fast as possible. I’m a hungry pregnant woman, and I even sneak a bite of Evan’s heirloom tomato tart. Evan orders the marinated strip steak, which I also sneak a taste of, but the lemongrass roasted chicken roulade calls my name!
Oh, the forbidden rice! And a green mango & papaya salad that’s sweet and tangy and just to my palate! I can’t believe how hungry one gets when taking part in a Royal Wedding! And to think I was the maid of honor! Me!
I was aware that this was happening. However, I didn’t quite understand what a spectacle it was going to be!
I still can’t get over how the crowds cheered! People from around the country! From the United Kingdom! The world!
“Are you full?” Evan asks one of those smiles on his face that tells me how deliriously happy is that everything has worked out.
He runs his hand over my bump, and I find myself blushing slightly.
“Almost,” I admit.
Evan attempts to take a forkful of my s’more type dessert, and I deflect him with my arm, toasted meringue smears across my arm.
“Never try to take a pregnant woman’s chocolate,” I scold him.
My husband laughs at me and lifts my arm to his mouth, licking off the smear for all the world to see.
“You know the American President is sitting about forty feet away, and probably everyone in this room just saw you lick me,” I remind Evan.
“So? I’ll do more than that,” he challenges me with a raised eyebrow.
We both laugh.
Then, for the first time, I feel something move inside me.
It’s not quite a kick, nor is it like the flutters they describe it to be. Maybe it was gas?
No! There it is again!
My hands instantly go to my stomach.
“What’s wrong?” Evan gasps.
“Nothing,” I reassure him, “The baby, our baby, is kicking,” I tell him.
Evan rubs my belly gently, in awe of our little miracle, our rainbow baby.
“What’s it feel like?” he asks.
“Honestly, a little like someone just poked me from the inside,” I say, “Maybe the baby was kicking before I just thought it was gas,” I ponder out loud.
Evan laughs and kisses my forehead.
“Come on, let’s all go for a spin around the dance floor,” he says.
“Oh, wait, I think Tinsley and Noah are about to have their first dance,” I interrupt Evan.
Sure enough, Noah is leading Tinsley out onto the chic white dance floor, with “T & N” written across it in a fancy gold script.
Frank Sinatra starts to croon from the band, and they only have eyes for each other.
Again, I marvel at the Garden of Eden décor that Tinsley has created with lots of lush greenery and florals in pink and purple hues. Hints of gold and jewel tones dance under the lights on the long tables. Everything is perfectly matched, from the gold chivari chairs to the flowering tree holding the place cards in the receiving line.
Honestly, this is a work of art.
“I bet this cost a mint,” Victoire whispers in my ear.
“Probably more than a mint,” I giggle back.
“I should get the name of the guy who did her décor,” Victoire muses.
“Levi will have a fit if you spend too much on a wedding,” I reply, “But I’m sure concessions can be made,” I add.
“I’ll just threaten no sex until the wedding,” Vic replies with a wink.
“No what?” Levi pipes in.
“Come on, Leigha,” Evan says with a smirk, “Before Vic gives you any bargaining ideas.”
Evan rises as the lead singer of the band announces that any couple may now join them on the dance floor, and I let Evan lead me towards the center of the room.
With his hand on my waist and my hand in his, he quickly makes me forget about all the famous people in the room, all the bullshit we’ve been through in the last few months, and everything else in between.
I guess the truth is Merc was right. I will always only have eyes for him.
46
Evan
Leigha looks exhausted from the day we’ve had, which has been more than en
ough excitement for any woman at eighteen weeks pregnant.
“I can’t say how relieved I am, that everything is going according to plan, Ev,” Leigha tells me.
Ethan is asleep across her lap, unperturbed by Leigha’s growing baby bump.
Every day I wake up next to my naked wife, I am amazed that inside her there’s a tiny human growing — our little human. Watching her get bigger and bigger brings me so much pride, that everything is going perfectly fine with this pregnancy.
“I can’t say I’m surprised. I doubt Levi would’ve let anything happen,” I respond with a smile directed in my half-brother’s direction.
Vic is strewn across the limo seats across from us, her legs on Levi’s lap as she snores. Levi pauses as Vic snores extra loud for a moment, and then laughs.
She’s got her hand twisted around a bottle of Dom.
“There was so much security there, I can’t even begin to think about- “Levi pauses, his voice turning into a shout, “Where’s the damn jet!” he screams out the window.
One of the employees at our private airstrip runs up in a hurry.
“Mr. Levi, I’m afraid Ms. Athena and Mr. Wilde informed us that they were to take the jet,” the man explains to us.
“What’s going on?” Vic asks, rubbing her eyes as she attempts to pull herself out of sleep.
“She did what!” Levi continues to shout.
“Why the screaming?” Vic asks.
She puts a hand on Levi’s arm to calm him, the canary yellow diamond on her left ring finger glinting under the lights of the limo.
“Athena took the jet,” Levi says, a little calmer.
“Did they say where they were going?” Vic asks politely.
“No, Ms. Victoire,” the employee replies.
“Ugh,” Vic groans and shakes her head, “Then round up the company jet please, quickly. We’ve got somewhere to be,” Vic reminds the employee in a harsh tone.
Immediately the man scurries off to find out how long The Stone Financials jet will be.
He comes back almost immediately.
“Mr. Stone,” he addresses me, “The jet is ready to go, but it was booked for a flight tomorrow,” he explains.
I know they are supposed to be going somewhere tomorrow for something, but I can’t quite think clearly.
Maybe I shouldn’t have done those tequila shots with Levi.
Maybe that’s why Levi is shouting.
Instead, I call my assistant at the office and tell her to get my employees first class flights to wherever they are going for tomorrow. Then I pause and instead ask her to make its economy, for a laugh, of course.
“Evan, you shouldn’t do that,” Leigha chastises me, “However it does look good in a philanthropical sense,” she adds with a smile.
“Stop thinking about work,” I chastise her back.
Leigha sticks her tongue out at me, at the same time, I stick out mine.
I hand Ethan back to Vic and pull Leigha out of the car.
“Let’s take a walk while they taxi the jet out,” I request.
Leigha follows me, I take her hand, and we wander around the Stone Private Airstrip, a pet project of mine. Leigha said it would be good for me to continue flying, to honor Merc’s memory and to remember him, remember who I was, and how far I’ve come.
I never imagined that I would have an adoring, lovely wife, who compliments me in every way and wants to give me everything I give her in return. No relationship is perfect, but in the last few months married to my best friend? They feel damn near close.
“I’m still a little shocked Vic and Levi hooked up. Then again, maybe not,” I admit.
We haven’t had a moment to talk since Levi and Vic announced their sudden engagement a few days ago because everyone’s been so distracted by the wedding of the decade.
“He was enamored of her from the start, Evan, how did you not see that?” Leigha laughs at me, “Levi wanted her from the get-go, only he wasn’t about to go after someone he thought belonged with his brother. At least at first,” Leigha explains.
“I’m glad though. I’m thrilled they’re happy together,” I say sincerely.
Then, I pull Leigha into my arms where we have some privacy, away from the prying eyes of my employees.
“What?” She asks.
“What do you mean what? I want to kiss my wife,” I tell her.
“Then kiss me, you foolish, foolish man,” Leigha says with a smile.
A little while later, after we’ve settled into our Villa and have fled to the beach to enjoy the day, I can only imagine how happy my father is.
Ethan plays in the sand with Vic and Levi, running for the ocean every few seconds. His are wet by the cold water, and then he runs, screaming back to them. It’s quite a sight. Leigha’s bikini shows off her bump far more than anything I’ve seen her in, and I like it.
Ava, Corban, and their twins are building a sandcastle together. I’ve never seen my sister happier than she is right now.
Then my eyes settle back on Leigha.
She’s walking along the beach at our hotel, her swim cover-up in her hands as she looks up at the sun, squinting.
We are in Hawaii, on a family vacation, with all the time in the world.
In the distance, I see a figure, almost unrecognizable.
I know everything is going to be just fine, from now on.
Life is good.
47
Noah
Everything has come to a close, and while a part of me is sad to see the RISC days go, I know that I will not miss hiding information, keeping secrets, and most of all: worrying about protecting my family.
My Sarastar Yacht, a sixty-meter beast named “Elena,” cruises along the Mediterranean on a perfect day, nothing but calm water in front of us, and blue sky above us. A cloudless blue sky, without trouble on the horizon.
Eventually we will have to return to reality, I think to myself, but for now, Tinsley, Sebastian and I have a few weeks to be a family together.
Tinsley plays with Sebastian and his blocks on the lounger at the front of the megayacht, in front of the helipad, without a care in the world.
“Daddy!” Sebastian cries.
I run to my family and scoop the laughing boy up, hugging him close to my chest as he babbles to me.
Tinsley looks up at me, wonder in her eyes, and I know I am the father to our son that she always thought I would be.
“I think I’ll take him in for his nap,” Tinsley says, “Then while he’s napping, I’ll make dinner, and we can all eat together,” she adds.
“What’s for dinner?” I ask.
“Seafood lasagna,” Tinsley smiles.
There’s a fire behind that smile.
After Sebastian has fallen asleep, and the lasagna is cooking, I finally get to take my wife to bed.
We went straight from the reception, to the airstrip, to the yacht without time to breathe in between. Even more challenging with a one-year-old.
Just as Tinsley unties her bikini, I hear my phone ring.
I decide to ignore it because we have all the time in the world.
The name Merc flashes across the caller ID, and I close my eyes, once, twice, then the phone is gone, and I am making love to my wife.
Epilogue
Tinsley
Olivia and Geoffrey vanished and with them, any creditability that Geoffrey was innocent. He was, of course, stripped of his title, and the lands and value of Estate given to Leviathan Stone, who was knighted for his service to protecting the crown and would later become a Lord after my marriage to Noah.
Lauren escaped Interpol custody, while Bishop was tried for his crimes and sent to a high-security prison for two life sentences. Lauren’s location is still unknown to this day, but every once in a while, MI6 gets a glimpse, I’m told, and the chase is on.
Lucius became head of my security, while we gave Magda a cottage on the castle grounds, though she still insists on cooking for most occasions. Aidan was knig
hted and rewarded handsomely though he disappeared shortly after the coronation to search for his daughter.
Athena is as happy as she ever was, with her new title, though I suspect she may know more about Aidan’s whereabouts than she’s letting on.
Leigha had a healthy baby boy, named after Noah of course. After the birth Evan and Leigha moved back to New York, to live in Noah’s newly rebuilt penthouse. They visit England quite frequently, as Leigha’s multiple philanthropic causes require much of her attention. Their daughter Eleanor “Ellie” Stone was born a short eighteen months after their son and is the only girl in the family.
While Noah handed RISC off to Elena, and we were told the organization was folded into the various intelligence agencies, I find that hard to believe.
As for Ava, she went to school and has plans to become a doctor, to help those in need. Corban relishes his role as a dad, though he, of course, has his ventures from time to time.
And my son?
Sebastian?
Growing every day under the pressure of a crown can’t be easy for the poor boy, though I know that when the time is right, he may not always choose the right path first, he will know what to do in the end.
Just like his father.
Noah.
My soulmate, who made everything come to fruition, just like he promised he would.
Bonus Chapters
A Private Wedding
Elena
February 23, 2019
Whether Noah wants to believe it or not, he has always been the apple of my eye. Every single move and counter move I’ve made has been to protect my family, most of all, my son.
I knew too many years ago that danger would befall him quite quickly due to his reckless nature, and that the only way to prevent such hazards from taking his life all too early was to do so without him even possibly knowing. His fate was always intertwined with that of the Stone legacy, and that worried me.
FRACTURE: Hearts of Stone Book Six Page 25