Zoey and Aidan giggle, nearly sidelining our mission before it’s even begun.
“Rowaniel Calloway, you better move,” Emma begins to protest but stops once he kisses her.
I clear my throat once the coast is clear, and Rowan releases her lips, holding her in place. “It’s Bradford now, remember,” he informs her.
“Only for a day, buddy, and if you keep this up, we won’t make it to two.”
“Five,” Sebastian states, and Emma flushes red.
All these years later, she still gets the best tint to her cheeks when faced with punishments.
“Oh no, Dove, that doesn’t sound very nice,” I tease. “Now, what could these two innocent angels have done?”
I have to fight back my snort because these two are anything but angelic when they team up.
“They ate all the candy after I told them it was for their costume party once we get back,” Emma huffs.
Oh, this is going to be glorious.
“I see no evidence that they’ve committed the crimes they’re being accused of,” Rowan states with such seriousness even I question their known guilt.
Emma’s mouth opens and closes at least three times before she crosses her arms and utters, “Testing the limits of our vows already?”
That response catapults me back to yesterday.
“Today, we commit our lives to each other. We commit to the greatest of times and even more to the hardest of them. We commit to supporting each other in our triumphs and struggles.” I hear Sebastian promise, but I’m too focused on our wife.
She’s stunning. Emma is wearing a white lace dress embellished with thousands of midnight blue Swarovski crystals along the train and in her veil. The mermaid-style dress has a strapless sweetheart neckline that looks painted on.
I want to say screw the reception, throw her over my shoulder, and fuck her while she’s tied with the white rope I bought just for this occasion.
August brushes the wisp of hair from her breathtaking face into the cascading curls falling over her right shoulder. “Our love story transcends the laws of fate because we stand here pledging before all present and absent that we are bound to each other through all of life’s iterations.”
“
We’ll honor our bond above all else and destroy all who try to oppose it. No objections will be heard today-or ever because I’ll cut out the tongue of anyone who dares to.”
I bend my head and pretend to be clearing my throat to cover up my amusement. Only Karl would find a way to threaten to cut someone in his vows.
Stepping forward, I capture Emma’s hand, peering down at the three slim diamond-encrusted bands adorning her left ring finger before gazing up at her.
She smiles through her tears as she mouths, ‘I love you,’ and my chest grows tight at the burst of the all-consuming love within our family.
“You are our North Star. We look to you and are home. You are the Ursa Major to our twins-fiercely protective and unconditionally loving. You pour support, passion, advice, and forgiveness into our lives, so we commit to ensuring that your cup is always full,” I profess, sliding the band on her finger before placing her hand into Rowan’s.
“There aren’t enough words in all lost and known languages that can ever encompass how deep our bond is and how much deeper it will grow. Even the totality of the words in our commitment to each other barely scratches the surface of what we have,” Rowan exclaims, pushing the ring higher. He pauses just before it’s fully on, looking deep into her stormy gray eyes, and declares, “We will love you in this life and every reincarnation, Emma Elaine Bradford, because you are our forever girl.”
“Don’t give me that the evidence speaks for itself,” Emma argues, pulling me from my thoughts.
Aidan and Zoey are sitting between Karl, Sebastian, and August as Rowan begins his closing arguments. “At best, this is construed as??”
“Daddy, what’s conchood?” Aidan asks.
“It’s a train,” Zoey blurts with the utmost confidence.
Rowan shakes his head. “We’ll go over the definition after I get these charges dropped.”
Emma is trying desperately to hide her smile, making this trial funnier. “They were caught with chocolate all over their faces and candy wrappers in their toy box,” she retorts. “This is an open and shut case.”
Karl stands. “I object. No evidence has been produced, and such inflaming allegations only serve to bias the jury. I motion for the statement to be stricken from the record.”
I burst into laughter. “Sustained,” I state.
Emma throws her hands up in mock horror. “Justice will not be served in this kangaroo court. I motion for this matter to be addressed by impartial parties.”
“Motion denied. This case is dismissed with prejudice,” I instruct, knocking my fist on the wall just as Kylan, Kellan, and Jamie enter the room.
The twins shoot to their feet, excited to see their aunt and uncles. “Is it time to go?” Zoey squeals, and Jamie nods. Then, the twins dart out of the room without so much as a look back.
“Not even a thank you,” Sebastian mutters, and Emma cackles.
“That’s what you all get for letting those cute faces fool you,” she quips.
Lunging forward, I catch her off guard and throw her over my shoulder. I spin and wave goodbye to Emma’s laughing siblings. “Enjoy your honeymoon,” Jamie shouts at my retreating form.
I’m upstairs, tossing Emma onto the bed, when the guys come in.
“Someone’s in need of being punished,” August murmurs.
“How about you save the punishments for yourselves? I’m not the one defending two chocolate bandits,” she retorts. “As a matter of fact, I should be the one planning ways to punish each of you.”
“Is that right, Angel? You think we’re the ones who should be punished?” Karl teases, cutting off her panties.
“You could’ve pulled them off, you know?” Emma tries and fails to reprimand. The lust in her eyes and the wetness of her lacy black boyshorts say she’s ready to play.
Sebastian yanks his sweatpants down, grips her hair, and orders, “Open.” Emma’s lips part, and Sebastian slams inside. “You know better than to lie, Spitfire. This honeymoon is going to be filled with counting for you.”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.