Dauntless (The LockDown Series Book 2) (37 page)

We both turn to face the registrar. He nods to us both and then begins to speak.

“Dearly beloved, we gather here today to bear witness to the eternal joining of Leighton Michael Lock and Abigail Rose Adams. In the eyes of the company and of our Holy Father, we shall join this man and this woman together in holy matrimony. If anybody can show just cause as to why these two people may not lawfully be joined together, let him now speak or else hereafter forever hold his peace.” He looks around the room and I half expect Kalina to pop up and show her fucking face, but nothing.

Then he turns to me, and asks me; “Leighton Michael Lock, will you have this woman to be your wedded wife, to live together in the holy state of matrimony? Will you love her, comfort her, honour and keep in sickness and in health; and forsaking all others, keep you only for her, so long as you both shall live?” I look to my left and smile at my fiancée.

“I will,” I reply to the registrar, smiling widely.

He then turns to Abbi. “Abigail Rose Adams, will you have this man to be your wedded husband, to live together in holy matrimony? Will you love him, comfort him, honour and keep in sickness and in health; and forsaking all others, keep you only for him, so long as you both shall live?” She looks to me, trying her hardest not to cry.

“I will,” she replies, and my heart beats faster in my chest, as together we are almost legally bound.

Shit, fuck, I can’t breathe. My nerves have sky rocketed, my heart beating triple time in my chest, my blood is rushing my veins like race cars on a track and my body is beginning to sweat a little.

I stand facing the registrar, knowing the next part is to say our vows. We have opted to say the traditional ones and leave the soppy speech for the reception.

“Vows,” the registrar says. We turn to face each other like rehearsed. Leighton takes my right hand in his. “Repeat after me; I Leighton Michael Lock take thee Abigail Rose Adams to be my lawfully wedded wife.” Leighton repeats, his voice sending shivers through my body as tears flow into my eyes. “To have and to hold from this day forward,” again he repeats. “For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health,” Leighton mimics the guy and I know I won’t make it through my vows without breaking down. “To love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God’s holy ordinance, and thereto I plight thee my troth.” Leighton repeats the words and smiles beautifully at me as he finishes.

I breathe out a huge breath as he drops my hand, allowing me to pick his up. “I Abigail Rose Adams take thee Leighton Michael Lock to be my lawfully wedded husband, 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 to cherish till death us do part, according to God’s holy ordinance, and thereto I plight thee my troth.” I copy him word for word, breaking when he breaks. I force myself not to cry, and not to break down. I am so close to being his wife that it scares the living shit out of me. I think back to everything I have been through the last year and a half. Well, my entire life actually, the shit I have been dealt, even with Leighton. We have had really rough times, but here we were about to be married, together for eternity. I couldn’t be happier.

I drop his hand. “The rings,” the registrar says and Antonio steps forward with the box containing our wedding bands. Leighton picks up my left hand in his right. Holding the ring by my ring finger on my left hand, he repeats the words the registrar speaks.

“With this ring I thee wed, in the name of the father, and of the son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.” I feel another tear fall from my eye and splash against my gown. He slides the ring onto my finger and I feel all the cracks that ever disfigured my heart, suddenly fuse together and mend.

I follow his lead once again, taking the ring and holding it by Leighton’s left ring finger. “With this ring I thee wed, in the name of the father, and of the son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.” I push the band up his finger and over his knuckle.

I drop his hand after holding on too long, the registrar taking both our right hands
and joining them together, holding them. “Those whom God hath joined together let no man put asunder.” He then turns to the guests. “For as much as Leighton and Abigail have consented together in holy wedlock, and have witnessed the same before God and this company, and thereto have given and pledged their troth, each and to the other. Having declared the same by the giving and receiving of a ring, and by the joining of hands, I now pronounce thee man and wife, in the name of the father, and of the son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. You may now kiss the bride.”

Leighton smiles a wicked smile at me, steps forward and rounds my waist with his arms. He picks me up off my feet and squeezes me to him. “I love you Mrs Lock.” He speaks softly before he places his lips to mine, kissing me deeply and passionately. I can just about hear the cheers and screams of my family and friends as I mould into the heaven I have now just immersed.

“I love you baby,” I reply as he releases me from his deathly kiss. I will gladly die this way, forever in his arms.

“Ergh, dad, seriously, that’s disgusting, get a room,” my stepson tells us, shaking his head.

I begin to cry, the way I knew I would. He wipes my tears away as they fall, before taking my hand and walking towards the ballroom. Our guests, already on their feet, begin to throw petals in the air, raining us in the beautiful scent of roses.

“Woooo!” I hear my maid of honour shout and it makes me chuckle through my happy tears.

We turn around hand in hand to face our guests as they clap us excitedly. Nate and Thomas walk towards me with my baby girl, who is hopping up and down in their arms, desperate to get to me. “Come here Angel,” I say as I reach my arms out to her awaiting ones.

“Congratulations baby girl,” Thomas says as he passes her over, kissing my cheek. “You deserve the world princess.”

“Thank you, Tom,” I say simply and hug my daughter to me.

We wave to everyone and then turn and walk through the curtain archway leading inside. I breathe in the flowery scent and smile to the heavens.

“Home,” I say aloud so my husband can hear me.

“Home, forever and always, Abbi,” he replies, kissing my temple and pulling me further into the blinding, sparkling, rainbow abyss.

“Please welcome, Mr and Mrs Lock, as they take the floor for their first dance as a married couple,” I hear the singer of the band announce. I walk through the doors with my wife in my hand.

“Ready, Mrs Lock?” I ask her as her smile illuminates everything around me. If I had ever had one single doubt about her love for me I was crazy. The way her eyes drown me and consume my soul entirely, completes my life. I have my wife, my beautiful girl, my beautiful son and hopefully many more to come.

“For always, Mr Lock,” she replies, smiling bright at me. I take a deep breath and pull her through the doors to the ballroom. This is her forever after, my forever after, she is my belle and I her beast who has morphed into the respectable prince she has made me.

“Let’s do this baby.” We walk into the room, ambient with the decorative lights. A band stands on the stage, awaiting their key to start, the dance floor shiny and unused, lay waiting. We walk to the centre of the floor, our friends and family surrounding the outside, looking in like hungry predators. It makes my heart swell how happy I am. I have my brother and sister back, my son with me again, plus a new sister in law.

We look into each other’s eyes, deep, talking through them. The band starts playing the ballad we have chosen for our first dance, Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton. She puts her hands around my neck, pulling my face towards her. My hands circle her waist and pull her flat against me. Our heat mates together, bonding and fusing our future. This is it for me, everything I will or could ever need.

“You look absolutely stunning, baby,” I tell her, as we dance close to one another.

“You look sexy in your tux too, baby,” she replies and I know she is already being cheeky.

“You would look sexy out of this dress, Mrs Lock. Don’t tempt me to steal you away now before the party’s truly begun.” I wink at her and damn my cock as it instantly hardens at the thought of what she conceals under her dress. If it is anything like what was under her birthday dress then I’m screwed.

“Soon baby, very, very soon. Please.” I know she is begging, I can see it in her eyes. They have darkened, her skin has started to cover in a sheen of perspiration, her breathing has accelerated, her heart rate following. I can feel the pumping of her heart through her dress.

“Good, Pet,” I whisper in her ear, before nipping it. I hear the slight moan that leaves her lips and I have to pull her further into me to hide my fucking erection.

“I can’t wait to ride this hard cock baby,” she whispers back.

FUCK! How am I going to last ‘til everyone has gone?

“I love you, you know that right?” I ask her.

“Yes baby, I know, and I love you too.” I smile at her, finishing the last of our dance before the song finishes.

As it ends the crowd clambers onto the dance floor to continue the dancing.

“Baby, look,” I tell her, as I pull her front to my back and hold her to me. I point over to the dance floor were Antonio dances with my sister, his towering height captivating her miniscule height. He leans down, cupping her cheek in his hand, pressing his lips to hers. She circles his neck with her arms and pulls him to her. It makes me happy and proud of what she has become.

“Since fucking when?” she asks and I can feel her giggling to herself.

“They’ve always been in love Abbi, since she was a teenager. I told him this morning I wanted him to go for it. He deserves it; they both deserve to be happy after everything they’ve been through,” I explain to her.

“Me too, he deserves her. I’m so happy and complete right now Leighton. Thank you for always being my hero.” I kiss the top of her head and then swirl her around in my arms to kiss her lips.

“May I?” a man’s voice sounds from behind Abigail and I release her from my lips and open my eyes. Her dad stands there, a happy smile coating his older face.

“Absolutely, as long as I may dance with your beautiful wife?” I ask him, looking to Lisa in her beautiful fitted dress. Her daughter, Abbi’s sister, is running around somewhere like a nut job.

“Of course, it’s only fair,” he tells me as he calls her over.

He takes Abigail’s hand and leads her towards the floor. A beautiful ballad begins to play as I take Lisa’s hand and manoeuvre across the room to stand by my wife and Lisa’s husband.

We dance the duration of the song and then Abbi’s stolen by Tom for a dance, followed by Ant and my brother, Brandon, before I finally get another go. I dance with her very pregnant best friend, my little sister and my brother’s wife.

Heaven, I am well and truly there, and if I die, no place could be better than right here, right now.

It is getting late and Lilly, Abbi’s little sister, is fast asleep on two adjoining chairs, my son, Joseph joining her. The girls are giggling, as they do; the lads stand by the bar laughing and cheering with me. The older folk are mingling as they
always
do at gatherings.