Page 260 of Conquered

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

LILLY

Isit back, stomach pleasantly full after eating our delicious mash up of British and American cuisine. We had scrambled egg and bacon on tiny pancakes, loaded hot dogs and chilli cheese fries, followed by a mango and cream dessert that looked like a boiled egg, and a selection of British cheeses and oatcakes to finish.

Patting my rounded stomach, I hear a deep chuckle either side of me.

“Full, Baby Girl?” Jax asks, his hand quickly dipping to ghost over my stomach in a protective gesture. Like Ash and Kai, Jax wears a light grey tailored morning suit, with a rainbow waistcoat and tie. Loki, my wonderful Knight of mischief, has gone for a full on rainbow suit, the fabric literally striped in rainbow colours. And he looks fucking stunning, as do the others, all tailored perfection and clean lines.

Because of our unconventional seating plan -aka non-existent- I’m sitting at a round table with all of my favourite people. Jax is on one side of me -I dread to think how he wonthat privilege- and Ash, my new husband, on the other. I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to the fact that I’m now married. I’m now Mrs. Vanderbilt.

Kai is on the other side of Ash, Loki next to Jax. Willow is here with us, chatting to Lex and Ryan, who are also on our table.

I cast a glance over my shoulder and catch Julian’s eye, shivering when he gives me a feline smile before turning back to talk to my uncle. Yep, Adrian turned up, and briefly congratulated Ash and I, although the smile didn’t reach his eyes as he shook Ash’s hand.

The sound of tinkling glass swings my gaze back to Ash, who rises in his seat, standing up and taking everyone in his sweeping steel gaze.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I’d like to start by thanking you for joining Lilly and I on our wedding day,” he starts, briefly glancing down at me, a warm smile tugging his lips up. My own mimic him, my cheeks hurting from all of the smiling I’ve done today, most of which has been at my guys so I’ll take the pain. “When Lilly agreed to be my wife, well, it truly was the happiest night of my life.” He’s staring at me as he says this last part, and my palms sweat, remembering that night at his parents’ manor house, and how fraught with tension it was. But he means it, and I realise that really was a happy moment for him, one in a life full of sad moments. “My wife,” he pauses, and takes a slight breath, letting me know that he’s as affected by these new terms as I am. “My beautiful wife is a fan of Shakespeare, so I’d like to readSonnet 116for her.”

He looks back down at me, holding my gaze as he recites.

“‘Let me not to the marriage of true minds

Admit impediments. Love is not love

Which alters when it alteration finds,

Or bends with the remover to remove:

O, no! it is an ever-fixed mark,

That looks on tempests and is never shaken;

It is the star to every wandering bark,

Whose worth’s unknown, although his height be taken.

Love’s not Time’s fool, though rosy lips and cheeks

Within his bending sickle’s compass come;

Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,

But bears it out even to the edge of doom.

If this be error and upon me proved,

I never writ, nor no man ever loved.’”

I take a gasping breath as he finishes, realising that I’d held it the whole time that he spoke. His image wavers as I blink furiously, trying in vain to stop the tears from leaving my eyes. Cheers erupt around us as he bends down, capturing my lips in a kiss so tender and gentle that a small sob sounds in my throat.

“I love you, Lilly Vanderbilt,” he tells me, his lips ghosting across mine as he pulls away so that I taste his words.

“I love you, Asher Vanderbilt,” I whisper back, my voice raspy as I try to talk through the lump in my throat.

Another glass rings, and I look to see Ryan standing up, tugging at the neck of his shirt, his face going slightly red.

“I was there when Lilly came into the world, kicking and screaming as Lex passed her into her mother’s arms. I was there when she learnt to crawl, then walk - at ten bloody months old mind, which I can tell you was a right nightmare!” He laughs along with us, then holds my gaze. “I was there when she started talking, when she went off to school for the first time, when she experienced a thousand other milestones that a young girl does. And some that she never should have had to.” I bite my lip, Ash gripping one hand and Jax the other, his other hand wiping away the tear that escapes. Coughing, Ryan continues. “And nowI’m here, standing in front of a beautiful woman, a beautiful wife, and wondering how I got so lucky to have such a wonderful daughter.” He swipes his own wet eyes, Lex handing him a tissue whilst a cry-laugh escapes her. “And I couldn’t be more proud of the young lady that you’ve become. We couldn’t be more proud. And your mum, well, I just know that wherever she is, she’s smiling and jumping around like a loon at how far you’ve come, at how much you’ve grown.”