Page 25

Epilogue

Kilo

wedding day…

For once, my mind wasn’t running, wasn’t filled with shit I had to fix or enemies to handle. Today was about Mel. About us. About the life we built from ashes.

I stood in the suite at the Richmond Royale Hotel, fixing my cufflinks in the mirror. My tux was black on black. Benny was running around in his little suit, refusing to stay still. Jet was posted on the couch with a juice box, watching cartoons after his daddy threatened his lil’ ass.

Stacks was leaned against the wall, arms folded, watching the chaos with a grin.

“Boy, sit down somewhere ’fore you spill something on that damn tux,” he told Benny.

“Ain’t gone spill nothing!” Benny shouted, grinning wide, locs bouncing.

Buck was on the other side of the room, pacing while he talked on the phone. Something about the catering. He was always doing the most—even on my damn day.

“Tell them if the crab cakes ain’t hot, I’m flipping the whole fuckin’ table over,” he growled into the phone, then turned to me. “You good?”

I nodded, adjusting my tie. “Yeah.”

“You don’t look nervous,” Jace said from the armchair, flipping through his phone.

“I ain’t.”

“That’s ’cause he knows she the one,” Stacks added. “Real ones don’t get cold feet.”

I gave them a slight smirk. They weren’t wrong.

Keenan came in then, straightening his collar. “Gigi said bring y’all asses.” Buck smacked him upside the head because he was closer, but we did as he said because I didn’t want no smoke wit’ my mama.

I took one last look in the mirror before following behind my brothers and nephews.

***

The ballroom at the Richmond Royale looked like something out of a dream. Dark florals, gold accents, candles lit like firelight kissed every table. The aisle was lined with petals in a sea of blue and cream, with an arch at the end that looked like it belonged in a fairytale.

But I wasn’t thinking about none of that.

Not once my eyes landed on my forever. She stepped into the doorway slow, with Keenan escorting her as a soft instrumental version of ‘If This World Were Mine’ playing low.

Her veil was light, floating like it wasn’t even there.

Her dress hugged her body just enough, classy but bold, like her.

Cropped sleeves, shimmer trailing behind her like she came from the sky herself.

She locked eyes with me and everything stopped. Every bit of pain, every secret, every fuckin’ ghost in my past—it all faded.

Tears burned behind my eyes, but I didn’t let them drop. I just swallowed the lump in my throat and stood taller as she came down the aisle on her brother Keenan’s arm. He kissed her cheek before placing her hand in mine.

“Don’t make me fuck you up, ’bout my sister,” his bad ass said before walking off to take a seat by his mama.

“You ready?” I whispered.

Mel nodded, eyes already glassy. “Been ready.”

The ceremony started. The words were traditional, but they hit different coming from her lips. And when it was my turn, I didn’t just read the vows… I spoke from the place in me only she had access to.

“If there’s a question of my heart, you got it,” I told her, voice low but strong.

“You always had it, Mel. Even when I ain’t know what to do with it.

You held me down when I couldn’t give you the full version of me.

When I came home, you gave me a reason to be better.

You gave me love, a family, a second chance.

I don’t take that lightly. I never will. ”

Tears slid down her cheeks.

“I got you. Through every storm, every high, every low. I love you. And I swear to protect you and our babies with everything in me. That’s my vow.”

By now she couldn’t stop the tears if she wanted to, as well as the other women in the room.

Once we exchanged rings, the officiant pronounced us husband and wife.

When I kissed her, it was deep. Full of every promise I’d ever make.

The crowd cheered as we made our way back down the aisle, toward our future… toward our forever.

***

Reception flowed smoothly. We walked in as husband and wife and cheers erupted around the room.

Benny danced like the ain’t have no sense, Jet ran straight to Nic and threw his juice box at her lap, and Buck cursed him out while laughing the whole time.

This was what was important to us…family… dysfunction and all.

Saint’s sister Harlow came up to hug us, and my mama pulled Mel into her arms for a long time. There were so many faces, so many voices, but through it all, she never left my side.

Our first dance came next. The DJ slowed it down. ‘Matrimony’ by Wale played soft in the background as I pulled her into my arms.

She rested her head against my chest. “You didn’t cry.”

I chuckled. “Almost. You looked too damn good.”

Her lips curved into a smile. “I love you.”

“I love you more, mama.”

We swayed slow, wrapped in the fog that surrounded us. My life hadn’t been perfect—far from it, but right now, everything felt whole.

“I never thought I’d get this,” I said, voice quiet.

“This?” she asked.

“Peace. Family. You.”

She turned in my arms, looking up at me. “You earned this.”

“Nah,” I muttered. “I fought for it. Damn near bled for it. But you—you made it worth fighting for.”

She rested her hand on my chest. “And I always will.”

I kissed her again. Slow. Like I had all the time in the world.

Because now? I did.

***

Later that night, back in our suite, she was asleep—curled beside me, breathing even, soft.

I stared at the ceiling, the weight of everything we’d been through pressing in.

Shayna. Sean. Prison. All the pain that came before her.

Mel never asked me to be perfect—just present. Just honest. And I’d failed more than once.

But I made a promise, and now I had every intention of keeping it.

I got a daughter who’s smart as hell, a son who’ll look up to me, and a woman who took every scar I carried and never flinched.

So yeah—if there’s a question of my heart… she got it… always did… always will.

The End…