Page 116 of While He Breathes

Those words repeat in my mind over and over again as Orion and I talk to our guests.

The beautiful silk gown I picked out fits my body like it was made for me to wear, and considering the price tag, it very well may have been.

But I left all of that up to Max. Orion handed him the credit card, and I chose the things I liked, and both of us left it to him.

And I’m fucking glad we did.

There’s no way I could have organized something even half as beautiful as today has been.

Max and Darius were my men of honor, and Killian was Orion’s best man. The grumpy second-in-charge, who rarely smiles, looked ready to cry more than once as we exchanged our vows.

Elsie and her sister sat in the front row, along with a few of the girls from the club, and there was a chair front and center left with nothing but a picture frame on it.

A photo of Travis to signify the brother who should have been here.

I’ve forgiven him for selling me off to Lucas in exchange for his freedom, but I’ve also realized that if none of that had happened, I wouldn’t be standing here with a man who loves me with everything he has.

I never really believed in the saying about everything falling apart so better things can fall together, but I absolutely do now.

Everything I have is because my brother fucked up, and in a weird way, I’m kind of grateful for the part he played in everything.

I’ll always miss him, though, and I wish he could have been here today, even if there’s no way he would have approved of my taste in the groom.

Orion guides me across the grass, the afternoon sun warm against my bare shoulders, and I lean into him, soaking up every second of our perfect day.

“Are you happy?” he asks, pressing a kiss to the top of my head.

“Beyond.” I smile up at him.

His eyes flick up a moment before we stop in front of four men I don’t recognize, but I’m sure the guest list was filled with people I’ve never heard of or met before.

Another thing I handed off to Max. I know about ten people, so I didn’t have much to contribute.

“Little Flame, I wanted you to meet a few people I haven’t had a chance to introduce you to.”

He gestures to the first man. His black hair the same color as his eyes, and his olive skin almost golden in the afternoon sun. “This is Remy.”

His hand moves to the giant beside him, standing at close to six feet seven, with light brown hair and light green eyes that almost look like contacts. “Enzo.”

The next man is younger, maybe around my age, and his curled brown hair and soft brown eyes only make him seem even more so. “Corbin.”

And then the last man, with dark brown hair and startling blue eyes, his body thick with corded muscles. “And Rocco.”

I look up at him expectantly, waiting for him to tell me what business they’re a part of, but I never could have foreseen the words that come out of his mouth.

“They took over for Killian and me as the Hunter when we moved into the drug game.”

The End