ROME
I felt a soft kiss on my forehead. I heard her voice, my Storm, and someone very familiar.
Before my ass got frostbite, thanked God the rescuers arrived. Then I couldn’t remember what had happened after that. I thought I was going to die and not see Carly, my family, and my friends again.
That was the scariest I had experienced in my entire life- the hopelessness-the regrets. Leaving the people, you loved without a proper goodbye. And you wished for another chance that would not come.
Was there an afterlife? My family and I believed in God. When times like this, sometimes you prayed, and it seemed you weren’t heard, you started to doubt. Despite that, I prayed for the safety of everyone I loved. I prayed to come back home to Carly.
I always thought about her- she must be terrified of me not coming back alive.
Then I felt her warm hand- the soft squeezed against mine. How I wished her a warm body that stormy day. I really didn’t know the weather would be that terrifying if the temperature reached that low.
I cracked my eyes open. My sight was still a little bit blurry, and I saw a familiar chandelier. It felt like I slept like a log for months.
But I was back to Winterbourn in the room where I shared a bed with her.
My heart beat so fast.
“Babe?” she called me. There was a surprise in her voice.
“Storm?” I met her gaze, and she looked tired, beautiful nonetheless. Even my own voice sounded strange to me.
“Oh, my God! My love, you’re awake.” Her eyes widened, and I missed those viridian orbs.
Ouch. She threw herself to me, and I barely caught her. I felt weak. Nonetheless, I was grateful to be alive.
“Sweetheart.” I slowly wrapped my arms around her.
“You made us all worried. God, I thought I lost you.” She started crying, shaking in my arms.
“I said my piece, ain’t I?” I was smiling when she got off of me.
“Glad your humor is still intact.” This time, she was glaring at me.
I grinned. My lips hurt, so I had to lick them wet. “Does that one still work?”
“You think you’re funny?” She wiped her tears. “I almost lost you, arsehole. I was worried, so worried that I wouldn’t ever see you again. My family, your family, and your friends were worried, and all you could think about right now was your dick.”
I laughed, but my throat was dry, and my back hurt. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to make you worry. I was just excited to see you and terminate the damn contract. Forgive me, sweetheart.”
“Glad your brain still works.” She helped sip water.
“Thank you.” I gestured my hand. “Come here.”
She came to bed spooning me. “I was so scared.” This time, she calmed down. Her voice was soft and low.
“Me too.”
“Don’t ever do that again.” She slapped me on my chest, making me cringe.
“Love can make us do stupid things, but that wasn’t stupid. It was me trying to profess my love for you.”
“And turned suicidal?”
“I’m sorry, sweetheart. How are things? How long have I been asleep?”
“Two months.” She got up, wearing sorrow on her face.
“Two months?” My eyes went wide in shock. “Two fucking months?” I sat up on my bed, and my head hurt. “Fuck.”
No wonder she was so pissed at me.
My jaw dropped. God. I threw my head back against the headboard. I shook my head in disappointment. “I missed our wedding.”
“It’s okay.”
“No. It’s not okay. It was supposed to be our special day, Storm. And I ruined everything.”
She came to me and wiped my tears dry. I didn’t know they were there. “It’s alright. We can just get married anytime.”
“Do you still wanna marry me?”
“Yes. A simple and quiet wedding will do.” She kissed my hand, and then she suddenly smiled, the kind of smile that she had some wicked ideas in her mind.
“What? Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Guys, the sleeping beauty is awake,” she called out.
My jaw dropped. Everyone walked into the room, laughing at me.
“What’s going on?”
Then I saw my mother. “Mom?”
“Hey, honey.” She hugged and kissed me.
And then Rune. He was also here. “Hey, bro.”
“Glad you’re up. You made us all worry,” Thayer said.
“Thank you.”
Then Kennedy came to kiss me on the cheek. “I’m happy your feeling okay.”
“Wait. You’re still pregnant.”
“Ahh.” She looked at everyone. “I told you guys, I should be the last to come in.”
“What’s going on?” Then it hit me. I touched my face. My beard did not grow, and I did not even lose weight when I checked my arms. “How many days was I out?”
“Barely two days,” Cade replied. “If you only listen to the helper.”
I looked at my fiancée. “You’ll pay for this. I was devastated. I thought I missed our wedding.”
She smiled sweetly. “Serves you right. You’re still new to the country. Next time, check the weather, and for God’s sake, never travel alone. What were you thinking?”
“She’s right, Rome. You’re giving us an early heart attack,” Mom said. “And the guys are on the way to kick your butt.”
“Oh. They don’t have to do that.” I turned to Carly. “How much did I mess up?”
“You’re trending on Twitter.” She giggled. Carly, my princess, is giggling.
“I am what now?”
“You have your own hashtag. And you should have seen the flowers outside.” My brother showed me the screenshot.
“I’m still alive, and I already have flowers?”
Prince Thayer shook his head in amusement. “People of Capria love you. We leave you two guys alone.”
“Mom?”
My mother smiled at me.
“I’m sorry if I made you travel all the way here.”
“You are my baby boy.”
Once they were gone, I tried to get up.
“Easy.”
“I’m okay, sweetheart.”
“The doctor said you might feel lightheaded or have a headache.”
“Headache mostly, but I need to use the bathroom.”
“Let me help you.”
I noticed I was in Pjs. “You changed me?”
“Do you prefer your nurse?” Her tone was stiff. I knew what she was thinking.
I chuckled. “Is she pretty?”
I heard nothing. And I waited. “I love you, Storm.”
“I know.”
“And I was thinking about you all the time. I may have regrets, but you were in my thoughts until I blackout.”
“Enough of the drama.”
I went inside and peed. Then I cleaned up, washed my face, and brushed my teeth. When I came back, she was sitting on the bed.
I knelt before her and held her hand. I kissed it. “Our stupid contract is null and void. I love you, Storm. With all my life.”
“I love you, too.”
I got up and pressed my lips against hers. “Are your parents mad at me?”
“No. They came to see you in the morning. Are you hungry?”
I touched my abdomen. “I think I can use some soup.”
“Can you walk?”
“Sweetheart, yes. I’m okay.” I held her hand as we walked out of the room and climbed downstairs.
We settled in the living room while we were waiting for the meal. She sat beside me, and I wrapped my arm around her.
She let out a deep breath before she spoke. “Thay, can you arrange for someone to marry us?”
I froze in my seat. Everyone went silent.
“I thought you never asked. Tonight?”
“Storm, are you sure you wanna do this?”
She glanced at me, sparks of hope lit in her eyes. “Your family is here. The guys will arrive in two hours. My parents will come later. We can still have an official wedding. Don’t worry. Your effort won’t go to waste.” She smiled. “So, will you marry me tonight?”
“Yes.” I found myself grinning. My heart squeezed so tightly I thought I might burst.
“It’s settled then.”
The people I cared about looked happy for us, especially my mom.
“How did you know?”
“Thay told me while you were stranded. Don’t worry. I did not go to see the house. My brother said that you guys make surprises a big deal.”
“Yeah.”
“So?”
“I need to find something to wear then.”
“Just sit pretty.”
“Did you just tell me to sit pretty?” I couldn’t help but smile.
“Well, considering I’m a princess, yes. And get used to it, babe.”
I leaned down to whisper to her and kissed her nose. “Do that in bed, and we’ll see.”
“Everything is ready.” She giggled.
“Really? So you expected me to say yes to marrying you after I woke up.”
“I’m optimistic.”
My smile widened. “I love you, and I will marry you even in my pajamas.” I kissed her lips.
***
My friends arrived, and even Heera came with Zee. Our dinner became a family gathering. Both families were here. I was overwhelmed by their love and support. Even the King and Queen joined us.
I cleaned up pretty well. Carly was right. There was a tux ready for me. At our church wedding, I would be wearing my military uniform. Tonight a white tux. And I had no idea what she would be wearing. I guessed I would be expecting my jaw to drop later.
I asked my brother to be my best man and Heera as her maid of honor.
A simple ceremony, but I was marrying the love of my life tonight at the back of the manor. The lawn was pretty big and considering they had enough staff to decorate it. I was sure it would be special for both of us.
“The security is tight. The palace made sure no photo would get out of the public.”
“Thanks, Cade.”
“No problem.”
I stood at the Altar before the people I cared about. I suddenly became nervous. Maybe this was normal. At the same time, I was ecstatic to finally marry the woman I promised to love for the rest of my life.
Then she appeared with her father. She looked ethereal in her white drape-wrapped wedding dress. She was wearing a tiara, and she looked regal. Her smile, God, her smile.
“Breath,” my brother whispered.
I drew a deep breath when I felt a mist in my eyes.
“Your Majesty.”
The King shook my hand. “Son.”
Then I took her hand. I was even shaking. Maybe with so much joy considering I just survived a near-death experience, and here I was, marrying the love of my life a few hours later.
She giggled. “Do you wanna sit down?”
“No. Not until you said I do. Great, I did not write my vows.”
“Just say you love me. That will suffice.”
“I will tell you how much I love you every day. We’ll get married again. I will have my vow ready by then. Do we have rings?”
“If you two are done chatting, then we can start the ceremony.”
“My apology.” I chuckled. “I’ve been preparing for this day, but well, I still missed a few things.”
“Just shut up.” Carly giggled, elbowing me.
“Okay then.” The officiant cleared his throat. “We’re gathered here tonight to join Romare and Princess Carlott in a holy matrimony.”
I listened intently as he told us the importance of marriage. I looked at my wife-to-be, smiling.
“I, state your name and repeat after me.”
“I, Romare Sevyn Hunter Langston, promise to cherish you, to honor you, in sickness and in health, in poorer and in wealth, and to be true to you until death alone shall part us.”
“I, state your name, Your Highness, and repeat after me.”
“I, Carlott Laylin Jemaine Storm Gattewarde Braynburd, Princess of Triberis Capria, promise to cherish you, to honor you, in sickness and in health, in poorer and in wealth, and to be true to you until death alone shall part us.”
“Do you have rings?”
I took the ring from Kennedy. The little prince was the ring bearer.
“With this ring, I thee wed and pledge you, my love, now and forever.” I smiled and slipped the eternity diamond ring into her finger.
She looked at me with love and devotion in her eyes. “With this ring, I thee wed and pledge you, my love, now and forever.” And she slipped the platinum band onto my finger.
“By the authority vested in me by the city of Winterbourn, the Kingdom of Triberis Capria, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss your wife.”
“I love you.” I leaned down and kissed my bride. It was quick but special, and I could feel the love soaring in my chest.
Applause interrupted.
“We’re married!” I pulled her into my arms and hugged her so tight.
“We’re married, husband.”