Page 83 of Born Free

“You’re going to love it,” Jon promises as we hesitate outside the door. “Roman did an incredible job.”

The anticipation is about enough to do me in. I smile, taking a deep breath, and Jon pulls the door open.

If this were any other day, I might notice the incredible beams or the brickwork covering the walls. I might find a perfect and beautiful modern kitchen or the massive dinner table. I’d notice the fireplace that’s so big, I could nearly stand inside it.

But none of that really matters right now.

Because, straight ahead, stands the man I miraculously, unexpectedly fell in love with.

Roman’s eyes are so bright and so happy as he looks me up and down, taking in a view neither one of us ever thought we’d see. Me, in a wedding gown, walking down an aisle tohim. I drink the sight of him in, and I can’t help but chuckle and shake my head.

He’s wearing black slacks, black shoes, and a black button up shirt. But he’s wearing a white suit jacket, the same shade as his hair. It never grew back into its original color. Neither did mine.

It’s the first time I’ve ever seen Roman wear white.

And he looks absolutely tempting.

All our friends turn and look at me, watching with soft smiles. The crowd isn’t massive, but neither Roman nor I wanted it any bigger. These are the people who matter to us. The ones we love. The ones we died for and fought side-by-side with.

I walk down the short aisle, my eyes fixed on Roman. My heart beats faster and faster, but I’ve never felt so one-hundred-percent sure about anything.

And finally, I stand in front of him. Jon presses a kiss to my cheek, and then takes his seat beside Elena.

Stars, I love this man. I love his wild white hair. I love those vivid blue eyes. I love that rose tattoo on the side of his neck. I love the danger in his hands and the power in his shoulders. I love the devotion he worships me with. I love the way he’s honored all the broken parts of me and the way he’s put me together.

There are a million unspoken words behind his eyes as Roman studies me. He takes my hands, and just at the contact, every particle in me knows that everything is going to be okay. There are going to be hard times, and there’s probably going to be more death and destruction at some point in our lives.

But together, we’re going to be okay.

I feel it in his soul that occupies my own chest.

“I do not have elaborate words,” my beautiful aunt begins. I look to Sigrid, beaming at how perfect she is. She’s dressed in an elaborate golden dress and wears a headdress of feathers and bones that makes her look every bit the Norwegian priestess she is. “And I think if I take too long, the two of them will explode before our very eyes.”

Everyone in the crowd laughs, and so do I, but damn, she’s right. “Let’s get to the point already,” I encourage.

She shakes her head in amusement at me. “Fate or choice, I believe Juliet and Roman have ended up here as the result of both. Trial and error, neither of these two have had an easy road. But if I have seen two people more prepared to walk it hand in hand, it is the beautiful people standing right in front of me.”

Sigrid’s words fill me up, and as I look to Roman, meeting his eyes, my own well just a tiny bit.

Fate.

Choice.

She’s right. Us standing here today, it’s a result of both.

“Roman, do you vow to be faithful, loyal, and devoted to Juliet through the hard times and the good? To honor her in every choice you make, and to walk by her side as an equal?”

My heart stops for just a moment as time stands still. As Roman stares into my eyes. And the past replays in my mind, and all the emotions of it fill our bonded soul. Our first dangerous meeting. The first time I saved his life outside of his club. The way he picked me up when no one else saw how I was falling apart. And the love that evolved right in front of our oblivious eyes.

“I do,” Roman says, and everything in me calms. “In this life, and my next, and the one after that. I do, Juliet.”

My smile slowly grows on my face, and it’s everything I can do to keep from mauling him right here and now in front of everyone.

Instead, I just mouthI love you. Roman squeezes my hands tighter, and one of those rare as a blue moon smiles pulls on his own lips.

“Juliet,” Sigrid says, and my heart jumps at my turn. “Do you vow to be loyal, to be faithful, to be devoted to Roman? Through all the difficulties in life as well as the good? To honor him in all your decisions, and to stand at his side as an equal?”

There’s a rising tide in me. It’s surging, pushing, buoying. And it’s all guiding me to this man standing in front of me. I never thought it would be him standing there, looking at me with so much admiration and love it makes me want to cry.

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