Page 91 of Saving You Losing Me

ATOM

The guys think I’ve lost my mind and only my closest friends understand how much this day means to me. To the others, Clara arrived a few days ago and now I’m marrying the enemy’s wife.

They don’t realize the depth of our history, but they know not to voice their concerns with me. I make the rules in The Darkside and what they think matters shit.

Somehow Candy worked a miracle and has transformed the clubhouse. There are flowers everywhere in the bar, which has cleaned up perfectly and I almost don’t recognize the place.

It’s not the best wedding venue and Clara deserves way more than this, but as time is the enemy we have no other choice.

In The Darkside we are protected. Emilio won’t have a clue about our marriage and Clara will be my wife before I break the happy news that his stay in town is over and it’s time for him to leave.

Time is of the essence and so I stand in my smartest pair of jeans and my favorite t-shirt, alongside my battered jacket with the president’s patch on the sleeve. Not the finest wedding attire, but my preferred option.

I have never pretended to be anything else with Clara. First the derelict house and now the shotgun wedding. This is me. This is us and she isn’t the kind of girl who wants the finer things in life over ones concerning the heart.

Razor stands beside me, the minister watching my men warily, probably wondering how the hell he ended up here. Not many people have the balls to refuse a visit from Razor and he was instructed to gather the necessary documentation in the few short hours he had.

The marriage will be as legally binding as possible to run Emilio out of town and when the dust settles, I’ll give Clara the wedding she deserves.

A gentle hush fills the air as the door opens and from somewhere soft music plays into the bar and everyone turns toward the back of the room.

My heart is racing as I prepare for something that’s been a long time coming and as I slowly turn, I smile at the two pretty girls solemnly walking inside, throwing petals from two small white baskets. They are wearing pink dresses and have huge smiles on their faces and as I catch their attention, I wink, causing them to giggle.

Candy follows them and offers me a sweet smile and she pulls them beside her as they stand to one side and my heart pounds as I turn to see my bride for the first time.

Clara walks into the room like an angel. My dark angel. The only woman I have ever loved. She is wearing a white dress that hangs just below her knees. Her glorious figure filling it in all the right places, her hands clutching a bouquet of beautiful pink roses.

I can’t tear my gaze away as she walks toward me, straight-backed and alone. Her eyes are fixed firmly on me and I wouldn’t want it any other way.

As she reaches me, I step forward and ignoring the onlookers, take her hand and pull her close, leaning down and whispering huskily in her ear, “You are the most gorgeous woman I have ever seen and I can’t wait to call you my old lady.”

Her eyes shine as she steps back and turns to the minister, who clears his throat and begins the proceedings. We ordered the shortened version and I’m glad about that now because Clara can’t become mine soon enough for me. This ceremony is merely a legality because, in my eyes, she has always been mine.

As we repeat our vows, I mean every word I speak and as I slip my ring onto Clara’s finger, I whisper, “We’ll get you a proper one soon.”

“It’s perfect,” she says with a broad smile and grasps my hand tightly as the minister finishes the service.

Then he declares us husband and wife and I waste no time in kissing her deeply, oblivious to anyone in the room.

Our first touch as husband and wife is a long time coming and as I kiss her in front of my club and our new family, I have never been so happy in my life.

Two hourslater and our celebrations are over. It was short, sweet, and quick for a reason. This was a formality, a business deal if you like, and when I marry Clara for real, it will be a very different experience.

We head back to Clara’s apartment and the girls are still high on adrenalin.

“Do we call you daddy now?”

Sophia asks innocently and Maria regards me with a soft smile.

My heart tugs inside me because the thought of that animal who had the pleasure of creating them anywhere near them causes a pain in my heart I never saw coming. Just thinking of what could have been in their future steals my breath and I say carefully, “If you prefer, you can call me Atom. The decision is yours.”

Sophia shrugs. “Well, I’m calling you daddy because you are now.”

Maria nods. “Me too.”

Clara’s gaze catches mine and she smiles as the girls head off to change their clothes. She wraps her arms around me and whispers, “The resilience of youth. Life is so clear cut when you don’t realize the pain of it.”

“Not anymore.” I make her a promise I will honor to my dying day.

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