Page 138 of Hard to Judge

Natalia. Astor, her father and cousin. Dobson. Karris. Celeste and her family. Mio. Leo. Ziya, Sana, Sigrid, and Laurent’s parents and siblings. All here to witness our union.

I rub my bare ring finger. I cannot fucking wait.

A scream is trying it’s damnedest to escape me. The mix of excitement and disbelief and love and jubilation that this is actually happening makes me feel like a hot air balloon about to float away.

Judging by the veins popping in Hota’s hands, he won’t let me get far.

I fill my lungs with his scent, and my lower lip quivers. “I love you,” I whisper as the group cheers.

Hota’s smile is bright enough to knock me off my feet. “Ai shiteru, Hailey, but those words are so shallow for what I feel for you.”

I nod to keep from sobbing before we’ve even started because I know exactly what he means. Together, we look down the aisle at Arlo.

“He’s ours.” The awe in Hota’s voice is reverent, as though he’s looking upon a deity.

Arlo is larger than life. He’s transcended the torture of his past to be with us. He is awe-inspiring. And fucking gorgeous.His face lights with adoration that bleeds through his skin and the distance between us.

“Can you believe it?” I sniffle.

“Not hardly.”

Laurent takes his place under the arch by our lover. The second he does, Hota steps forward and takes my hands.

“Want me to hurry, I suppose?” Laurent chuckles.

“No.” Hota’s shakes his head. “Take your time. I just need to touch my wife.”

My heart swells, along with my cunt. Inappropriate or not, he’s so damn sexy and possessive and mine.

“Soon-to-be wife,” Laurent reminds.

“Fine, hurry.” Hota squeezes my hands.

I giggle and slide my finger over the place where his ring should be. After all, he and Arlo were married at the courthouse before we left New York.

It was my idea.

Since we can’t all marry legally, it made sense for Hota to marry one of us to get his permanent residence card. It made the most sense for him to marry Arlo—not only because they’ve loved each other for so very long but also they can now never be made to testify against the other. Just in case.

They weren’t in total agreement, until my last point, and they still hate the fact that we can’t all be bound by law. I do too, but I’m not worried about being left out. Arlo has managed to entwine us all legally in as many ways as possible and likely a few that aren’t.

Laurent clears his throat. “While the world loves to put parameters and rules to love, we know love knows no bounds. Not the number of partners or their identities. Not time or space. Not age or health. Not life or death. A soul’s love is unbound, but is tethered by those it loves.” He places a hand over his heart. “Ifyou are ready to make that commitment to one another, please come forward.”

Hota’s lips graze my knuckles on my right hand, and then he releases it, while tightening his hold to my left. “Are you ready?”

“More than,” I barely squeak through the emotions clogging my throat.

We hold tight to each other and turn toward our future.

I see nothing but Arlo as we walk. I feel nothing but Hota’s hand in mine.

The closer we get, the impossibly tighter our hold on each other becomes until finally we’re standing in a semi-circle with Arlo on my right.

His hand immediately finds mine and squeezes. “That dress. You look stunning.”

“You should see me out of it,” I whisper. Because if I don’t make a joke, I’m going to lose my shit like Nat, ruining her makeup in the front row.

“We plan to,” Hota’s deep voice rumbles.

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