Page 113 of Iron Willed Warrior

“That’s possible.”

Soft music started, and I glanced over toward the wedding arch made of hundreds of flowers. Aiden had just walked up and was shifting nervously. Cole stood beside him,murmuring something, and whatever he’d said made Aiden nod.

Then Cole saw me looking and sent a smile my way. There were dozens of people around us, yet I felt that smile like a secret message meant only for me. Didn’t matter where we were or what we were doing. It was the two of us, connected by an invisible, unbreakable thread. Drawing us together since the moment we’d met.

The only thing more frightening than the thought of trusting Cole with my entire heart? The thought of ever letting him go.

Cole

A hush fell over the audience as Scarlett, the maid of honor, walked up the aisle. Then the music shifted, and Jessi appeared in a floor-length, lacy dress. She walked forward on the arm of her brother Trace. Her long veil stretched out behind her. The sun was setting. A gentle breeze blew across the mountainside, shaking the wildflowers and grasses beyond the deck.

Beside me, Aiden cursed softly under his breath. Despite the crowd of people and the gorgeous surroundings of Refuge Mountain, the bride and groom didn’t look away from each other as she made her way to the wedding arch. Like nothing existed except the two of them. It was a feeling I understood.

My eyes searched out my girlfriend in the third row, sitting beside Charlotte on one side and Keira on the other. Just looking at Brynn filled me up with an uncomfortable, too-big feeling. Like things shouldn’t be this good, and there was no way it could keep going.

I’d been shocked when Aiden asked me to be his bestman. I mean,me? But I’d been honored. Even when I’d had to talk my buddy through the stress. Aiden had wanted to make every detail of today perfect for his bride, because her happiness was his happiness. Seeing them now, taking their vows? So worth it.

It had been a long time since I’d been a part of something bigger. Something important. I liked being a Protector. Especially because I had Brynn to share it with.

For so much of my life, I’d seen bad stuff happen to good people. But here we were, seeing good things unfold for some of the best people I knew. This was a new experience. I had the hunch I could get used to it.

Was I a sunny optimist now? Not even close. But my dark outlook was teetering on the edge.

When the ceremony ended, the photographer wrangled the wedding party into a slew of photos. Brynn stood off to the side and waited until I was done. The moment the photographer waved me and Scarlett away to focus on the bride and groom, Brynn came over to loosen my tie. She slid it away from my neck with a knowing grin. Then kissed my beard and my jawline as she undid the top button of my shirt.

“Better?” she whispered.

I groaned. “Way better. Will they notice if we sneak away for a few?”

“Yep, your best-man duties aren’t over yet.”

Damn.

Scarlett tapped me on the shoulder, holding up a phone. “Hey, can I get one of you two? You’re downright adorable together.”

Brynn snuggled into my side, while I put an arm around her. I wasn’t a huge fan of posed photos, but I felt the grin on my face grow along with the pride of knowing the woman beside me wasmine.

I hadn’t been sure how today would go over for me and Brynn, given the rocky history we both had with the subject of marriage. But when Scarlett showed us the photo she’d taken, I saw that Brynn’s smile in the image matched my own. Simple joy. So beautiful it struck me in the chest, stealing my breath for a couple of seconds.

I was probably a little obsessed with Brynn. If that was a character flaw, I had no intention of apologizing for it.

The two of us had become a fixture here at Last Refuge, which hadn’t been my plan. But Colorado was easier to deal with now that the snow had melted and summer was here. My favorite time of each day was sunset, when Brynn and I could sit and watch the sun sinking behind the trees, sharing a cigarette. Marveling at how damn lucky I was. Then, after dinner, taking her back to our room and stripping off everything until we were down to bare skin. Making love slow and sensual or rough and fast, depending on the kind of day we’d had.

Sadly, our room at the inn didn’t have a bathtub. There was a hot tub on site, which we had visited several times for heavy make-out sessions when nobody else was around. But not nearly as much privacy as I would’ve wanted.

The only thing that wasn’t perfect was that I missed home. Last Refuge was a great place, but it wasn’tmyplace. I was anxious to get back, whether it was my apartment in the city or my quiet spot on the beach. As long as I had Brynn beside me.

She had suggested before that she’d come with me when it was time to leave. But what if she changed her mind? Those last threads of doubt still clung to me.

After the wedding dinner and endless toasts, Brynn insisted on dancing. She tugged at my hand and pulled me to the dance floor. Then Owen and Dean started passing around whiskey shots. With that added to the obligatory champagne,I felt pleasantly weighed down with booze and with contentment.

“Cole?” Brynn asked softly. We were swaying on the dance floor to yet another romantic song. But from the way she’d said my name, I could tell she had something important to tell me.

“Yeah, B?”

“I—”

Unfortunately, Trace decided to walk up to us that moment and rest a hand on my shoulder. “Hey, sorry to interrupt. Do you two have a minute? It’s Protectors business.”

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