Black Falcon: Complete Series Collection (64 page)

The pastor points his gaze at Zach. “The rings?”

Zach fishes them from the inside pocket of his tux and places them in the pastor’s outstretched hand.

The rings are held up for the crowd to see as he says, “The rings you chose are made of one of the strongest, and most precious minerals our earth has to offer. These rings will withstand the test of time and symbolize the love you two have for one another. Noel will you take this ring and place it on Lanie’s left hand and repeat after me.”

Noel slips the ring on Lanie’s dainty ring finger and says, “With this ring, I thee wed all my hearts affection, all that I am, all that I ever shall be, and everything that’s apart of me, I give to you now, my wife.”

Lanie and I both sniffle along with most of the crowd as Noel gets a little choked up at the end as his emotions flood him.

“Lanie, repeat after me...” the pastor has her repeat the same vows as she places a silver band on Noel’s left hand. Her fingers shake a bit as she shoves it the rest of the way on his finger.

“Now, I want you two to look deep into each other’s eyes and think back to that moment when you knew this person was the one you wanted to spend the rest of your life with...” At those words spoken by the pastor, I stare at Zach who is watching me intently.

It’s hard for me to pinpoint the exact moment I knew he was the one, because I felt a connection with him almost immediately. When I saw all the layers under his macho exterior that’s when he really started tugging at my heart. His love is intense and passionate, and I’m ready to receive every bit of it that he’s willing to offer me.

“You have stepped into a deeper commitment today, and I charge you to keep true to the vows you’ve made to one another today. Noel, your bride commits herself into your hands for safekeeping, placing herself into your protection for the remainder of her life. So from this day forward let no word or deed of action cloud her with tears. If there are tears, may they only be of joy.”

Noel smiles down at Lanie and wipes his eye as the pastor recites a similar speech to her. “Lanie, you have won this man’s heart with your grace, beauty and intelligence. May you comfort him in times of need and remain true. And to the both of you...always remember you’re holding your very best friend by the hand right now. Always be quick to forgive one another and cherish the love you have for one another. If you both agree to all of these things, please say I do.” Lanie and Noel both answer at the same time before he continues, “By the power vested in me by the great state of Texas, I now pronounce you man and wife. Noel, you may kiss your bride.”

Cheers erupt all around as Noel leans in and lifts Lanie’s veil before wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her lips.

Noel pulls back and gives her one last peck before she smiles at him and then turns to me for her flowers.

They face the crowd and the pastor says, “May I present to you for the very first time, Mr. and Mrs. Noel Falcon.”

Another round of applause and hoots explode at the end of the dock as I watch my best friend walk down the aisle to become one with the love of her life.

Zach approaches me and I hook my arm through his. His grin as we follow Noel and Lanie down the aisle is as big a mine. It’s funny how our conceptions about a person can be totally off base. Never in a million years did I think a crude proposition from a rock star would lead me to love. He completely, and unexpectedly, stole my heart, and I was powerless to stop it.

I broke the last rule I put into place for our one-night stand, not to fall in love. It completely flew out the window the moment he opened up to me and showed me a side of him I never expected, but that’s okay. Life sometimes works out in ways that’s not expected.

The one thing I really thought I wanted was my job, but when forced to pick between my heart and my career, it was no contest. Nothing matters but being with Zach and I know somehow, some way, things will work out as long as we believe in on another and our love. Zach is my forever.

I
have to hand it to Noel. This reception by the lake is stunning. The white tent under the stars is perfect for their union. The stiffly dressed wait staff scurries about handing out drinks and appetizers while the live band keeps the party jumping.

I’m not one that gets caught up in wedding sappiness usually, but knowing what Noel and Lanie have been through to make it to this moment gets to me. It reminds me that no real love comes easy and I’m going to have to work at this everyday with Aubrey to make this love last forever.

I spin Kitten in my arms as we press close together during a slow dance. “Having fun?”

She grins up and me and trails her fingers at the nape of my neck. “A great time. I’m glad I’m here with you.”

I squeeze her tighter against my chest. “There’s no one else I’d rather be with.”

She raises her eyebrow. “Not even the two women you were with after me.”

I sigh. It’s time to come clean with that lie. “I was never with anyone else.”

There’s a puzzled look on her face. “You weren’t? So, you lied to me?”

I nod as we continue dancing. “I was trying to get you to see I was no good. I said it to make you angry with me, so you’d move on before I got the chance to hurt you.”

She bites her bottom lip. “I never slept with Isaac, either. I only wanted you to think that because I was hurt.” She pauses for a moment. “I understand where all that angst is coming from. What happened to your family was a terrible tragedy, but you can’t let that rule your life. You deserve to be happy.”

“I’m trying to get there. When I found you, I found my heart, Kitten. You’re the one putting me back together. You make me feel alive. You’re helping me find my soul again, which is something I thought died years ago. It’s because of you I want to be a better man. I want to be there for you. I won’t ever be able to give you a family, because the accident left me sterile, but
I’ll
be there to love you forever if you let me.”

She strokes my cheek with her fingers. “I want to be with you, Zach. It’s you I love, not what you can or can’t give me. I just want you.”

“I love you,” I tell her before I kiss her lips and we start down the path to our forever. The instant the words leave my mouth something comes over me and I feel a mad rush to not only tell her, but the rest of the world, that I’ll do anything to keep her in my life. I pull away from her and hold up a finger. “Wait right here.”

The small platform the wedding band plays on is a far cry from the stages I’m used to, but I can’t think of a more appropriate place to express to Aubrey what she means to me. I gave Noel so much shit for doing this when Lanie came back to him, but I totally get it now. When you love someone, really love someone, you’ll do anything to show them how much they mean to you. I want Aubrey to know my words aren’t promises that I have no intention on keeping. I want her for the long haul.

I motion the tall, scarecrow looking lead singer with slicked-back black hair to the side of the stage. He bends down to me. “Hey, man. I hate to steal your show, but I need to sing something.”

The man shrugs. “Sure. Do you want us to back you?”

It’s been a long time since I fronted a band. The last time was before Noel joined Trip, Tyke and I. Adding the touch of the band may be perfect to bring the song together versus me alone with a guitar. I take a quick glance at Aubrey waiting on me in the middle of the dance floor under the soft lighting hanging in the tent and a song I secretly have on my iPod playlist that reminds me of how I feel about her pops in my head. “Sure. Do you know
I Won’t Give Up
by Jason Mraz?”

He nods. “We do. We play that a lot at weddings. Hop on up.”

Once I’m up on the stage, the front man hands me the mic before turning to fill in the band. I stare out into the crowd and even though there’s a ton of people surrounding me, Aubrey is the only person I see.

I pull the mic up to my lips. “This song goes out to a very special lady who needs to know how I feel about her.” I give the guitarist a quick nod and he plucks out the signature chords to intro the song acoustically.

When it’s time for me to sing, I lock eyes with Aubrey because I want her to know that what I feel for her is real and I don’t care who knows I’m totally whipped. The words are perfect as I tell her in song that I won’t give up no matter what and I finally know what it’s like to be loved and I’m never going to walk away from that.

It’s everything I’ve been missing in my life, and she’s given it back to me.

Aubrey wipes tears from her eyes and I step off the platform—the sea of people part before me, clearing my path to her.

I take her hand in mine and tears stream down her face. I fight back the emotion I feel building up inside me, so I can finish the song. The words that I’m still looking up and we have a lot to learn fit us perfectly, but I know together we can get through anything. With her by my side, I’m a better man.

“I’m giving you all my love,” I sing and I intertwine our fingers. “I’m still looking up.”

The crowd around us erupts in applause and I hear Trips loud ass hooting in the background. I wrap my arms around the one woman who has changed my life forever and I stare into her big, green eyes before I say, “All of it—my love is yours.”

She grabs my face and crushes her lips to mine, and I finally allow myself to feel worthy love.

Rock My Bed Playlist 3OH3! – Touchin’ On My Theory of a Dead Man – Gentleman Soulja Boy, Sammie – Kiss Me Through the Phone Cobra Starship – Good Girls Go Bad Juliet Simms – Wild Child In This Moment – Whore Black Stone Cherry – Blame It On the Boom Boom Pink – Try

Three Days Grace – Pain Hinder – Use Me

Halestorm – I Get Off Angels Fall – Drunk Enough Egypt Central – Enemy Inside (Part 2) Halestorm – All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You Aranda – Satisfied

Hinder – Better Than Me

ROCK MY WORLD

by
Michelle A. Valentine

I
uncross my legs and then cross them again in the opposite direction. Still uncomfortable, I shift in my seat. Plane seats aren’t exactly known for being luxurious, but I thought sitting in first class would be way better than coach. Guess I was wrong.

I sigh and flip through the magazine I brought on board with me, trying to take my mind off what lies in wait for me at the end.

A deep laugh rumbles next to me and I whip my head in that direction.

“Nervous?” Zach teases while he offers me one of the Oreos he’s eating.

I shoot him a look, which only causes his smile to grow wider. “No.”

He wraps his arm around me and tucks my shoulder under the crook of his arm. “You forget how well I can read that little body of yours, Kitten. You afraid of what your parents will say when you bring me home to meet them?”

“Of course not,” I fire back immediately.

I stare up at him as his green eyes search my face. His baseball cap is pulled down low on his forehead—his favorite public disguise since he’s best known for his crazy blonde and black Mohawk—framing his handsome face perfectly.

I sometimes hate that he knows me so well. The truth is I
am
nervous, but I’m not about to admit that to him. My parents are the most uptight, conservative people on the planet. They have no clue their little girl is about to bring home a bad-assed, tattooed rock star. I want them to get along, even though I know the chances of that happening are slim to none. I probably should’ve eased them into the idea instead of springing it on them like this, but there wasn’t any time. This trip isn’t exactly just a visit, it’s business too, and in my situation, father is the best person to ask for help.

“Attention all passengers, we will be landing in Houston shortly. Please bring your seats to an upright position and make sure your tray table is the upright, locked position...” The flight attendants instructions cause my heart to leap in my throat.

It won’t be long now.

My parents have no clue I’m coming, let alone bringing a guest with me. It was Zach’s idea to come here after the reality that I was now an unemployed new grad hit me. I cried for a solid week. It was like part of my soul had been torn away and my purpose had been yanked from me. Center Stage Marketing is a dream company to work for and I wasn’t ready to give it up.

Granted what I had done to Isaac was wrong, but it had nothing to do with my work performance. Zach tried to convince me he could help me find another job, I wouldn’t take him up on the offer though. I earned my degree on my own merit, and I want to find and keep a job the same way. The only sound thing that comes to mind is getting my old position back—via the legal route if I have to.

Zach takes my hand into his and I give his fingers a gentle squeeze. “Thank you for coming with me.”

He smiles and presses the back of my hand to his lips. “Where else would I be? You need me? I’m there. It’s you and me against the world now, right?”

I nod and stare up into his green eyes, taking in the fact again that this man truly belongs to me. “Absolutely.”