Page 74 of Falling for Her
I chuckle as Aiden jumps on my lap, and Adam sits and states, “It’s not really a lie. We were at the courthouse because my lawyer was there.” He holds up the folder, “All signed and ready for her.”
I nod as Slick mutters, “Fuck, it's weird Essy is best friends with her ex,” and I laugh as Cody mock glares his way.
“Once Essy is in your life, she’s always in your life,” Adam says, “She sucks you in and makes you regret treating her badly.”
“Amen to that,” Cody sighs as the men nod in agreement, knowing it’s true now that they are getting to know her and Bullet mutters, “If her sweet nature doesn’t suck you in, her baked goods fucking do,” and I smile as the men again all nod.
Sighing, I eye my oblivious girl as to why everyone is here today, though honestly, they’d still all be here at some point. The brothers love her, and not just because she brought me back home again.
She’s a kind, sweet, honorable woman with a heart of gold, and I am one very lucky fucker.
“Are you ready?” Adam asks, and Aiden looks at me with a grin. I swallow but nod.
“Aiden, you know what to do, right?” I confirm, and the cute kid nods. I take a deep breath, causing Bullet to chuckle and add, “Damian Clark nervous? Never thought I’d see the day.”
I give him a mock glare as I pass Adam his son, and stand, trying to ignore how sweaty my hands have gotten.
“Fuck, what if she does want a big wedding?” I ask, suddenly rethinking my whole plan, and Adam chuckles.
“She doesn’t, not without her mom, and that, unfortunately for all of us, cannot be changed. Go make my daughter happy,” he says, and I nod once and walk over to the counter, trying to control my racing pulse.
“Angel, you got a minute?” I ask when close, and the brothers around quieten.
She gives me a blinding smile and replies, “Always.”
Her brown hair is up in a messy bun. She’s wearing her usual jeans, sneakers, and my T-shirt tucked a little in the front of her jeans, showing our daughter safely nestled in her stomach. She grows every day, and she has never looked so beautiful.
Essy rounds the counter, and when close, she goes to wrap her arms around my waist like normal. However, she furrows her brows in confusion when I quickly grab her hands in mine, stopping her in her tracks. I then rub my thumbs against her smooth skin.
“I love you, you know that, right?” I begin, the room is so quiet you can hear a pin drop.
I can’t believe I agreed to have the brothers here for this.
“I know, I love you too,” she replies with a soft smile, but concern etches in her gorgeous brown eyes as she asks, “Is everything okay, Damian? You’re acting weird.”
I half smile, “When you are around, my world, it makes sense, angel.” I swallow hard and squeeze her hands, “You make me a better man, make me want to try and live life for me, for you.”
“Damian…” Essy whispers.
I swallow the lump in my throat and admit, “I can’t see life without you, angel. You charged into my world, setting me straight, and I’ve never looked back, never wanted to,” I let go of one of her hands and cup her face, “I have been waiting for you my entire life, and I just never knew it until that day six months ago in this bakery. You lit a fire deep inside me, brought me back from the darkness, you brought me back to my family.” I lick my bottom lip and kneel as Essy’s tears fall, realizing what is happening while Aiden walks over and hands me a white gold band with a large square diamond that belonged to her mother.
A sob escapes her pouty lips recognizing the ring, and I ask, no, I plead, “Marry me, angel, make me the happiest man in this room and become my wife.”
She sniffles as she looks at the ring and whispers, “If I say yes,” my heart stops at the if, “Would you be okay with a quick court wedding? No fuss?” I soften as she looks at me and admits, “I can’t have a big wedding when my mother can’t be here.”
I grin and stand as I take the ring off Aiden and slowly push it onto her finger. “No, Essy, we won’t be having a court wedding,” disappointment etches off her before her tears fall as I continue, “Instead, Butcher is going to marry us right here, right now with the brothers, their women, your father, brother and Cody present in your mothers legacy so you can have a part of her with you. And after, we’ll be eating that amazing yellow frosted three tier cake you made this morning not realizing it was for our day.”
“Damian,” she sobs before throwing herself at me, wrapping her arms around my neck. I catch her, pressing my lips against hers, and I mumble against her lips, “So, is that a yes?”
She giggles as she pulls back and admits, “That is a hell yes!”
The room cheers as the women sniffle, and instead of letting my girl go, I keep my arms around her waist, pull my upper body back a bit, and grin.
“Dearly beloved,” Butcher announces, who has gone behind the counter to begin the ceremony. Cody has moved to stand behind Essy with Aiden and Adam, and Bullet has come to stand behind me as my best man.
Essy’s tears fall as Butcher says, “Today, we have all come together to bring Esmerelda and Jokester in holy matrimony.” I side-eye Butcher as his wife tries to hold in her laughter beside him.
Where in the fuck did he get this material?
