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“I think it’s a little of everything. Everything keeps going wrong the closer we get to the wedding. I’m so afraid it’s not going to happen, and we still haven’t heard back from the judge about Lexi’s adoption.” I pull my legs out from under me and lie across the couch, spreading the blanket over me. I stare up at the ceiling, wondering if there will ever be a time in my life that’s easy. The court date we had went well, so I don’t know why we haven’t heard back yet, but it’s killing me, not knowing.
“Oh, our wedding will happen, even if I have to whisk you away to elope. We will be married by the end of the month.” His confidence helps calm my irrational thoughts. “This…won’t ever happen again though,” he growls.
“This?”
“Calling me in the middle of the night, needing to hear my voice. It’s killing me that I’m not there holding you right now. Addison, it’s taking every ounce of self-control I have to not get out of bed and come over.” I can hear his hand run over the stubble of his jaw. “Fuck, I want to be there for you.”
“You are. God, Aiden, you have been here for me through so much.” My voice shakes as tears well up in my eyes. “I couldn’t have gotten through the past year without you. Whenever I felt like I was losing control, you were always there to ground me. Like right now,” I add. Tears break free and run down the sides of my cheeks. “I wish I could express how much I love you.”
“You are…by marrying me,” he murmurs. “For better or worse, till death do us part.”
Chapter twenty-four
Aiden
“Everything set for the wedding?” Damon asks from the passenger seat. I nod, not taking my eyes off the road. We’re on our way to question a guy who called in a tip regarding a child’s murder that happened last week.
“We just have to get the band there, and we’ll be good.”
“How’s Addison’s ankle?”
“It’s getting better. She’s pushing it, probably too much, but you know Addison. She doesn’t listen to anyone.”
“Sounds like someone else I know,” he chuckles. I take my hand off the wheel and flip him off. I’m assuming he’s referring to when I was shot. That was different. Addison’s life was in danger.
I talk about some of the details of the wedding and what time we’re heading up there. We’re going up the night before. I want to make sure everything is perfect. Addison’s so stressed with everything going on, I will kill anyone who messes up our wedding. Max has his whole crew working security, so I’m not worried.
Travis called the other day, asking if he could come see her the day of the wedding. My mouth opened to say “fuck no,” but who am I to say Addison can’t see him. I think, deep down, she wishes there could be more, but she knows he can’t be a part of her life. At least at Max’s place, we’ll be able to slip him in and out without anyone noticing.
“She still acting weird?” he asks, looking over at me. I told him about her random breakdown about going to the court on crutches. I seriously thought she was kidding until tears started to roll down her face. And then her nightmare about Joe. After we hung up, I was so on edge that I went to her apartment and kept watch from outside in my car. If I could kill the asshole again, I would have. I grip the steering wheel, remembering the terror in her voice on the phone.
“Today she seems to be okay, but that doesn’t mean anything. She’s all over the fucking place. I’ve never seen her so emotional.”
“It has to be from stress. Have you heard back from the judge?”
“No,” I murmur. “Jax thinks it went really well, so he doesn’t think we have anything to worry about. He said it takes time, but Addison thinks it means we’re not going to get approved.”
“If you guys need any help with anything, let us know.”
“Sydney has been a lifesaver, helping Ava set up the wedding. I didn’t know what I was supposed to be doing.” Addison was hesitant to let me plan the wedding. She had good reason to be because when I figured out where it was going to be, I had no idea what to do next.
“I guess she’ll know what to do with her own, then,” he says.
I jerk my head in his direction. My brows lift over my sunglasses. “Are you about to start planning one?” I ask then turn my head back toward the road.
Addison will be ecstatic. The bond between those two has always scared me a little. Damon and I are close like brothers, but we’re not dependent on each other like they are. Maybe it’s a girl thing, but I’ve been a little worried about how the dynamic will be when we get married. But Sydney getting married will help ease my concern because she’ll have someone else and not depend on my wife. Call me an asshole for being selfish, but Addison will officially be mine. I chuckle to myself. If Addison could hear my thoughts, she’d rip off one of my balls. I wince and adjust myself just thinking about it.
“I hope so. Can you believe it?”
“Fuck, if I’m getting married, nothing surprises me anymore.”
He slaps me on the shoulder. “That’s for damn sure.” I laugh, knowing all the guys thought I’d never settle down. “I have a plan, but it involves you guys.” I glance his way.
“Is this going to be payback for making you sing ‘You’ve Lost that Lovin’ Feeling’?”
“No. But someday…it’ll happen.” He chuckles. “I want to know if it’d be okay if I ask her at your reception.”
I scratch my chin, thinking I don’t care. Will Addison? No. She’ll love the idea that she can share her day with Sydney. “Are you sure she’s going to say yes?” I joke. I know I asked Addison in front of every friend we have, but I wasn’t going to take no for an answer.
