Page 129 of Vengeful Secret

“Not here,” Thomas says firmly.

I look over at him, sighing. “You’re right. I need to relax.”

“She's here.” He nudges me, and I look at Sutton in the back.

My breath catches in my throat.

Her dress is beautiful, cream-colored and with spaghetti straps to show off her shoulders. It’s cut shorter than most, just above her knees, and her legs look amazing.

I’ve always been a leg man. Or maybe I’m just a Sutton man.

Tears spring to my eyes as Ciara starts to prance down the aisle, throwing flowers everywhere.

Da is sitting in the front row. He is using a wheelchair not to move between locations, but he is sitting proudly in a chair next to Marisol and Sutton’s mom.

We asked the doctor for permission, and this last month there has been improvement in his condition, so as long as he travels home tonight, he was allowed to be here.

Ciara grins at me as she finishes, blowing flowers toward me, and I pretend to catch them.

She giggles and goes to sit down next to her grandmother, who is already dabbing at her eyes.

Sutton comes down the aisle, and it’s like a dream, a dream I’ve been having for years and years. I love her so much that it physically hurts.

I lift her veil as the priest announces that we’ve written our own vows, and Sutton clears her throat.

“Can I go first?”

I nod, not trusting myself to speak.

“I know that things haven’t always been great between us,” she starts, sniffling as tears start to stream down her face. “But I’ve always loved you, Gray. Since the first day that I met you. I made a bad decision when I kept Ciara from you. It was the wrong decision, even though I had good intentions.”

“Sutton,” I start, but she holds up a hand.

“All I want to say about that is that I’m sorry. I’m sorry, and I should have been here. But I’m glad I’m here now. I’m glad that you love me, and Ciara, too, and I know that you’ll keep us safe forever."

I’ve written my vows days ago, but the notes are wilted in my sweaty palm, and I can’t read them. I huff and shove them in my suit pocket.

“I promise I wrote my vows,” I say, and Sutton begins to laugh, and titters come from the crowd. I grin at her. “But now all I can do is speak from my heart. I’ve loved you, too, Sutton, since the day I met you. And the moment I met Ciara, I knew that the reason you left is because you wanted to protect her. I can’t fault you for that. I would have done the same thing. I’m just so grateful that you came back, and that you’re in my life again. You and Ciara are the most important people in the world to me,and I promise to love and protect you both for as long as I draw breath.”

My voice is fierce and low, shaking with unshed tears. One tear finally slips down my face and Sutton thumbs it away.

“Gray Ronan Burke, do you take Sutton Leah McIntyre to be your lawfully wedded wife?”

The priest’s words come to me on a cloud. Everything’s dream-like and perfect.

“I do.”

“And do you, Sutton Leah McIntyre, take Gray Ronan Burke as your lawfully wedded husband?”

“I do," she says, and it comes out like a sob she’s crying so hard.

“I now pronounce you man and wife. May I present Mr. and Mrs. Gray Burke.”

We run down the aisle as our friends and family pelt us with birdseed, and Paige gets it in her hair, and Lara can’t stop laughing.

I can’t keep my hands off Sutton in the car, but she pushes me away.

“It’s our wedding night,” she insists. “I want it to be special.”

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