Page 99 of Between Dusk and Dawn

"Oh…Okay. Let Walsh explain it."

"Ugh, I hate this." She laughed and linked my arms, promising me it was a good surprise not a bad one.

We descended the staircase, and the rest of the house echoed the same modern aesthetic as the opulent main bedroom. Uponreaching the lower level, I was greeted by a fully decorated space prepared for a party. Even before laying eyes on him, I sensed his presence. Ember planted a swift kiss on my cheek, unlinking our arms as she moved to greet Rain, who donned a sleek, blacked-out suit.

And there he was, standing in a perfectly tailored tuxedo. My eyes locked onto Walsh standing at the bottom. His black hair was meticulously gelled back, showcasing a clean and sharp look. Brown eyes, usually intense and focused, now held a warmth and tenderness that felt new. His plush lips parted into a gentle smile, and it seemed like the entire room hushed, everyone's attention focused on the moment.

His tux accentuated the contours of his strong, athletic frame. The suit molded to his thick body, emphasizing every powerful yet graceful movement as he waited for me at the foot of the staircase.

"Hi, Muse," he whispered softly and I practically jumped into his arms, hating the attention around us already.

"Don’t leave me," I all but begged, hating being around crowds now. I used to thrive in this environment but it reminded me of the times when Walsh and I were not together. When I was desperately trying to be someone I wasn't.

"I won't, wife." He dropped a soft kiss to my forehead as he offered his hand to mine. "We just have to walk around the room a few times, say hi to a few people."

Ember tried to hand me a glass of champagne, but Walsh shook it off. Instead, grabbing me a glass with water in it.

"I hate drinking," I confessed. I’d used it to mask the pain that I was in, but it never led me to the right situations, or circumstances.

"Me too," Walsh said, then laughed to himself. "You ever wonder why I never have any alcohol in the house?" he turned and asked, his big brown eyes imploring.

I shook my head. "I just saw you when you were at your worst. I don’t want to bring you there. Plus, I don’t drink anymore either. It fucks with my ability to be precise and clear in my thinking."

Huh. Who freaking knew? I just never reached for it, but I didn’t realize that he did it for me. "Thank you," I confessed. I know people who would be freaked out if they ever found out they were with someone who stalked them, but truly, Walsh saved my life—in more ways than one.

I nodded, agreeing to let him walk me around. His dad was the first person we said hi to, along with a man named Romeo who Walsh told me was third in charge of the entire organization.

The women were all dressed up, there was a pianist in the corner, and the men were huddled in the oversized sitting room in the front of the house.

"Is this really where this entire community lives?" I asked looking out the window. It looked like a little suburbia and this house was so oversized that it almost didn't fit. It stuck out among the other homes on the block from what I could see.

"Yeah, for the most part." Walsh answered as we shook hands with another couple standing in the corner. There was a lot of small talk and lingering before Mr. Solis stopped everyone, asking them to gather in the formal sitting room. It was clear he was the boss with how people ran over to him and responded quickly to his demands.

"Son," Mr. Solis began. "Please come join me." Walsh nodded, giving my hand a squeeze as he made his way to the front of his room.

"I don’t like talking business at these types of events, but I need everyone to know that we just closed on the biggest pipeline treaty between the Cartel, the Mob, and our family." There was a lot of applause held around the room. "I amthankful for my son and his quick wit for being able to create this deal between the three organizations."

Walsh smiled proudly, giving his father a quick shake, but his gaze never left my direction. I was beaming at him. I knew how hard he’d work to get here and deep down how proud he must’ve felt. "Everybody knows that when my wife died, I felt this need to get revenge on the person who did it to her, and then fell into the role of capo when my father-in-law passed away." A lot of murmuring was heard through the room.

"But I think I would like to retire now and pass the baton onto my son, Walsh Solis. The council unanimously agreed to let Walsh take over the reins of the family business. Now that he is married, settled down, and has finally purchased property here in the community," Mr. Solis gestured around the room and it dawned on me. This strange house we were in was…our house.

Holy shit. I never thought growing up I’d ever even have the opportunity to live in one house, but now I have two. I was a scared girl, both physically and emotionally, who grew up with no love and no protection and now I was here, with my husband, who offered me all of that on a platter.

And no, life wasn’t easy for us. It was fucking hard but somehow we found our way back to each other. We would never be good people by society's standards. We were two very broken people who’d been traumatized in our pasts, but we were working on fixing each other. Sometimes I wished our story had a happily ever after ending where everything was perfect and fixed, but that wasn’t true and it wasn’t reality.

Standing in front of me was the one person I felt I never deserved, the one person I tried to fight and push away from me, but never left. Mr. Solis’s final words to his speech was the only thing that cut into my thoughts. "I want to proudly announce my son, Walsh Solis, as capo of the Solis Family Dynasty."

There was a thunderous amount of applause in the room and those who were seated stood up. Walsh held up his hands, a gesture of thanks, before he started to talk.

"I want to express my gratitude to each and every one of you for being here today. A special thanks to my father and Romeo for supporting my nomination as capo of this organization. I'm aware of my youth, but I assure you that I will lead this family toward lucrative business ventures, ultimately increasing our wealth." Walsh's confident grin prompted cheers from some in the audience.

"But tonight, we gather not only to celebrate my new role, but also to commemorate my marriage to the incredible Madison Solis." Walsh gestured toward me, and I walked toward him, holding onto him as if he were my anchor.

He stared at me as he spoke to the crowd. "Madison, from the moment I first laid eyes on you, there was no one else. Our journey hasn't been a straight path; we've navigated through uncharted waters, weathered storms, and emerged stronger. Each step, every challenge, and every triumph has shaped us into who we are today—two imperfect beings perfect for each other."

I shook as he grasped his other hand in mine, holding me tightly, grounding me down to the earth.

"As I stand here, surrounded by the warmth of your love and the embrace of our cherished ones, I reflect on the promises we've made. Madison, my love, my muse, my heart, I want you to know that I loved you then, I love you now, and I will continue to love you with every beat of my heart. Yes, mistakes have been made, lessons learned, and through it all, our love has only deepened. Today marks a new chapter—a chapter where I pledge to put you first, to be the partner you deserve, the husband you desire, and the lover who ignites the passion within your soul.

---