Page 104 of Sin and Deception

I smiled, my heart soaring with pride for them. I was so happy they were here with us and would have the memory of their parents getting married. Mama handed me my bouquet from the bedroom, a beautiful spray of red and white lilies that matched the ones my sisters carried. “Thank you,” I said. We took our place in line behind the girls and headed outside. As we approached the door, I heard the music change, and the rumbling of the crowd subsided.

My heart raced with anticipation.

The moment I’d dreamed of all my life had finally arrived.

I closed my eyes, trying to drink in the feeling, wanting to remember it forever.

When the doors opened, and the boys walked out first, the initial oohs and aahs erupted from the crowd, and I felt tears welling up.

I hastily blinked them away, not wanting to be a sobbing mess by the time it was my turn to walk down the aisle. I tried to peer around my sisters' bobbing heads as they waited in front of me, hoping to sneak a glance at my loves.

With each moment that passed, my breath grewshallower. My anxiety shifted to eagerness and impatience as Mama gently pressed her palm against the back of my hand.

“Are you alright, darling?"

I was too overwhelmed to respond. Breathing felt nearly impossible.

So, I simply nodded.

As my sisters stepped aside, disappearing down the aisle, the crowd parted like a sea, revealing Theo and Xander.

I gasped as I saw the two of them anxiously peering down the aisle, seemingly just as desperate to look at me as I was for a glimpse of them. My entire soul lit up at the sight of them.

They looked striking in their matching tuxedos, exuding a captivating charm. My heart swelled with profound love.

“Here we go,” Mama whispered close to me, and together, we walked toward them, stepping into my new life, my new role, my destined future.

As we approached, the beaming crowd seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of them in my focus. Seeing them stand side by side, waiting for me, was better than I had ever dreamed.

Xander moved ahead, speaking loudly yet gently.

“Mrs. Angelos, are you here to present the bride?”

“I am,” Mama said quietly. She turned toward me, wrapped her arms around me, and kissed me on the cheek.

"I love you so much, Mama,” I replied.

She caressed my cheek and smiled brightly at me. Then, she took my hand and placed it in Xander’s.

Xander’s dark eyes gazed into mine, warm and tender.Silently, he guided me up the two small steps to my other waiting love, Theo.

Xander offered my hand to Theo with a subtle bow.

“You two are late,” I whispered.

"Sorry about that, Angel,” Theo replied with a wink. “It won’t happen again.”

I laughed at his joke, aware that we’d never marry again. My gaze swept over them, absorbing every detail, desire coursing through my body.

My eyes caught a splash of color on Xander’s collar, and I focused on it intently. Initially, the vivid red reminded me of lipstick, and Devani’s joke about the stripper resonated in my mind.

But then I looked closer.Blood. My eyes widened at the sight, and I looked at Xander with a questioning look.

He nodded slowly, sharing a knowing smile with me.

“Shh, we can talk later,” Xander whispered.

Curiosity bounced around my mind. Perhaps they had been detained for a valid reason, after all. A gradual sense of relief began to flow through me. No matter what had happened, they were both here now.

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