Page 42 of Saber's Surrender

When I reach him, he reaches out and pulls me in front of him, and the ceremony doesn’t begin until the song concludes. I hear sniffling in the background as Weston hunches his back and places a chaste kiss on my lips. It may not be fiery or passionate, but it still makes my heart flutter in my chest.

“Love you, Foxy Roxy,” he declares.

As Dragon goes through his spiel, Weston’s and my eyes stay locked, we repeat the phrases provided for us, and before I know it, we’re being announced as husband and wife. When Dragon tells my man he can kiss his bride, my body is bent backward as Weston devours my lips, pouring every ounce of emotion he’s feeling into it.

“Before the groom whisks his bride away, he has something he’d like to give her. Weston, the floor is yours, my brother,” Dragon announces, stepping back.

Weston reaches out for the box that Brick walks over to us. “It’s an honor to place this in your hands, Saber.”

“Thanks, Brick. And the honor is all mine,” Weston rebuts, shaking the man’s hand as he turns his attention back to me, a glistening smile aimed my way. “Today, we shared our vows in front of our family and friends, uniting ourselves in a traditional way. But I know I’ve talked to you about the significant difference between wedding vows and the oath of a biker. Yeah?”

“Yeah,” I answer as my tongue glides out of my mouth, swiping across my bottom lip. Why I’m feeling more nervous about reaching out and taking this box from him than I was standing before our family, promising him forever I don’t understand. But nevertheless, I am.

“When you accept this, and slide it over your back, you promise to covet the club. You swear to uphold our laws, to honor us and protect us to the best of your ability. You are expected to wear this with honor and integrity. This is proof in our lifestyle that you accept us as we are and become a part of something so big, so profound that there are no take backs. So, my Foxy Roxy, will you do me the honor of accepting this property cut and become my old lady?”

“Forever,” I say, my tone bold and powerful as I lift my hand and remove the lid. Shuffling the tissue paper aside, the leather gleams back at me as the sunlight shines off the buttery rawhide. “I’m honored to be your old lady, Saber.” I make sure to use his club moniker even though this isn’t officially a club event. It is a tongue twister since I’ve gotten so used to using his birth name in its stead, sometimes I forget and use it in front of his brothers. But since he’s never scolded me for it, I’m guessing there are times when it’s acceptable.

He removes the cut from the package and with his finger, uses the command for me to turn around. I’m in a simple, off-white sundress and white converse shoes are covering my feet and know that I’ll be pulling off a biker chic style that isn’t traditional. Next time I slide it over my shoulders, I’ll be in jeans and boots. I can’t wait to look at myself in the mirror when that time comes. From that day forward, it’ll sink in that Weston and Roxanne are no more. In their place will be Saber and Foxy—which is what’s stitched on the front side of our cuts, directly below our right shoulder.

As the guests party like rockstars, liquor and beer freely flowing with music blaring in the background, Weston wraps his arms around me and pulls my back into his chest. “Are you happy, Foxy?”

“More than I ever thought I’d be,” I convey, leaning my neck to the side as he pecks me behind my ear. “The day you walked out of my hospital room, I thought I’d live the rest of my days as a single woman. I knew I’d never love another man the way I loved you.”

“Don’t break my heart on our wedding day, Foxy. You deserve love. You deserve peace. And most of all, you deserve to be a mother and a wife to someone worthy. I’m a lucky bastard that you gave me a second chance and decided to let me be that man.”

“You’ve always been that man for me, Weston. Never doubt that. We both needed to grow up, become adults, mature, and experience the buoyancy of true loss so we could realize and value the inertia of our love. I’m still wrapping my head around the fact that we found our way back to each other after all of the sorrow and anger.”

“Once you find your soulmate, you’re not supposed to let them go. That’s something we needed to experience and feel so we could cherish each other when we reunited.” His attention changes and his eyes pivot over my shoulder, landing directly onto Canyon. The way his entire being tightens and the sigh that leaves him has me turning in his arms. When he still doesn’t pay me attention, I lift up my fingers and place them on his chin, directing his sight down to me. “What’s going on, Weston?”

“We need to get Canyon and find someplace quiet so we can have a conversation,” he tells me. “Some things came to light before the ceremony, and I told him we’d sit and talk once things died down, but the way everyone is still partying, that’s not going to happen anytime soon and I don’t think this can be put off.”

“You’re scaring me, Weston.”

“I’m scaring me too, Foxy.” He steps back and holds his hand out for me. I grab it, lace our fingers together and let him guide me to our son. When Canyon sees us heading his way, he leaves Callum, Egypt, and Kimber’s side and meets us halfway. “Ready to have that talk now, son?”

“Are you sure you want to do this today, Saber? You and Roxy just got married after all,” Canyon states, looking nervous about this impending talk. “We can put it off until after you get back from your weekend away.”

“Sorry, kiddo. No can do,” Saber rebuts, not looking abashed or sorry about it. “Let’s do this now. Roxy won’t be able to enjoy herself if she’s worried about you, and honestly, neither can I.”

“Okay,” Canyon replies, followed by a sniff. My mom radar is shooting off in a fervid display of fireworks, and I’m fearful for what I’m about to hear.

“Let’s go to my office. We’ll have privacy there,” Weston recommends, and if he wasn’t leading me down the path, I’m not sure I’d make it nor remember taking the steps that eventually get us there. My mind was a void of emotion the entire walk, my eyes leveled on the ground as we trekked through the active crowd. When we breach the doorway and Weston shuts, then locks the door behind us, I numbly fall into the couch. “It’s time for me to tell you a few things, Canyon.”

“Wait,” I say, stopping him with my hand held up and my palm facing outward. “Now? Are you going to tell him… you know what?” My eyes glance over at our boy, unsure that now is the best time to open that particular can of worms.

“Yeah, Foxy. Now. There’s a reason why it has to happen today. Trust me?”

“Of course,” I spout out, flabbergasted that he even asks that.

“Earlier today, Canyon expressed that he felt he was responsible for the car accident that killed his parents,” Weston explains. “When I pushed a little more, Wrecker gave me a helpful hint.”

He looks at me with his brow raised and I instinctively understand that Wrecker popped into his head and spoke to him. I nod to show I understand what he’s telling me, then wave my hand in a ‘continue’ motion, which makes him smirk.

“Okay,” I drawl out. When I glance at Canyon, I see he looks pale and almost frightened, and suddenly, I don’t want to have this conversation. I want to protect him the way I couldn’t when he was younger. Only, I realize if it wasn’t important, Weston wouldn’t have decided to handle this now on our wedding day.

Zoning out again, my mind travels down the path of what this could mean. Why does he feel it's utterly important to tell him today of all days. I snap back into the conversation when Weston tells Canyon that he too has a special gift that awakened the day of the crash.

“Wait? What?” I ask, swiveling my head in my husband's direction.

---