Page 18 of Dangerous Daddy

Soren blinked. “What?”

Adan rushed to explain. “I don’t have anyone else, and I’d love to have you by my side when I marry Axton.”

A rumble of surprised congratulations went around the room. Adan somewhat overheard Axton asking Banks to stand up with him, but he was too busy staring at Soren with all the hope in his heart. He didn’t want to be alone for this.

Soren wore a huge grin. “I would love to. Just let me know when. I'm definitely there.”

Adan took a deep breath. “Well, is today okay, then? We’re kind of on our way there now.”

Soren looked taken aback, but he didn’t stop smiling. “Of course. Um.” He looked around. “I don’t know what to wear or anything. I have a suit I wore to my sister-in-law’s wedding. Maybe that’ll work?”

“Grab your favorite pjs.”

Soren looked Axton’s way and then back at Adan. “Yeah. Okay. Just give me a minute.” He glanced toward Shane. “Oh. Is Shane invited?”

Adan jumped. “Oh. Ha. Sorry. Yes. Everyone is invited. I’m sorry. I forgot to say that.” To his shock, everyone was all smiles and looked excited to join him. Adan knew it was so much more than he deserved and more than likely Axton they actually supported. But it meant a lot to him that they wouldn’t be alone on their wedding day. Of course, Jarek and Luca would be there, but they were only there for Axton. Adan literally had no one.

Soren grabbed his hand and dragged him into a different room. Adan glanced around. It was obviously Soren and Shane’s bedroom. “Tell me everything.” He dug around for pajamas while Adan grappled for words.

“Besides you guys, it’s only Jarek and Luca. Well, plus Wrecker and his husband, Johnny. Johnny is ordained, so he’s going to marry us.” A bright smile lit Adan’s face. “We’re marrying on the roof of the Back Porch. That’s where Axton and I fell in love.”

Soren cooed. “That’s so sweet, but I guess I meant for you to tell me about Axton and you. I didn’t even know you two talked, much less were together.”

Adan’s cheeks heated. “Yeah. Like you said, you’ve been traveling a lot. I don’t know if you knew this, but he’s the one who brought me here the night Beau kicked me out. Afterward, he kind of kept coming around. Then when I moved to the apartment, he kept coming even more often. We spent a lot of time talking.” Adan’s hands rose and fell. “We were completely open with each other and neither of us judged. I don’t know. We just clicked—like we had always been meant to be together.” Adan pressed his hands against his hot cheeks. “I’ve never been this happy, Soren. He knows me better than anyone ever has,and he loves me anyhow.” Adan’s throat swelled and his eyes filled with tears. “He’s so much more than I’ll ever deserve.”

Soren crossed the room and hugged him. “Stop. You deserve this. I really wish you would talk to someone sometime—like a professional—so they can make you understand who was really to blame in your life.”

Adan didn’t want to have this conversation. Not on his wedding day, but he wanted Soren to see him as he was. He placed his hands on Soren’s shoulders and held him away enough to hold his stare. “Please don’t completely paint me as the victim. There were a lot of years when I loved Beau. There were a lot of years I prayed he would get divorced and choose me.”

A sweet smile touched Soren’s lips. “Of course you did. You’re human and he was all you had. But one day, you’ll look back and realize that’s exactly what Beau wanted by isolating you. If you didn’t have anyone else and everyone hated you, then you’d be completely dependent and beholden to him. You’d have nowhere to go and no one to turn to for help. You’d see him as your everything because he literally was everything. Beau was an adult, playing adult games with someone who wasn’t mature enough to understand and then he kept you from growing past that emotionally immature state. One day, you’ll see all that and it’ll piss you off.”

A surprised bark of laughter burst from Adan. “Maybe, but—right now—I don’t care about any of that. I’m happy for real for once.”

Soren smiled. “Good. Then let’s get you married.”

Adan hugged him and bounced a little. “I’m so fucking excited.”

Soren laughed and hugged him back. “Axton is a great guy. You’ll have a fantastic life.”

Adan believed it. Axton was amazing and gorgeous and perfect. Adan couldn’t wait to be his husband. The past was exactly that—the past. He wouldn’t let Beau or the memory of him ruin this amazing day. Adan was about to marry his best friend. Literally nothing else mattered.

Not once in Axton’s life had he considered or saw himself getting married. Just two years ago, he had fully believed he would die in prison. By old age or violently, he never thought he would leave that place, much less have any dreams for himself. If he had possessed enough hope to fantasize, he couldn’t have imagined someone like Adan. Adan was so unique, there was no chance Axton could make him up in his head. He was too perfect for Axton. They matched in all the best ways.

Axton stood across from his best friend and said his vows with his whole chest. He loved this man. When it was over, a weight slipped from Axton’s shoulders. They shared a smile that matched the overwhelming happiness in Axton’s heart beforetheir lips met. He barely heard the clapping as he held Adan as tightly as possible. Bubbles were blown in their faces as they headed for the ladder. Inside the coffee shop, Wrecker had closed for the day and one of his friends had set up a nice reception and baked them a gorgeous wedding cake. Everything felt surreal—like he watched someone else’s life unfold. People spoke to him. Axton barely heard a word and forgot what was said the moment they moved away. Life didn’t snap back into focus until he saw Jarek pull Adan aside. His brother’s too serious expression immediately lit a familiar rage. He wouldn’t have the one good thing he had destroyed.

Axton inserted himself into the discussion. He draped his arm over Adan’s shoulders and focused on Jarek with a bright smile. “What’s up? Am I interrupting something?”

Jarek looked a tad guilty. “I hate to do this at your wedding, but it’s unavoidable.” He pulled an envelope from his inside pocket and held it out to Adan. “This is for you.”

Adan looked as confused as Axton felt. He broke the envelope’s seal. There was a letter inside. Adan cast him a worried look before pulling out the papers inside and unfolding them. Axton moved to read over his shoulder.

Baby Boy,

I know you think I’m heartless and I never considered you.

The papers shook slightly in Adan’s hand. Axton half expected Adan to toss them aside. He didn’t, so Axton kept reading.

That’s not true. Before you, I never thought a person could love two people equally at the same time. I didn’t want to love you. Being with you was supposed to be about shaking Tabitha from her addictions and forcing my son to stop acting so goddamn spoiled. People are supposed to fear me. I’m not soft. Never could I have dreamed how far my actions would push them. Yet, through it all, you never treated me like the monster I am. Not even now when it’s so fucking obvious to everyone that I’m not good. You still speak to me like I’m human. You didn’t deserve another predator. For that and a million other things, I’m so goddamn sorry.

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