Page 1 of aBound Wedding
1
Bristyl
The patio is coveredwith sparkling lights that hang in the sky illuminating the midnight evening. Salty air fills my nostrils, while memories of home flitter around my head. This smell is something you don’t notice if you live in Florida. Only now that I’m away, coming back is a breath of fresh air.
Inhaling deep, I find myself smiling. For most, coming to the beach is a way to rejuvenate or, in my case, get married.
Yes! Married.
I have to pinch myself just to know this is real. All of it.
In two days, I’ll be Mrs. Cooper Cruz, for better or worse, ‘til death do us part. Maybe we should skip the death part. It is too close to home to even think about.
When I was younger, my dream was to get married on St. Pete beach, with the waves crashing back and forth and the sun behind us shining. We’d both be shoeless and wearing white, with flowers draped in my hair and people around who loved us unconditionally.
Part of that dream is coming true. Cooper and I are getting married on St. Pete Beach, and I will have flowers in my hair. I’ll be the one in white, but my man—he’s not wearing white. Cooper is wearing black board shorts, but I couldn’t care less. As long as he’s there when I get to the end of the aisle, that’s all that matters. He could come naked and it wouldn’t matter to me. He’s all that matters.
This moment is all that matters.
A commitment to our love forever.
Here’s where the part about the people around us comes into play. Back in my younger days, the world was roses, butterflies, rainbows and love was everywhere—at least in my little mind.
Growing up sucked because learning the world isn’t like that crushes a girl’s dreams. Those innocent ones where everyone loves each other and nothing bothers them. That’s just not reality.
It’s why I wanted to have a small wedding on the beach, so none of that negative energy would be around us on our day.
Going through what I did with my family, it changed things. Not that I don’t love my brothers and my father, but things aren’t the same. We’re still working on a new normal and they, of course, are facing the changes that have happened both in our family and the Sinister Sons MC.
Cooper agreed to a small low-key wedding, just us, but then things changed because the people around us weren’t negative. They were family.
The wedding party went from around twelve to the entire club, no one wanting to miss the big day and a trip to the beach.
I get it. Cooper’s the first of his generation to get hitched, and the Ravage MC is a tight-knit group. They brought on a whole different view of family for me, and I’m grateful for being a part of it. Everything about Ravage has given me hope and dreams again.
It’s not like life surrounded by bikers is new to me. Ravage, though, they’re different from the Sons. My father’s club was his world, my brothers’ world. With Ravage, while yes I’m not involved in all things, I still get to have input with Cooper. He tells me what he can, and I accept what he can’t. I’m never left to feel alone or left out because Ravage is family. Even the things we don’t have all the details to, the women, we embrace each other. It’s a completely different feel from how I grew up.
While all families have flaws, some are bigger than others, and I love mine. It’s taken me a while to get over some of the things that happened, but with time it’s better. Therefore, my father, brothers, and a few others from Sinister Sons MC are here too. The whole club isn’t here, and I’m okay with that. I’ll always love the Sons and, of course, my dad and brothers, but I’m Ravage now.
Therefore, as I look around the large patio with the sparkling lights, our family and friends mingle around drinking and laughing around the fire pit, reclining on the chairs, it all clicks together. Soft music plays in the background, but still the waves of the ocean can be heard, and we can feel the breeze.
Since we rented a huge chunk of the hotel, we’ve pretty much taken over everything, from the bars to the pools, to the beach. While before I thought having a small wedding was exactly what I wanted, seeing this—them here with us to celebrate is exactly how it should be.
A strong arm comes around my shoulders, and without looking I know it’s Cooper. I’d know that arm anywhere. He has this smell about him that has never gone away, and it’s my home. Wherever he is, that is home.
“Enjoyin’ the party?” he asks, kissing the top of my hair while we look out among our family.
“Yeah.” I lace my arm around his back, putting my thumb in the waist of his shorts. There will never be a day that I won’t do this. There will never be a day when this man doesn’t hear and know how much I love him. There will never be a day when I don’t give it my all to make things work.
Every relationship has its ups and downs, but for us, we’ll work on it until our last breaths.
“You’re pissed?” He says it like a question, but it sounds more like a statement. Something that he thinks is true, but he’s wrong.
Looking up at my man, his eyes are concerned, and I need to put him at ease, because I’m not angry at all. “I’m happy, Cooper. I get to marry you. I get to be yours forever. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”
He leans down and kisses my lips, but it’s too brief. “People, babe.”
“Every one of those people are family. They want to be here. They want to celebrate with us.” I turn around viewing the crowd. “I love it that they’re here. I want them here.”
