Page 92 of Victorious: Part 2
But it’s perfect!
“You’re married,” she shrieks, launching herself at us in a glittery blur. “You actually did it. This is the most romantic, chaotic thing I’ve ever seen, and I want to live in this bubble forever.”
Cedar cracks open a bottle of Chapel brand champagne and toasts us with dramatic flair. “To the bride and groom, and to the poor bastard of a brother who’s going to find out on Instagram.”
Phoenix winces. “Maverick really is gonna skin me alive when we get back to LA.”
“He’s going to kill us both,” I remind him, laughing as we stumble back into the reception room where Meadow starts snapping photos of our rings, or, well, the motorcycle and the cactus now resting proudly on our fingers.
We take a hundred pictures. Us kissing. Us with Elvis. Us holding a bouquet of fake roses under a blinking‘Love Me Tender’neon sign.
Meadow keeps insisting this is history in the making.
And maybe it is.
Maybe this will be the kind of story we tell fifty years fromnow with grandkids at our feet and shake our heads at. But right now, with Phoenix’s arm around me, our makeshift rings catching the Vegas lights, and our hearts beating wild and reckless in sync, I think this might just be the best decision I’ve ever made.
When we finally make it back to the Bellagio, we’re all riding high on adrenaline and champagne and the pure euphoria of what we just witnessed and participated in. The alcohol has made everything feel heightened and magical, and Cedar insists on more photographs in front of the dancing fountains.
“Wedding pictures by the fountains,” he declares, steadying himself against the railing. “This is iconic Vegas stuff right here.”
More photos, more laughing, more champagne somehow appearing from Cedar’s seemingly endless supply. By the time we make it back to their penthouse, I’m definitely feeling the full effects of everything we’ve consumed tonight.
“I can’t believe you actually did it,” Cedar says for the fourth time, refilling our glasses again.
“I can’t believe it either,” Phoenix admits, pulling me out onto the balcony, his arm around my waist like he’s afraid I might disappear if he lets me go. The alcohol has made him openly more affectionate.
“No regrets?” I ask, swaying slightly against him.
“None,” he says immediately, then pauses. “Well, maybe one.”
My heart stops. “What?”
“That the club isn’t here with us to celebrate. That Sadie and Mav aren’t here,” Phoenix says, and my stomach sinks a little at the realization that our family has missed the most important day of our lives.
My smile falters, and he notices instantly, his finger moving to my chin, lifting it to make me look at him. “Hey, no regrets. We can do this all again back in LA. A proper wedding for the family. This one, though, this is just for you and me. This one isjust ours, okay? They can’t take that away from us.”
Leaning on my toes, I press my lips to his softly and briefly, and when I pull back, my eyes meet his. “I love you.”
His eyes sparkle as his grip around my waist tightens, his smile growing wider. “I fucking love you too.” He leans in quickly, kissing me again, then pulls back.
“We should go back to our dingy hotel room, and to our cat, toproperlycelebrate being married.” His meaning is clear as he waggles his eyebrows.
We all know what happens on wedding nights.
We have pretty much done everything but…
And yet, I still haven’t told my now husband that one small factor I’ve been hiding from him.
I’m still a virgin.
Chapter Twenty-One
CLOVER
Tensing a little, he narrows his eyes on me, sensing my apprehension instantly.
“Hey… you, okay?”
