Page 127 of Violent Attraction

There are beautiful bouquets everywhere around me and a smile comes across my face when I remember why they are here.

The smile grows even bigger when I remind myself even more that in two short hours, I will be standing right in the middle of all of this, in the dress that I designed. In the dress that I’ve been working on for almost two years, waiting to be worn and waiting to be out in the sunlight,.

I was fourteen when I first thought that maybe, just maybe the boy that I had grown up with would one day see me in the same light that I saw him. That he would see something special in me and that special thing would turn into something more. That one day, far in the future, he would be the man that I would walk down the aisle to.

That day is finally here. Fourteen-year-old me was right.

“Shouldn’t you be getting ready?” My brother’s voice echoes through the garden that I’m currently standing in.

A garden much like the one my mother built in San Pedro but not nearly as sentimental.

I turn to face the man that is going to walk me down the aisle and give him a smile.

“My make-up artist isn’t here yet.”

Leo nods, “Just got word from Arturo. He has Camila and they’re on their way. They should be here in about twenty minutes.”

Camila has been in New York working tirelessly on her art degree. She even got a job to keep her busy, so her coming here for this, means the world to me.

“You think that she brought that boyfriend of hers?” I just ask the question, to see his jaw lock at the comment.

I know for a fact that she isn’t, but it’s nice to tease my brother.

“Arturo said it was just her.” Leo says through his teeth and I can’t help but laugh.

You would figure he would be okay with a twenty-year-old having a boyfriend.

It’s because he cares.

I’m just glad I didn’t have to experience this over-protective side of him.

I drop the subject and go back to just taking in the flowers.

Today’s celebration is going to be just a small affair. Just me and the love of my life with a few extra people. My brother and Serena, Camila and Serena’s friend Aria, a few men that work for Leo and a few of the women that I met while working at the boutique.

And of course, Mrs. Reyes came down from Canada for the special occasion.

The one person that won’t be here is my father.

When I asked him to be here, he told me no. I think his exact words were that he won’t support any of my endeavors with a man that isn’t loyal to him.

In other words, he didn’t approve of my marriage because it’s not one he arranged.

Was I mad at him?

Absolutely.

Was I going to fight him on it?

No. If my father didn’t want to be a part of one of the most important days in my life, so be it.

“Are you ready for this?” Leo asks, taking me out of the thoughts of my father.

I give him a smile. “I’ve been ready for this for years, and it’s finally happening.”

“Now you don’t have to hide it.”

“Now I don’t have to hide it.” I’m going to officially belong to Santiago Reyes and I could scream it from the rooftops if I wanted to.

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