A Fighting Chance (20 page)

“Are you ready, princess?” my dad’s voice says tearing my glance away from the sight downstairs. I turn around to see my dad wearing his tux looking like he’s just lost his little girl. My dad will always be the first love of my life, and nothing can ever take that away from him.

“Almost,” I say, looking under my folding chair for my piece de resistance. My badass purple combat boots round off my white wedding dress perfectly. I lace them up and take his arm and head downstairs.

My mother, Max’s mother, and Samantha are being taken to the park in a limousine.

Max

I’m given the go-ahead to start down the street. I’ve always felt so free and relaxed on my bike, and this is no different. I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life before. I can’t wait to make Chloe my wife. I pull up to the park and every seat is filled with an additional two to three dozen or so people standing. There are at least fifty motorcycles parked in rows with the riders still sitting on their bikes. Our wedding is standing room only. As I get closer, I see familiar faces of people who are, or have been, clients. Some of these people had to have ridden for days to get here. How did all of these people know? Here I thought I hardly had any family or friends. But to see all of these people here for me on such a special day sends my heart soaring. I just had no idea I meant so much to so many others. I never thought I’d amount to anything in my life, but I’ve touched so many people’s lives.

I pull around the right side of the chairs and park my bike up front. I get off and take my place between my bike and the first row of chairs. Asher and Willow pull up next to my bike. Asher helps Willow off the bike and walks her to the right of me, and then he takes his place to my left. Kyle and Amelia pull up outside the left side of the chairs. He helps Amelia off, walks her next to Willow, kisses her on the cheek and then takes his place next to Asher. Next is Adrian and Shay. Adrian was so worried about putting his pregnant wife on a motorcycle, and I’m sure he’s glad to get her off. He pulls his bike next to Kyle’s, helps her off, walks her next to Amelia, and then he takes his place next to Kyle. Next are Ava and Levi. Levi heads down the right and pulls his bike behind Asher’s. He helps Ava off, walks her next to Shay, then takes his place. Next is Aiden and Savvy. He pulls down the left and parks next to Adrian. He helps Savvy off, and then walks her next to Ava. He takes his place next to Levi. Next is Chase. He pulls behind Levi and takes his place. The park is silent except for the geese in the pond squawking and my heart pounding in my chest.

Then I hear it. My woman’s bike roars in my ears. It’s sweet music to my soul. Then I see her white Harley, and as they get closer, her dad has the goofiest grin on his face I’ve ever seen, but I can’t see Chloe. All I can see is a poof of white sitting behind him. He drives straight up the middle and stops a few feet away from me. He puts the kick stand down and climbs off. Only then does the angel in white come into view. Her eyes sparkle, her plump healthy cheeks hold a rosy glow, and her curves are sexy as hell.

I was so nervous about her dad driving Chloe on her bike, I myself gave him lessons. He extends his hand and helps her off. Chloe’s mother, Mary, steps from her seat and helps her rearrange her veil. He kisses her on the cheek, and then takes her hand and walks her to me. I don’t take lightly the responsibility of him giving me her hand. It means the world to me. He then walks the bike to the side next to Aiden’s.

Holding Chloe’s hands in mine I smile. Looking into her eyes on our wedding day by far exceeds any happiness I ever thought I deserved.

Chapter 15

Chloe

When we turned the corner and I saw just how many people have shown up to celebrate our wedding, it just reaffirmed what an amazing man Max is. I pulled Chase and Levi aside two weeks ago and asked them if anyone else should be invited to the wedding. They both looked at each other then said leave it to them. That there are several people they know that would move heaven and earth to be there. And they weren’t wrong. Max has a heart of gold, and the dozens of bikes lined up in rows just proves that.

Getting off my bike was a challenge. I couldn’t get off it fast enough. I just wanted to be in my man’s arms. I’m so glad my mom helped me rearrange my veil. Even as slow as my dad drove, the wind still wreaked havoc on it.

Max and I wrote our own vows. We haven’t rehearsed them so I have no idea what he’ll say.

“Who gives this woman to be married?” the officiant says.

“Her mother and I do,” my dad says with a smile. And once again my mother has snot running down her nose. That’s one thing I wish I hadn’t inherited from her. It’s so not lady like.

“Max and Chloe have written their own vows and will recite them for you now.”

“Chloe, from the first day I looked into your eyes, I knew we were kindred spirits, and we were meant to spend the rest of our lives together. I never thought I deserved an angel like you. You always see past my imperfections and make me feel like a man worthy of love. You fill my world with light and happiness. I promise to be there for you, and to love you unconditionally. I promise to fight what we cannot see, to hold you close and protect you until my last dying breath. I promise to be faithful and to be the best husband I know how to be. I promise to be truthful and to love you until the day I die.”

Tears stream down my face; his words were so carefully chosen, so he didn’t announce to everyone here in the audience my past demons. He’s my knight in shining tatted armor. He digs in his pocket and takes out my wedding rings. He slips on my engagement ring and a platinum wedding band with small amethysts around the entire band on my finger. That means it’s my turn.

“Max, the first day we met, I looked into your eyes and I saw a similarity written in the depths that only you and I can understand. You’ve freed me physically, emotionally and mentally. You gave me back a life that I thought was gone forever. You not only gave it back to me, but you gave it back with something special. You gave me love. You gave me your love. I promise to never let it go. I promise to be faithful, I promise to love you and to fight our way through whatever may come, together.” I turn to Willow and she places Max’s wedding ring in my hand. I absolutely love Max’s band. He’s not seen it yet, but I know he’ll love it too. I take his hand and slide on his ring finger a platinum band with black diamond’s circling the entire band. In small stones on the top and bottom are purple amethysts. The smile on Max’s face tells me he loves it. He squeezes my hand as the officiant speaks.

“Maxwell Aloysius Jones, do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?” Soft giggles and whispers can be heard all through the crowd at Max’s middle name. He looks to the crowd and instant straight faces appear except there is still a chuckle coming from Asher. Max looks at him, but if anyone can take Max’s death stare, it’s Asher. Max shakes his head, and then looks into my eyes.

“I do,” he says.

“Chloe Rose Peters, do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?”

“I do,” I say looking into the depths of Max’s soul.

“What Max and Chloe have fought to achieve, may no man break asunder. By the power vested in me, by the state of Washington, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.”

Max’s kiss is soft and warm. He pulls me close to his chest as the crowd goes wild. I pull away and smile at my husband. He pulls me back close and whispers in my ear.

“Tonight, I’ll have you wearing nothing but those purple boots,” he says. Chills race down my arms as he kisses me softly one more time. Max takes my hand and leads me to his motorcycle. He climbs on his bike and steady’s it for me. I grab as much of my dress as I can in my arms, get behind him and wrap my arms around my man. Max in a tux on his bike is so badass. We ride down the center of the aisle as everyone else gets on their bikes, and we lead the way back to our house. My dad will take my bike back, and before we turned the corner I caught sight of him steadying the bike, my mom hiking her skirt up and getting on. Crazy kids.

I think some magical wedding fairies were here while we were gone. The backyard has been transformed into a magical scene. There are way more tables set out then when we left. A dance floor is in place, and there is a buffet table with enough food to feed an army. But as bike after bike start roaring up the driveway, I’m extremely thankful. White lights have been strung from the trees to the center of the yard. I spot the wedding cake and smile. It’s a Harley Davidson with a groom and a bride sitting on top. The bride’s veil is flying behind her like they’re speeding down the road. Everything is just perfect.

Max gets off and then helps me off. Guests start heading to the backyard and taking their seats, but Max takes my hand and leads me to the front of the house. He picks me up and like he promised, carries me over the threshold as his wife.

Our reception was magical. From the first dance with my husband, to the father daughter dance, everything was a fairytale come true. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house as Max took his mother’s hand and twirled her around the dance floor for their dance.

As people were getting ready to leave, they each came to Max and shook his hand. He introduced me to each one by name. Some were women who he helped get out of abusive relationships. Every single one of them thanked him for giving them their lives back to them. Each had a different story as to just why they needed his service, but all thanked him. Some tried to pay him because at the time they couldn’t afford it, but Max did his job anyway out of the goodness of his heart. He didn’t take a dime from anyone tonight that tried to pay him, only a handshake or a hug. So many people have so much respect for Max. He truly is a good man, inside and out.

Max

I couldn’t wait a minute longer for people to get their asses out of our backyard and to get my wife in nothing by her purple combat boots. There are still about thirty people lingering around. I looked around the yard for Asher. I see him with his arm draped over Willow as he whispers in her ear. She blushes then punches him in the arm. I walked over to him and say, “Can I talk to you for a second?”

“I’ll just leave you two alone to talk,” Willow says.

“No, you can both help me out,” I say.

“I have a date with my wife and her combat boots. Can you guys do something about the people still here? It’s not like I can leave, I live here.”

“Ah, I see,” Willow says.

Asher sticks his fingers in his mouth and lets out a loud whistle. “This party is moving to the bar people. Rounds are on me,” he says loudly.

“Thanks, man. I owe you,” I say shaking his hand.

“No, you don’t. We’re family, brothers, remember?”

The yard clears out almost instantly. Free drinks on Asher did the trick. The yard is a mess and it will take hours to clean up. Willow, Ava, Amelia, Shay and Savvy walk up to us to say their goodbyes and tell us not to touch a thing, they will all be here in the morning to clean everything up.

Everyone is finally gone. Chloe is tossing empty cups and plates into a trash bag. I set my phone on the table and turn on ‘Love of a Lifetime’ by Firehouse. I walk to my beautiful wife, take the trash bag out of her hand and set it on the ground. I take her hand and bring her out to the center of the dance floor. We sway slowly back and forth turning in a small circle ever so slowly. I hold her hand to my heart and her body close to mine as I softly sing the lyrics in her ear. Yes, I have finally found the love of my lifetime. I get to the chorus and stop when I sing the part about the stars in the sky. Samuel and his stars speech echo in my mind like he said it yesterday.

“We have no control over destiny. It has been written in the stars, each and every member of this family. We cannot see each star yet, but we welcome each and every one of them with love and open arms. May you always shine bright and feel the unquestionable love from each and every member of this family,” he said.

I hum the rest of the song to her. As I hold my wife close, I look up at the clear dark night sky splattered with millions of stars. I pick one, kiss two fingers and hold them up as far as they can go. I owe this moment in time to Samuel.

I take my wife’s hand and lead her inside the back door. I take her upstairs to our bedroom. Since we didn’t have any time to furnish the house, at the last minute I had a mattress and box spring delivered.

“I’m sorry I don’t have a proper bed for you,” I say as we enter the room. When inside, the first thing that catches my eye is the heart I carved for her up at the cabin, sitting in the middle of the mantle. I walk over to the mantle and smile.

Chloe walks up behind me, wraps her arms around my chest and peels off my jacket. I turn around, and I don’t know how long I was staring at the heart, but apparently long enough for Chloe to change out of her dress and into the hot number she’s wearing now.

She has on a black negligée. Not wedding night white, but a kickass sexy as hell plunging V lacey top and tiny thong panties. Her purple combat boots tie up the whole delectable package. Her long dark brown hair lies softly over her shoulders. Her lips shine in the flickering light of candles that she’s placed around the room and demand that I kiss them. She grabs me by my belt and pulls me to the mattress. She sits on the mattress and unbuckles my belt, unbuttons the button, unzips my pants and sends them to the floor. I unbutton my shirt and remove it as she takes me in her mouth. My head falls back as I moan.

“Mrs. Jones, that mouth of yours should be illegal,” I say, as I sink to my knees on the mattress. She rolls me over to my back and then licks up my abs, up my throat, and sinks her tongue in my mouth. I toe off my shoes and sink my hands in her hair as I deepen the kiss. I can’t resist the taste of her any longer. I grab the barely there thread of material on her ass and rip it off. I flip her over and satisfy my never ending hunger. Her legs quake between my head as she whispers my name. Sitting up, she kisses my lips as she turns me over and straddles my lap. She plants her boots at my hips, lifts up and takes me in her hand. As she sinks down, I palm her ass cheeks and help her move up and down. Her legs tremble as she comes a second time. She falls on my chest as I come inside her.