AGE TWENTY
If someone had told me a few years ago that I would be standing here today, I wouldn’t have believed them.
Me, standing in the aisle when I’m barely twenty?
Me, waiting for the most beautiful woman on earth to come and complete my life?
The first day I met Astrid in Uncle’s holiday mansion, when she was drugged and acted clingy, I wouldn’t have thought we would end up here. I didn’t realise how meaningless my life had been up to that point.
Completely, utterly meaningless.
As per Jonathan and Lord Clifford’s demands, the hall in which our wedding is taking place is huge. They didn’t want their offspring’s wedding to be small and cosy, because they care a lot about image and all that rubbish.
If it were up to me, I would’ve kidnapped her to Jonathan’s island and had a wedding only for the two of us.
However, I know how much she needs her friends with her and how much she’s been preparing for this over the last couple of months. Astrid’s parents got married in Vegas and never actually had a wedding, so she wanted a real one as a sort of gesture to her mother.
So here I am, standing while everyone is seated in neat rows with golden ornaments. I don’t focus on the grandiose of the hall or the big names who’ve shown up for Uncle’s and Lord Clifford’s sakes.
I couldn’t even if I wanted to.
My impatience is getting the best of me, and with each passing second, I regret not taking Astrid’s hand and eloping about a year ago.
Everyone says we’re too young to get married, but everyone wasn’t slammed with the connection Astrid and I have had since the very beginning. The type of relationship we have isn’t only healing, but it’s also peaceful. When the outside world gets too loud, it’s Astrid’s embrace that silences it. When my head gets dark, it’s Astrid’s voice that soothes it.
Sometimes, I feel like I’m sucking on her life essence, yet whenever she crawls into my embrace as if she’s always belonged there and tells me about her day, I feel like the luckiest bastard alive.
Yes, I’m selfish about that woman, and I have no plans to let her go. But I do plan to make her the queen of my life, the soul of my being, and the heart of my existence.
“Do you have the rings?” I whisper to Aiden, who’s standing by my side.
I had no choice but to have the little shit as my best man. Though Ronan or even Daniel would’ve been better, Aiden said he wants to.
Like he really wants to.
And I have no doubt that it’s because Elsa is sitting somewhere in the crowd. She became close with Astrid during the past few months, and they even share girls’ time now.
Aiden has a thing about wanting to be the centre of Elsa’s attention, even if he’s only the best man.
Not that I’m any different. In fact, I’m more obvious about it. I don’t like sharing Astrid’s time with anyone.
Her father and her best friend, Daniel, are already too much. I don’t need to add names to the list.
“I think I forgot them.” Aiden’s poker face remains the same.
“What?” I hiss and catch Jonathan’s glare in my peripheral vision.
He likes me and Aiden to be on our best behaviour in public to not sully the King name and blah fucking blah. Usually, my cousin and I abide by that rule to avoid his wrath.
But usually isn’t today, because I’m seconds away from punching my cousin in the throat.
“You had one mission, Aiden!” I whisper-yell. “One fucking mission.”
He pats his jacket and retrieves a small black velvet box. “Oh, looks like they’re here, after all.”
I narrow my eyes on him. “Did you do that on purpose?”
He lifts a shoulder. “You were being fidgety. I got your mind off things.”
“Fuck you.”
“You’re welcome, Lev.”
Astrid’s bridesmaid walks down the aisle, carrying a bouquet of red roses. Murmurs filter through the attendees at the unconventional choice of a bridesmaid, but did they really expect my free-spirited Astrid to do everything according to tradition?
Daniel grins, bowing and winking at the audience. The old ladies break out in smiles as he gives each of them a flower. By the time he gets to the front, he has none left, except for the one attached to his tuxedo’s pocket.
He stands opposite me and Aiden, and I resist the urge to ask him how she looks and if she’s coming right this second.
“She’s stunning,” Daniel whispers to me as if hearing my unspoken question. “I don’t think you’re ready for her, Captain.”
“I’m always ready for her,” I mutter back.
Daniel gives me his cocky smirk, and while he’s usually pasted to Astrid with superglue, I haven’t ever felt threatened by him. They have a special bond that’s never gone beyond friendship. The fact that he agreed to be the maid of honour for her sake says something about how far they’re both willing to go for each other.
It’s sort of like me and Aiden, but in my and my cousin’s case, we’ve only ever bonded through our rivalry and the innate need to prove ourselves to Uncle Jonathan.
Astrid and Daniel are the pure form of us. Their relationship is more about lifting each other up instead of bringing the other down.
Even though Daniel chose an entirely different field of study than Astrid and they don’t share the same passions — he prefers physical activities and partying while she’s an introvert artist — they still find time for each other.
Of course, that time needs to be reduced once she becomes my wife. I might approve of Daniel, but I need her attention on me at all times.
Obsessive? Probably. After all, she’s always been my obsession.
The music changes to an acoustic version of one of Muse’s songs and I smile. Only Astrid would make her favourite band’s song her wedding song.
I love that woman more than words can describe.
And Daniel was right. I’m not ready.
The moment she shows up, her hand tucked into Lord Clifford’s arm, I stop breathing for a second.
She’s…breathtaking.
Her white tulle dress falls to below her knees in a weirdly beautiful way. And she’s wearing her signature fishnet stockings and sneakers instead of heels.
I tried to sneak a peek at her dress before the wedding, but she and Daniel shooed me away. Never in my wildest dreams did I think she’d be this breathtaking. Though to say I’m surprised she picked something like this would be a lie. Astrid has always been the type who owns up to her quirks without caring about societal standards.
The fact that she’s so real is what made me fall for her this deeply and why I could never find a way out.
Not that I’d ever want to.
A huge grin lights up her features as her intense green eyes meet mine. She’s more than ready to belong to me. Just like I can’t wait to belong to her, now and beyond.
Lord Clifford places his daughter’s hand in mine and says low, so only I can hear him, “I’m giving you a piece of myself and if you hurt her in any way, I will murder you. Not even Jonathan will be able to save you.”
“Dad!” Astrid whisper-yells at her father, but she can’t wipe the grin off her face.
I give a curt nod, and he brushes his lips against his daughter’s forehead. “Be happy. You deserve it, Star.”
Then he joins a solemn-faced Uncle, who hates everyone and everything in this world — especially Lord Clifford. Let’s hope they don’t burn the place down before the ceremony ends.
“Lev?” Astrid’s eyes meet mine, and I take my time committing this face to memory.
It’s almost like I’m seeing her for the first time.
This moment is too special to just let it go without engraving it in the box inside my heart that has her name all over it.
Her dark brown hair is pulled up, revealing her delicate throat that’s surrounded by a star necklace I gave her as an early wedding gift. Her makeup is barely there, as usual, but she couldn’t look any prettier than she does right now.
If there was a way to screenshot this moment and safekeep it, I wouldn’t hesitate.
“Levi,” she calls again. “The priest is talking.”
“He has to wait until I get my fill of you.”
Her cheeks redden as she smiles.
“You’re blushing, Princess. I love it when you blush.”
She tightens her clutch around my fingers and I vow to myself in this moment that from today onwards, this woman will be the reason I’m alive.
