Run to Me: Chapter 40

I send the last text off to the group chat before turning off my phone. The assholes I call my family can be there if they choose, but I honestly couldn’t give a fuck. I’m marrying my girl either way.

Robyn called Lia while I called Judge Harris to arrange the time—which was easy since he knows my reputation and didn’t dare say no to me—and sent the message out.

I walk into the kitchen to find my girl standing at the counter rubbing her temples. She takes my fucking breath away every time I see her, especially when she’s standing in my kitchen, wearing my t-shirt and sporting messy hair as a result of having my fist wrapped around it. Though I can’t say I enjoy the look on her face right now, which is a mixture of worry and irritation.

“What’s wrong?” I demand as I approach her. I grab her hips and lift her to sit on the counter before stepping between her legs and taking her face in my hands.

“I haven’t seen Lia in months, she only got back two days ago and let’s just say she was… shocked,” she mumbles with her eyes downcast.

Panic hits me as she fails to meet my eyes.

She hasn’t changed her mind, has she?

Well fuck that, I’ll handcuff her to me and drag her down to the courthouse if I have to, I won’t have her friend disappearing for months only to come back and fuck up our plans.

“You still wanna do this, right?” I ask tentatively, while also running one hundred different scenarios through my mind of how to convince her without resorting to forcing her hand.

Her head snaps up, and she must not like the look on my face because she blanches.

“No, no.” My heart stops momentarily until she continues, “I want to do this. I want to marry you; it was just a hard conversation. She doesn’t understand why we had to do it today, but I told her that I love you, and how happy you make me, and she promised to be there. It was just awkward for a moment, maybe I should have told her what was really going on with me back when we started, it could have made this easier.”

I tuck a stray piece of hair behind her ear before pressing my lips to her forehead. “You were protecting her, angel, if you explain everything and tell her why you didn’t tell her back then I’m sure she’ll understand.”

“You think so?” she asks hopefully, those vibrant green eyes flicking over my face, looking for a lie.

“You’ve been friends for years, she won’t throw that away because you chose to omit certain details in order to keep you both safe,” I reassure her, hoping like fuck that I’m right.

I don’t want Lia upsetting my girl, because if she’s upset, I’ll end up losing my shit and doing something I shouldn’t, and I really don’t think my wife will appreciate me decapitating her best friend.

I bring my lips to hers in a quick kiss before lifting her off the counter. “Come on, we need to get ready, wifey.”

“I’m not your wife yet,” she says with a roll of her eyes.

“Semantics,” I mutter.

Turns out my family kinda love me, or more specifically, they love my about-to-be-wife because they all showed up for us. Even Alec, the guy who avoids gatherings, weddings and commitments like the plague.

They’re all waiting for us on the steps outside the courthouse as we step out the car, and I take Robyn’s hand in mine as we approach them.

She’s still shy around my family, but it’s more to do with the fact that she’s never really known what family should feel like than anything else. At first, I worried it was because of who we are and what we represent, but it’s more of the fact that her parents and brother are assholes who didn’t give a shit about her.

The brother who is still in the fucking wind, though my girl doesn’t know I’m still looking for him. Can’t wait to have a little talk with my brother-in-law.

We both decided not to dress up too much for today’s occasion. Me switching out from my hoodie and jeans into a black dress shirt and slacks while Robyn wears the same white dress that she wore the night I first laid eyes on her.

She looks fucking breathtaking.

We approach my family, and I spot Lia standing just off from the group looking like she doesn’t know what to do with herself. Robyn must notice her too, because the tension she had in her shoulders relaxes and I greet everyone with a nod, not wanting to fuck around. I’m more than fucking ready to get in there and make Robyn my wife.

But, of fucking course, before I can do that, Izzy bombards us both with questions.

“Is this really happening? Because I kinda thought this was a joke, or at least I thought it was Enzo just manifesting that shit and hoping for the best. He’s not forcing you into this, right? All you have to do is say the word and I’ll castrate him right now.”

I scowl at her while Robyn laughs and shakes her head. “He’s not forcing me into anything.”

She gives us both a scrutinizing look before backing off and leaning back into Luca where he wraps his arms around her. Dad gives me an approving nod while Marco stands with zero emotion on his face. Jax seems bewildered that this is really happening, and Alec just grins wickedly, probably thinking I’m sending myself off to the slaughter.

I turn to Lia and notice the way she shifts uncomfortably and fidgets with her hands.

“Hey Lia,” I say with a nod, and she gives me a smile.

“Great, now that that’s out the way, can we do this?” I’m met with murmurs of agreement before we all make our way inside.

We sign the paperwork first before we both stand in front of Judge Harris, who is trying hard to act like he wouldn’t rather be anywhere else.

The ceremony is quick since we opted not to say our own vows, but the vows we do say pass in a blur, and before I know it, I’m kissing my fucking wife.

“Mmm. You taste fucking delicious, Mrs. Romano.”