Vengeful Soul by Emma Creed
Three hours and two bottles of champagne later, and everyone seems to be ready. Ella looks sensational. Her brown hair falling in thick glossy waves down her back, with the front sections pinned around a small tiara.
Her beautiful white lace gown hugs her perfect figure and makes her look like the most elegant bride I’ve ever seen. Maddy looks gorgeous too in a canary yellow sun dress that matches the flowers in Ella’s bouquet.
“Come on, little man.” Maddy reaches into the playpen and lifts Dylan out, who I had the pleasure of wrestling into his mini tuxedo. It was totally worth it though, he looks adorable.
The kitchen door opens, and I almost fall backward when I see Prez. He looks unrecognizable now that he’s clean shaven, his white hair is combed back and he’s wearing a tux that matches his grandson’s.
“Wow,” I say out loud, unable to hide my shock at how handsome the old guy looks.
His eyes are too fixed on Ella to notice my embarrassing outburst, “You look beautiful,” he tells her, and I’m sure I see his eyes glass over with tears.
“Thanks Dad.” Ella beams back at him as he holds out the crook of his arm for her. “You sure you want to marry that arrogant asshole?” he asks with a smirk when she takes it.
“More than anything,” she nods. Tears fill my own eyes when I realize that I’ll never get this moment with my own Father. It’s another thing that the agency stole from me, and I feel my hatred for them swell.
“Come on, Grace, you can ride down with me and Dylan.” Maddy drags me away from the emotional moment, ushering me out of the door. She drives down to the barn and when we pull up outside, I’m shocked at how elaborate it all looks. There’s a tall arch of fresh flowers decorating the entrance, and inside I can see all the seats are covered white. There’s a matching white carpet that makes an aisle through the center of them, and waiting at the top is what looks like an actual real life priest.
Hell knows where they managed to find one of those around here.
Nyx stands beside him, waiting anxiously with Tac, and he raises his head when he spots me, Maddy and Dylan.
“I look like a fuckin’ idiot,” a low voice moans behind me. And when I turn around, Squealer is tugging at his collar and bitching to Troj and Grimm. I feel my eyes widen when I realize they’re all wearing tuxedos.
“Prez’s orders, every member of this Charter in a tux, it's only for a few hours,” Troj reminds him, adjusting his sleeves. With his hair pulled up in a high man bun and his beard neatly trimmed, he looks like a model. “I actually like it,” he shrugs confidently. “We look like secret agents or some shit.”
“We look like fucking fools,” Grimm says, his lips barely moving, and I’m pretty sure it’s the first time I’ve ever heard him speak.
“Stop moaning and get your asses inside. Ella and Prez are on their way,” Maddy shuts them all up, shooing them inside.
“I told y’all, bitches are taking this place over.” Squealer rolls his eyes at the others, before following in line and doing as he’s been instructed.
“I’m gonna go in and get a seat,” I tell Maddy.
“Oh great, tell Brax and Jessie to get out here, they’re both groomsmen,” she says, untangling Dylan’s chubby fingers from her earring.
“On it,” I promise, making my way up the aisle. The place is packed and I search over everyone to try and find Jessie, I finally locate him talking with the priest of all people.
“Jessie, sorry to interrupt but you’re needed outside, the bride is on her way,” I try my best to sound formal, smiling at the priest apologetically for interrupting.
“Brax, that’s us,” Jessie calls over the room. I follow his voice to where Brax is standing and almost pass out when he turns around. Also dressed in a tux, Brax looks roguishly handsome and dangerously sexy, and his eyes remain fixed on me as he strides over.
“You look beautiful,” he tells me matter of factly, ignoring the fact Jessie is standing right beside me, and I look down at the dress I’m wearing modestly.
“It’s actually Maddy’s,” I admit, trying my best to still sound mad at him. I can’t think about what he was doing last night. It shouldn’t, but it makes me jealous. He’s still staring at me, and I’m grateful when Jessie breaks the silence.
“Brax, come on,” he nods his head toward the back aisle and when I look around, I notice everyone has taken their seats.
“What do you mean, come on? I’ve done my part, I showed everyone to their seats.” He leans in closer to Jessie. “I even let Maddy’s mom squeeze my ass,” he tells him under his breath.
“You’re a groomsman, you have to walk the aisle,” Jessie informs him.
“What the f…” I dig my heel into his toe, gesturing my eyes at the priest. “No one said anything about walking no aisle,” he whisper-yells back.
“I thought you already knew that shit,” Nyx comes from behind me, cutting into the conversation.
“I don’t make a habit of going to weddings, this is my first one,” Brax admits.
“We haven’t got time for this,” Jessie interrupts, shaking his head. “It’s simple. We wait at the door for the bride. That’s Ella by the way.” The smirk Jessie directs at me and Nyx causes me to giggle. “I walk with Maddy and you walk with the kid.”
“Wait, how come I get the kid?” Brax looks genuinely horrified.
“Because you sure as hell ain’t walking the aisle with my old lady.” Jessie eyes open wide, and his look turns threatening.
“One, the kid doesn’t even walk, and two, what the hell am I supposed to do with him when I get to the top?” Brax asks Nyx.
“You carry him, obviously, and then just amuse him while the priest does his thing.”
“Amuse him, how? He’s a baby,” Brax keeps his voice low, the room has fallen into silence and I’m guessing it’s due to the priest taking his position and Maddy’s frantic arm movements at the other end of the aisle.
“Look how cute she gets when she’s panicking,” Jessie says to no one in particular as he watches her.
“Brax,” I take over the situation before the poor girl passes out. “I’ll sit here on the end. Carry Dylan up the aisle, pass him to me and I’ll take care of him through the service,” I say, hurrying them to Maddy who is clearly going out of her mind.
I take a seat near the front and when the music starts, I stand up and turn my head like the rest of the congregation. Maddy and Jessie come first. Both of them smiling proudly and looking like they belong on a runway. It’s hard not to imagine how beautiful their kids will be.
Then when they separate at the top. Brax comes through the door. His eyes darting side to side, and his mouth straight as he moves closer. He holds his nephew awkwardly in his arms, who laps up the attention with a huge grin on his sweet little face. He reaches out to go to his daddy after Brax makes it to the top of the aisle at record pace. Nyx takes his little boy’s hand and kisses it, before Brax takes his place beside me and immediately hands Dylan over.
“That was horrific,” he tells me sharply, making me snort with a giggle before my attention goes back to the entrance to watch Prez walk Ella toward Nyx.
The people here are an unlikely bunch to be gathered at a wedding, there’s plenty of other bikers who all wear leather vests, some are accompanied by who, I assume, are their old ladies. But there is one woman who stands out from them all. A classy dressed lady who sits alone, behind Nyx, and her eyes are full of tears as she watches Prez hand his daughter over to him.
She dabs her eyes with her handkerchief, and I notice the way Prez looks at her as he steps away to stand beside Jessie.
I bounce Dylan on my knee while the priest does his sermon. And despite Brax not giving him any incentive, he struggles with me to go to his uncle. In the end, Brax gives up, taking him from my arms and letting him sit on the edge of his knee to watch the rest of the service. I can’t help smile to myself when without realizing it, Brax instinctively drops a kiss on the top of his nephew’s head.
When the service is over, everyone heads out of the barn for official photographs. Squealer moans some more about his Tux, and I watch curiously as Ella tearfully wraps her arms around the woman I noticed sitting alone. Eventually, she takes her by the hand and pulls her over toward Brax and me.
“Mom, this is Brax, Nyx’s brother and Grace, she’s his…” Ella smiles awkwardly and Brax does nothing to help her out, he does however tip his head at the woman in the biker style greeting I've come to know.
“It’s lovely to meet you.” I hold out my hand and the woman takes it, smiling back.
“And this…” Ella takes Dylan out of Brax’s arms and turns him to face the woman she’s just introduced to us as her mom, “…is Dylan, your grandson.”
More tears build in the woman’s eyes as she stretches out her hand and touches his rosy little cheek.
“He’s perfect,” she says.
“I know. And Mom, I’m so glad you came today,” Ella starts.
“We both are,” Nyx appears from somewhere behind her and pulls Ella’s hip into his.
Suddenly I feel like an intruder. Ella has never spoken about her mother before, and as heartfelt as the reunion is, it feels a little awkward to watch. Especially when it makes me think about my mom.
“Excuse me, I’m going to go grab some champagne before Squealer finishes it all,” I politely excuse myself.
“I’ll join you,” Brax quickly follows me over to the drink table.
“That was intense.” I take a glass from the table and pass it to him, before grabbing one for myself.
“Yeah, Ella hasn’t seen her mom since she came here. It’s a long story and definitely one for another day.”
“I just can’t imagine her and Prez together.” I look back over at the woman cooing over her grandson, she’s so smartly dressed and looks more like she belongs in a country club, than a motorcycle club.
“She’s his one that got away,” Brax tells me, and when I pull my eyes away from her and on to him, I see the way he’s staring at me.
“Where were you last night?” I ask him, because it’s killing me not to know.
“We should head over for the photos,” he tells me, rapidly changing the subject. And mad as I am for him refusing to answer me, I will not get upset over us today. This is Nyx and Ella’s day.
The photographer sets everyone from the club up and I stay out of the way, looking on as the large group of misfits pose for the photo Prez is eager to get of his whole Charter. With Nyx and Ella in the center of it.
Standing on the outside of it makes me realize how much I want to belong in the picture. But I know that I never will, not even if Brax wanted me to. I’m from a different world to these people.
I promised to myself I’d paste on a smile today though. And when Ella insists that I get in the picture, I don’t protest as a space is naturally formed for me beside Brax. I pose for the photo, trying to ignore the comfort I feel when his hand creeps around me to rest on my hip.
“I meant what I said, Gracie, you look real fucking beautiful,” he whispers. Just before the photographer breaks us all up.