Chapter 22

Chapter Twenty-Two

I 've been stuck in practice and meetings all day. I know Montana is here. We've been messaging back and forth. When she got to the room, she sent me a picture of her in a dress—well, I'm guessing it was a dress. She asked if she could wear it, saying Aliyah bought it for her and she didn't know if it was okay.

My reply was simple. I told her she didn't need my permission to wear something. And I told her if she liked it, then she should wear it. I followed that up with making sure she knew just how fucking amazing she looked in the little black glittery dress.

I understand I have to be patient. That it's going to take time for her to regain control of her life again. But every time she asks if she can do something, it reminds me of the hell she's lived in for the past three years.

"Has Vinny found anything yet?" I ask Gray as we walk out of the arena, towards his car.

"Nothing. It's like the guy's a ghost," he says.

"Let's hope he is," King grunts from behind us.

"And take away my fun?" I glance at him over one shoulder. "No, I want to make sure that fucker feels every bit of pain he inflicted on her—and more. I want him begging for his life."

"We all do," Gray says.

These guys have my back. I have no doubt about that. But no one wants to see that fucking weasel Andrew screaming in pain more than I do. Well, except maybe Montana .

I wonder if she'd do it. If she thought she could end him, would she?

I haven't mentioned that I have people looking for him. I want to be able to tell her that I found him first. That he's no longer a threat to her because he's no longer breathing. I want her to be able to sleep at night without waking up screaming. I want her to know peace again. To be happy and content, and not doubt her decisions every other second of the day. But I also know that will all take time. And I won't be the one rushing her.

We pull up to the front of the hotel, and I jump out and head straight for the bar.

"I'm gonna stop by my room and call Kathryn and Graycee. I'll catch up with you guys in a bit," Gray says.

I give him a nod and King and I keep walking. It takes less than a second to spot her inside the bar. It's not like it's hard. Montana fucking stands out like a siren. She's stunning.

I make a beeline for her, wrap my arm around her waist from behind, lean down, and whisper into her ear. "I fucking missed you."

The moment she hears my voice, her body relaxes into mine. Montana turns in her seat. Her arms circle my neck and her lips press against my mouth. "Probably not as much as I missed you."

"More," I say, briefly kissing her again. "You look fucking stunning. Breathtaking. Beautiful." I step back, holding her arm out and twirling her around so I get the full view.

"Thanks." She gives me a shy smile.

"You know you're crashing girls' night, right?" Liliana huffs.

"I don't care," I tell her.

She glances behind me and then around the bar. "Where's Travis?"

I look to King. Travis said he wanted to stop by a store to pick something up for his girl. We have no idea what, but he did ask us not to spoil the surprise. So I shrug a shoulder and try to play it off. "Last I checked, I wasn't his keeper. You were."

"Guy's getting up there in age, Lil. Takes him a little longer to change, shower, and dress himself after practice, you know," King adds.

"You two are hiding something." Liliana directs an accusatory finger from me to King. "You're both shit at lying. What's he doing?"

"No clue." I shrug again.

"Enzo, do your thing. Torture the information out of them," Liliana tells her cousin .

"Pass," he says. "Pick up your phone and call him like a normal person, Lil."

"Now there's a rational solution to your problem." King's laughter is cut off when Aliyah slaps his chest.

Then she turns to Liliana. "Okay, go find Travis. Tell him to get his ass here, or we're leaving without him."

"Where are we going?" I ask.

"To see a show." She smiles.

When Aliyah said we were going to see a show, I don't know what I thought it would be, but burlesque wasn't it. Montana is smiling, though. She's enjoying herself and that's all I care about.

"I love your smile," I tell her.

"Thank you." She leans into my side.

"I want to see it. Every day. Forever." I kiss her temple and she looks up at me.

"Forever is a long time, Luke," she whispers.

"When it comes to you, forever is not nearly long enough," I say, before an idea comes to mind and I grab her hand. "Let's go."

Without a thought, Montana follows me out of our seats. "Where to?" she asks as I lead her through the theater.

"I want to do something."

"Okay."

The moment we step onto the street, I turn left with a certain destination in mind. "You know I love you, right?" I ask her as we navigate the crowded Vegas sidewalk.

"I know. I love you too."

"And you know that you are it for me. You always have been and always will be."

"Okay…"

I stop walking as soon as we're standing in front of the little chapel I spotted on the way to the hotel. And look into Montana's eyes. "I want to do this, but only if you really want to do it too. You can say no. I'll still be here. I'll wait until you're ready, and if you're never ready, I'll still wait."

"Do what? Luke? What's going on?" I see the concern knitting her brows. She still doesn't understand what I'm asking her.

"Marry me," I clarify, then quickly add, "Please."

Montana gasps. "What? Have you been drinking? "

"No, I haven't had a drop of alcohol. I want to do this, Tanna. I've always wanted to do this," I tell her. "Marry me, right here, right now. Just the two of us."

"You're serious?"

"Never been more serious about anything. Marry me, Tanna," I ask again, and she grins.

"Yes."

I blink at her. "Yes?" I question, unsure if I heard her say it in my head or in real life.

"Yes," Montana repeats. "I've wanted to marry you forever, Luke. But I… What if I don't get better?"

"You are perfect, Montana. There is not a single thing wrong with you. I will love you forever. I promise. I will always be here to help chase away any demons that haunt you."

"I don't deserve you," she says as her eyes drop to her feet.

I reach out and tip her chin up until her gaze meets mine again before gesturing to the building behind us. "We deserve each other. Now, are you ready to become Mrs. Jameson?"

I'll call in a favor with Gray and ask him to get the paperwork in order when we get back to Vancouver. He has people who will make sure this marriage is legit.

"I was born ready." Montana smiles, and I lean in and kiss her like no one is watching. Because, right now, it's just me and her. Us. Everything else blurs into the background.

"We're really doing this," Montana says, her hands locked in mine as we stand on an altar in front of an Elvis impersonator.

"We are, but we can do the big fancy wedding too," I remind her.

"I don't need that. I just need you."

"Okay, you folks ready?" Elvis asks.

"Yes," Montana and I say at the same time.

"Great. Luke, are you ready to take Montana here as your wife?" Elvis asks me.

"I am," I tell him before he turns to Montana.

"Montana, are you ready to take Luke here as your husband?"

"I am," she says.

"Okay, Luke, you wanted to say your own vows. The stage is yours." Elvis nods in my direction and takes a step back.

"Montana, I have loved you for my entire life. I have been in love with you for almost just as long. I don't want one lifetime with you. I want a million lifetimes with you. I promise to always put you above anything else. I promise to cherish you. To not only be your husband but also your best friend. Forever. I promise to give you a life filled with happiness, love, friendship. But most of all, safety. I will always be your biggest fan. Whatever you want to do, whatever you want to achieve, I'll be right behind you supporting you how ever I can. I don't need to promise to love you forever, because that's a given."

"Montana, is there anything you'd like to say to Luke?" Elvis asks.

"Yes." Montana takes a deep breath, closes her eyes, then opens them again. "Luke, I don't know what I would do without you. You are my everything. You give me strength when I don't have any. You love me even when I don't feel worthy of that love. You are my best friend. You are the love of my life, and that's something no one can ever take away. Each moment I spend with you, I can feel myself coming back to life. I can't wait to spend every day in this lifetime and the next with you. I love you. I don't know the right words to express that, but know that I do."

Everything else happens fast. Rings are slid onto fingers. And more words are exchanged until the one sentence I've waited so long to hear resonates louder than all the rest.

"I now pronounce you… man and wife. You may kiss your bride."

My arms immediately wrap around Montana as I pick her up and slam my lips onto hers before spinning her around. "Mrs. Jameson, I fucking love you," I tell her as I set her feet on the ground.

"I love you too." She smiles up at me.

We walk out of the chapel and the flashes of light momentarily blind me. Multiple flashes. Over and over again. Montana shrinks behind me and I circle an arm around her shoulder. I do my best to block her, hide her face from all the cameras.

Where the fuck did they even come from?

Ignoring the flurry of questions being tossed my way, I walk down the street and into the first open hotel I see. It's not the one we're staying at, but it'll do. The paps can't follow us in here.