┏━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━┓
Epilogue
┗━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━┛
Chapter 52: Epilogue (Jules's POV)
Ten months later...
"Are you ready?" Audrey asked, fixing up my veil one final time before taking a step back, both of us looking at me through the mirror.
"I'm nervous," I chuckled, standing up slowly and taking the bouquet as she held it out for me.
"That's normal but you seem so excited, it's radiating off of you," she teased, walking towards the door. "Let me call your Dad. It's about time. Good luck." She winked at me before opening the door and heading out.
Christian and I kept saying we would wait for the wedding, that we'd take things slow, enjoy our time together before getting married, and that we'd keep it small. We even considered seriously eloping. But it took ten months for us to grow sick of calling each other fiancés, especially after we had already done that for a year in the past.
It surprised me how much Christian took the initiative but the entire time, I was in awe and madly in love with him.
I still am.
We started looking at wedding venues because we couldn't decide where it would be special enough. There were a few spots but most of them weren't suitable for an entire wedding, so for a while, we put wedding preparations on hold. Then, Christian, had a business trip coming up and since he was going to Russia and I had never been, I asked if I could tag along. I'd always wanted to see the place, especially where Christian grew up and all the spots that were special to him.
While we were there, he took me to Riviera Beach in Sochi and Christian fell in love with the place all over again. He grew up spending every summer in their family beach house and had friends all around the neighborhood that he met every summer. Friends including Logan and Rowan, both of whom I'd met multiple times. And now here we were, ready to get married at the beach with everything perfectly organized. The resort we were staying at let us rent out their banquet hall for the reception later on.
I was up and fixing my dress one last time when there was a knock at the door moments before my Dad walked in. "Peach, are you ready?" he asked, grinning widely.
I nodded, letting out a shaky laugh. I brushed my fingers over the dress, tracing the embroidered white corset while the embroidery ran down the see-through fabric of my sleeves that began off my shoulders, making it seem like the glitter and stitched patterns sat directly on my skin. The dress fitted me nicely till my waist beyond which the dress flowed nicely instead of puffing out but still had a bit of a flare to it. The beginning and the end of my skirt had sparkly white embroidery just like the corset and sleeves and the entire dress was perfectly coordinated.
"Let's go then, Christian's waiting. The boy has less patience than a five-year-old," he snickered.
I laughed, walking out with my Dad.
A temporary wooden floor that we had planted across the sand in the private area we had, saved the dress from getting dirty and did the same for all our guests.
A soft breeze blew by as we stood on one side of the aisle while Christian stood at the other end, watching with his hands behind his back. I grinned, a short laugh escaping me as Christian visibly exhaled, his chest caving in as he lifted a hand to his heart, keeping it there.
Jules, shut up.
Trying my best, I bit back my laugh and walked ahead while watching Christian as the two short strands that I left out of my low bun danced in the air. I was smiling so wide, my cheeks hurt and everything was overwhelming when I saw Christian wipe a stray tear from the corner of his eye before exhaling a breath.
My Mom took the bouquet from me once I reached the arch formed by white mesh while tulips and roses formed a circle above us. Uncle Bobby began welcoming everybody since we couldn't bother with a priest and I knew that he had officiated a wedding before.
Christian then took my hands.
"What do you think?" I whispered ever so softly, scooting an inch closer.
"Fuck me," he mouthed before smirking at me.
I resisted an eye roll and chuckled, blowing him a kiss in the air, pouting my lips.
He tugged me closer boldly and Uncle Bobby cleared his throat, "Not yet."
I stole a glance at our audience before sheepishly looking back at Christian in all seriousness now.
Within moments, the ceremony passed by and we were announced, husband and wife. "Christian, you may now kiss the bride," he said.
Christian stepped forward, taking my chin and tipping it up before sliding his hand to my cheek, smiling softly. "Finally," he mumbled against my lips before closing the distance between us and smashing his lips on mine.
Helplessly, I beamed into the kiss, resting my hands on his shoulder, sliding my arms up around his neck as he pulled my body flushed against his own. Our lips moved in sync to our own perfect rhythm and at that moment, I knew that this truly was the happiest day of my life. I was finally all his, he was finally all mine.
He pecked my lips softly once before pulling away as everybody clapped, Audrey and Naomi, cheering loudly while my Mom was busy gushing over us.
I laughed, leaning away while he still held onto me and wiped my lip gloss off his lips before we faced everybody. Staying in place, we thanked everybody who came to congratulate us before getting in their cars and heading back to the resort for the reception.
"Congratulations, Christian," Rowan approached, sticking a hand out that Christian shook firmly.
"Rowan, Evie. I'm glad you both could make it."
"So are we," Evie smiled, glancing between Rowan and Christian before facing me. "Congratulations." She leaned in for a hug, giving me a quick squeeze before pulling away. "You're glowing, Jules," she teased.
"She's always glowing," Christian mumbled, staring at me.
I elbowed him, laughing softly and glancing at him. "A little more when I'm with him," I nodded in agreement with Evie. "We'll see you both at the reception, won't we?"
"Absolutely," Rowan nodded. We got a quick picture taken together before they left and our next guests stepped up.
"I'm surprised you showed up," Christian snickered.
Logan ignored him and held out a hand for me first. "Congratulations, Jules," he greeted, shaking my hand.
"Thank you, Logan," I sang, watching them in amusement, especially when Logan didn't drop my hand and Christian rushed to take it in his.
Logan watched, entertained. "Oh, possessive, aren't we?"
"You tell me, where's Zarah?" Christian asked, lifting a smug brow.
"Lost somewhere, I hope," Logan muttered under his breath.
I scoffed at him, "Be nice. She's your girlfriend."
He hummed, shrugging a shoulder.
Christian and I exchanged a look. "Isn't she?" I asked doubtfully.
His eyes got caught in the distance and I followed, noticing that it was Zarah he was watching while she played with Lilah and Brandon.
"It's business," Logan admitted, still staring at her with his hands tucked into his pockets, his jaw ticking once.
Christian and I sighed in sync. "You're pretending," Christian stated.
"That never ends the way you want it to," I shrugged.
Christian looked at me, clearly offended.
"It's always better this way," I corrected with a chuckle, stealing a kiss from him swiftly.
He frowned at me still.
"I'll see you both later," Logan said before making his way over to where Zarah was, removing his hands from his pockets.
Christian and I watched out of curiosity. "They don't look like they like each other very much," I noted.
"They're not good at pretending yet," Christian agreed.
"You only get good at pretending when you're not pretending anymore," I nodded along.
Logan approached her while she kept her eyes shut tightly and blindly looked around for Lilah and Brandon as they ran around her, playing Blindman.
"Oh yeah," Christian mused as Logan grabbed Zarah's hand and spun her around, pulling her forward and against him suddenly, catching her before she stumbled. "He definitely likes her."
"Definitely," I mumbled before we turned to each other. "We should head to the resort, right?"
He nodded and so we left in our car, our hands locked throughout the ride.
"It doesn't bother you? That we didn't even invite your parents?" I asked, watching as he traced my wedding ring with his thumb.
"Not at all, Milaya. I wouldn't want it any other way, trust me," he reassured, pressing a kiss to the back of my hand.
The wedding was the best time of my life and the reception was just as good with everybody singing, dancing, drinking and genuinely just partying once our first dance was all done. "Everyone's enjoying themselves," I chuckled, noticing Rowan and Evie happily dancing in their corner.
"Not everyone," Christian snorted, pointing out Logan and Zarah at the bar.
She wanted to dance and he clearly... didn't.
"Hold on, just a minute!" Audrey exclaimed, taking a microphone by the DJ's table. She huffed while River steadied her as she swayed in place, drunk off her ass. "We had the first dance but what about the garter toss?" The music was cut short.
Christian's eyes cut to mine while Naomi brought a chair to the very middle of the dance floor.
"Let's play some sexy music for that," Audrey snorted before River snatched the mic away from her and pulled her away as she protested, "Hey, I was talking, babe!"
"This wasn't tradition at Alex's wedding!" I reasoned as Evie came to push me into the chair, tugging me away from Christian.
"Enjoy your husband while he's under that dress," she teased before walking away, rushing to stand with Rowan.
My eyes landed on Christian as he stood beside the nearest table, his tie loosely hanging around his neck while a few people egged him on. Watching me with a smirk, he shrugged off his suit and rolled up his sleeves to his elbows, sliding off the tie and dropping it with his jacket, leaving his black button-up loose of a few buttons. He made his way over as the most sensual song to ever exist began playing, making everybody around us thrilled, including me.
I had a bubbly feeling pooling low and hot in my abdomen like an unpopped bottle of champagne, waiting.
Christian was a bit more buzzed than I was having had more alcohol but he was sober enough, nowhere near tipsy. He got down on his knees in front of me, holding my gaze as my breath got caught.
"This is the most inappropriate wedding tradition known to mankind," I snickered.
"Pretty fun if you ask me," he replied, grabbing the hem of my dress and lifting just an inch, giving me one last look before slipping under the gown, only letting it rise a bit so nobody could see anything under the dress at any point.
"No hands, remember!" A drunk Audrey hollered from the crowd.
Christian ignored her.
Everything felt heightened, from the graze of Christian hair against my thighs as he parted them without using his hands to his hot breath against my skin. "Christian," I warned quietly, almost jolting at the kiss he pressed to my bare inner thigh. He laughed against me and I felt it all the way to my core.
I felt it all as his teeth grazed and nipped at my skin before he took the piece of lace between his teeth and tugged it down, sliding out from under my gown with the frilly lace in his mouth and his hair falling over his eyes, ruffled by the dress.
He pushed it away and took the lace in his hands, rising to his feet and pocketing it instead of tossing it to our audience. "We can keep that for later," he winked, taking my hand and pulling me up and into a kiss while everybody cheered.
"Later as in now or later as in right now?" I asked breathlessly once we pulled away.
He grinned, leaning down to my ear until his lips brushed against it. "As in right the fuck now," he whispered before bending at his knees and scooping me up in his arms, bridal style, making me squeal in surprise and hold on tight.
Without a word or sparing the others a glance, he walked right out the doors and up towards our room.
.
.
.
.
.
Chapter 52
I made the epilogue extra long since this is the very last thing I write just for them
ahhhhh omg I can't believe this book is over and idk how tf to feel about it. I'm so happy with the way their story turned out, even if I wasn't loving it the most at the very beginning. Christian and Jules have DEFINITELY grown to be one of my favorite couples ever, obviously up there with Rowan and Evie.
I think Rowan and Evie, Christian and Jules, and now Logan and Zarah are one little group, so maybe once I write Logan and Zarah's book, I'll club the three together and label it a series <3
feel free to give name suggestions for that series title
I just want to thank every single person who read and commented on this book, you guys motivated me to keep going with this story, and the fact that you loved these characters so much made me so happy and pushed me to continue and give you guys more of Christian and Jules <3
we will DEFINITELY be seeing this little group more in Logan and Zarah's book which is coming next ;)
I will be uploading the details for that VERY very soon so hopefully, I will see you all there <3
bye my lovesss