Broken Bonds (Unbreakable Bonds #1)

Epilogue

CELINE

TWO YEARS LATER

My nerves made me nauseous. The big day was here. I was finally graduating. In just a few moments, I would be walking across the stage and receiving my diploma. It was something so simple to do, yet I couldn’t stop freaking out over the littlest things. What if I tripped? What if I didn’t hear my name being called?

I searched for Ace in the crowd but couldn’t spot him before my name was called. But as soon as my name rang out from the speakers near the stage, my man jumped up, screaming my name in the big hall. My cheeks heated, but my heart rate calmed, my nerves easing a bit. I watched the ground, making sure I didn’t trip in my heels.

I shook hands with the head of the school, walked the length of the stage, and smiled at the man cheering for me in the crowd with my best friend at his side, screaming just as loudly.

Ryan had surprisingly fallen in love with the army life and enlisted for another two years a few months ago. He and Amber broke up a little over two years ago. She couldn’t handle the distance after a whole year of missing him, so she wrote a classic Dear John letter and hadn’t heard from him since.

She’d cried in my arms for hours . And Ryan was just as heartbroken. Sometimes, I thought he was just trying to avoid Amber rather than actually loving the Army.

When Ryan and I talked, he told me how much he missed her, but he understood distance was hard on a relationship. He was supposed to be here for my graduation, but his flight got delayed. I still hadn’t told Amber, hoping that once they saw each other, everything would be solved and my best friend wouldn’t spend all her Friday nights sleeping at my house, reminiscing on all the fun they used to have. I was pretty sure Ryan was just going to do what he always did when he came home though—avoid her as much as possible.

Since my name was one of the last of the alphabet, the rest of the ceremony passed quickly, and before I knew it, I was standing outside of the big hall, looking through the masses for the man I was hopelessly in love with.

I was nearly tackled to the ground when Amber ran into me, her arms wrapping around my body, her screaming voice right next to my ear. “Congratulations, bitch!” A few people turned to look at us, and I couldn’t help but laugh. Amber had absolutely no filter, and I loved her for it.

“Where’s Ace? Mom and Dad?” I turned to face her, unable to contain my smile at her excited face. She recently cut her long hair, and now, the usually untamable red locks barely brushed her shoulders, making her look much older than twenty-three. It suited her well, though I knew she sometimes missed having longer hair.

“Dunno.” She shrugged. “Left them behind.” I laughed at her. She was bouncing in her heels, her lips tightly pressed together. I arched a brow at her.

“What are you hiding?”

She adamantly shook her head, a dead giveaway that she she was lying to me. “Nothing, I swear!”

I playfully narrowed my eyes at her. “Tell me!”

“Turn around, Cece!” she squealed, and I turned, almost falling over when I saw my gorgeous, handsome man kneeling before me, his black hair gelled back, ocean-blue eyes shining with love, full lips twisted into a nervous smile. My eyes dropped to his shaking hands, spotting the small black box.

Oh, my God! He’s going to propose!

“Hey, princess,” he said softly, his voice husky, and I fought every instinct to drop to my knees and kiss him. Or beg him to drag me to a random bathroom. Why did he always have to look so good?

“Hey, Asshole.” He grinned, flashing his white teeth before swiping his tongue across his bottom lip, a nervous trait I picked up on over the past couple of years together.

He roughly cleared his throat. “Celine, I want you forever and always in my life. We’ve been through so much good and bad since I’ve known you, but I’m ready for more. I want to grow old with you.” He paused, swallowing. Tears blurred my vision, threatening to spill over. “My heart only beats for you, and it will for as long as I live. Will you be with me forever and always, Celine Wilson?”

The first tear rolled down my cheek as I fell into him, his steel arms wrapping around me as I nodded. “Yes, I’ll be with you forever and always, baby,” I croaked, my voice thick with happiness and tears. He pulled back and looked at me, his eyes shining with tears of love.

“I love you,” he rasped. “So damn much, baby girl.”

Crashing his lips to mine, he bit my bottom lip, seeking entrance, and slid his tongue against mine, a groan emerging from the back of his throat. My core clenched, and I clung to him, wishing we were at his apartment where we had some privacy.

In time. Only a few more hours, and then he and I could celebrate properly.

We pulled away, breathless as cheers erupted around us, and he slid the most exquisite princess cut ring on my finger, diamonds sparkling in the spring sun. He wrapped his arms around me and swung me around in a circle with a smile of triumph.

Looking over his shoulder, I saw my parents, Ryan, and Amber all smiling at us. Mom and Amber were crying, and Dad and Ryan had their arms crossed, both appearing overprotective, but failing at hiding their happiness. Ryan looked at Amber with the same affection he had two years ago, and I saw her sneak a glance at him.

Those two were made for each other. I just wished they hadn’t let distance rip them apart.

Ace held my face in his big hands, forcing my eyes back on his. I beamed at him, my heart swelling in my chest at the love and adoration shining in his eyes. “Thank you for fighting for me,” I told him softly. Tears rolled down my cheeks, remembering the hardest time of my life. The pain. The bruises. But he kept his promise that time.

Just as he’d kept every promise made to me after.

“I’ll always fight to be with you, baby girl,” he vowed.

I pressed my lips to his, whispering my words against his skin. “I love you, Mr. Asshole.”

He slid his fingers into my hair—a sure sign he was about to give me a kiss that was definitely not fit for public. But I couldn’t bring myself to care.

I was marrying this man.

“And I love you, princess.”