Bound by Rapture (27 page)

“Are you ready?”

I glanced up at my dad and had to quickly glance away, afraid I would start crying. We had mended our relationship and I saw him on a regular basis, two to three times a week, which wasn’t hard, considering Cole and I had built a house on a portion of his ranch.

I had never planned to go back home. I always thought my life was meant to be in the big city, but then I realized home was the only place I wanted to be. Cole was even happier than I was about it, which shocked me, but he was happy most of the time now. It had been a long time since I’d seen him get angry or upset about anything. We’d moved Gran in with us, into her own personal wing, so I could be with her all the time. 

“I…am,” I said hesitantly, smoothing the lace on my simple white dress. 

“Well, hell, you should be, Julia. You made the man wait long enough. He only asked you a hundred times.”

I smiled. Cole had started asking just a month after everything that happened with Chris, but I’d told him no. We’d sat on a balcony overlooking the Nile River when he’d first asked. But it made me think of Elaine, every time I thought of marriage. It made me think of that day she’d pranced into the gas station with that rock on her finger. Even if she was married to someone else, and living in Russia now with a baby on the way, I still couldn’t shake the feeling. 

So, I had turned him down. And every month, week, day since then, he had asked me. Every time it was different. Sometimes it was in an exotic place where he was doing business. Other times it was in bed after we’d just made love. One time he’d attached the ring to Weasley’s collar with a little note. But it wasn’t until last month that I’d given in, when he’d gotten on his knee in the middle of the grocery store and swore he wouldn’t leave that spot until I agreed to be his wife. After two hours of shopping in the busy supermarket, and two hours of him blocking the canned corn from every angry mother of four in the place, I had agreed. Not because he was sitting on his knee like an idiot, but because I loved him more than anything. 

I’d wanted to marry him all along, but I was scared. Scared of our past and scared of our future. Scared of how things had ended with my mom and dad. I didn’t want us to end up that way.

“You’re not gonna end up like me and your momma did.” His words shocked me; even to this day I never told him I saw her, nor had I spoken of her again to anyone, not even Cole. “We weren’t meant to be together. But y’all are. That man loves you and nothing’s gonna change that, baby jewel.” He smiled down at me. His bright blue eyes just like mine. “Now let’s go out there and make him an honest man.”

I sucked in a deep breath and patted my hair. The aqua-colored strands hung in long, curly waves. I’d considered not dying it anymore and just being a blonde, but I had never seemed able to bring myself to do it. Plus, Cole seemed to really like the blue. 

The piano started to play and Dad held out his arm. I let him lead me into the small chapel. We hadn’t invited many guests. Just a few people filled the rows, from Gran, to my bridesman, Victor, to my soon to be mother-in-law, who had personally called me and visited on multiple occasions to try to convince me to marry her son—such a strange twist, right? Randy was there, too, and some of the others who worked round the clock for Cole. 

But none of them held my attention. Not like the man who waited for me at the altar. The man with dark hair loose around his face and a clean-shaven, angular jaw. He wore a black suit. And when I met his gaze I was engulfed in those dark blue pools. In passion, in love. It was how I felt every morning when I gazed into his eyes and every night when I went to sleep. He was my forever. 

Our past wasn’t perfect. Our future wouldn’t be, either. But we would be together, bound by the rapture of our flawed love.

And that was all I wanted. 

Thank you for taking the time to read the Rapture Trilogy. I hope you enjoyed it! This installment concludes Cole and Julia’s story. 

For more information on my other books, please visit my website. 

www.MeganDMartin.blogspot.com

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This book would not have been possible without the following amazing people:

Rosa Sophia
: My amazing editor who forces me to get my shit together.

Jade Eby
: My fucking awesome beta reader and life coach. She seriously listens to me whine ALL the time and I love love love her for it!

Paula & Drew Martin
: My parents, who are so awesome and supportive all the time. I wouldn’t have been able to finish this book without your love and support.

Bobby Martin
: My Granny, who believes in me always.

Maranda Jeter
: Who sits and listens to me about my stories, even when she doesn’t have to. She deserves so much credit for helping me with picking the attacker in this trilogy. I love you!

Melissa Martin
: Because her birthday is the day after this releases and she is amazingly awesome and beautiful! Happy Birthday pretty lady! Thank you for loving Cole just as much as I do! <3

And last, but certainly not least…YOU
: This book would not have possible without my amazing readers and y’all’s endless support. You guys seriously helped kick my butt into gear and for that I am eternally grateful!