Page 179 of Lau Ahi
When I saw her wearing her traditional clothing last night I should’ve known that today it would only be worse. I thought my emotions were out of this moment but they weren’t. I felt my breath catch in my throat. Me, a man who had been a literal weapon. Trained and used as a spy was left breathless, speechless and damn near mindless at the sight of a woman.
But she wasn’t just any woman.
I didn’t know who was more enamored with her as she walked, me or her father. His chest was tall, his smile full reaching all the way to his eyes. If I’d had any doubt of howmuch he cared about her it was made clear after the meeting at my condo and reaffirmed today. Seeing him now almost made me feel proud. He seemed happy to hand his daughter over to me in marriage. And although he was getting something out of the deal, I knew it was more than that. He trusted me and with a man like him and a daughter like her, that was worth its weight in gold.
Her steps to me were carefully measured, not rushing or dawdling just the right cadence to tempt me to run down the aisle to scoop her up in my arms. Since we had a large number of guests, the aisle was long and I drank in every inch of her.
Instead of a traditional dress, Asha was wearing a full bridal lace pantsuit. It had a halter neckline, no sleeves and a long tulle skirt billowed out behind her. It looked as though it was attached at the sides of her waist to ensure she had more than enough room to walk. As I requested, her glasses were on her face and a lace-edged veil perfectly framed her face and flowed down her back.
She looked perfect.
Angelic.
Mine.
Jahmir had walked down the aisle as a groomsman but had now taken his place at the front of the altar and out of the corner of my eye I could see that he was enjoying the emotions playing out on my features.
“Not a word.”
My threat was clear. Despite needing him to officiate, we’d be throwing punches and fucking up this elaborate altar that Jada had constructed and if she got upset then so would Smoke and we’d have all kinds of problems. It was better for everyone if he kept his observations to himself.
“Oh, I don’t need to say anything. Your lack of a poker face is confirming everything we already knew.”
He patted my shoulder as Asha made her way to me before he picked up the conch shell and blew into it. In royal times and for sacred ceremonies, this was always done and I would’ve been remiss not to keep the tradition alive today. The bridal party had been warned so no one flinched at the sound.
“Family, friends, colleagues and other honored guests. Today we are here to celebrate the joining of my brother Ori and his lovely bride Asha in holy matrimony. This celebration is one that holds special meaning to me. I’ve watched my friend grow and expand in ways that have shocked me. All I can say to you Asha is thank you. Thank you for your patience with him because I know he can try the nerves of a saint. Thank you for seeing him despite what he tries to hide from the world. And thank you for accepting him, flaws and all. You truly are a miracle worker and on behalf of his brothers, you have our never-ending gratitude.”
Asha’s eyes watered but she held her composure and smiled and Mir proceeded on with the ceremony. When it was time for vows Pappy proudly handed me the ring box and I took out the band that had alternating diamonds and sapphires in a filigree before I took her hand.
“I, Ori Akoni Franklin Nakoa take you Semira Asha Avery to be my wife. I vow to stand with you, to protect you in the moments when you can’t protect yourself. To entrust you with every part of me, even the broken, ugly pieces, to ensure this union is one that is successful and blessed in every sense of the word. I call youKa’iulanifor a reason. It means the highest, most exalted one, the best. It is said to be the highest point of heaven. That is what you are to me. The most exalted person in my life, as I take you for my wife, my partner and my person to walk this life with. The best person who could ever have been formed by God to handle the intricacies and stresses that will be put upon us. And the only one strong enough to see what I bring to the table and not turn running and screaming away in fear.”
I slid the ring on her finger, which was custom made to work with her engagement ring. It wasn’t the same sapphire since Kashmirs were so rare but the band was substantial enough to wear without her engagement ring. I knew that once she returned to teaching she might not want to be as flashy as she could be now but I wasn’t about to give her a bullshit wedding band. At least not for her official one. Nev had already made something more inline with her profession in case she wanted to be subtle. For today, the five-carat brilliant-cut band slid onto her finger with ease and I never took my eyes off her. She didn’t look uncertain but she definitely looked surprised again by the effort of everything that had gone on today.
I wanted to ask if she was okay but whatever thoughts were going through her mind seemed to vanish once she looked down at the ring I’d placed on her finger. As a sign of solidarity, I allowed my finger to rub the knuckle just above where I’d placed it pulling the softest smile onto her lips.
She turned and her sister who was waiting with my ring for Asha to take.
“I Semira Asha Avery take you Ori Akoni Franklin Nakoa to be my husband. I don’t believe in coincidence so fate throwing you into my path multiple times meant that we must be destined to have ended up here today. I promise to show the side of me that is reserved for those I trust. And you’ve become that person without question. That is what I endeavor for us to be. An impenetrable united front that … no one can break. I give you my trust, my independence and my person. Don’t make me ever regret the faith that I’ve placed in you by saying yes then or again today. You are my person who has been my safe space and proved to me repeatedly that I’m safe with you. I pledge to be with you until death do us part.”
As she slid the trillion-cut diamond band on my finger I leaned toward her and spoke softly enough that only she could hear.
“Your independence is something I would never want you to be parted from. It’s made you who you are. A woman I desire, one I can be proud of and one who will bear my last name. Cooperation, not domination,Ka’iulani. At least not outside of the bedroom.”
I leaned back and caught the smile that was on her face and the bashful way she kept her eyes on my hand. I knew I had my answer when her fingers grazed the knuckle above the band the same way mine had done hers.
We were in agreement.
I lifted her hand to my lips and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. A sign of respect but also a promise. A promise of a new beginning that we were both pledging to do our best to achieve. Something that simple meant everything to me.
“Who is that?” Alejandro’s entire body tensed up as his eyes focused on someone in the crowd. Immediately, every man was on alert as hands dipped into pockets, through suit jackets and to ankle holsters.
“Who?”
“No, not like that. Who is that bridesmaid with the curly hair?”
“What the fuck is this? Are you about to use my wedding as a place to hook up with people too?”
He looked around pissed that he wasn’t the only one trying to steal my shine today. “Who else did it?”
