Page 187 of Deacon

The final day of our dreamy wedding weekend arrived too soon.

Guests ate a late breakfast that Simon and Yumi prepped, a massive spread of local pastries, fresh fruit, and savory tortillas.

We all took a dip in the pool as others braved the cool ocean waves.

We kept eating and celebrating all day long, savoring the last few hours under the Spanish sun with a relaxed, Mediterranean-style vibe.

The following day, our guests began to scatter.

Deacon and I continued our honeymoon at Villa de Alegría, while Raff headed off with Yumi, Simon, and Christina for a tour of Mallorca, Barcelona, and Benidorm.

We planned to meet them in Madrid for the concluding leg of our holiday.

And as much as the weekend was the start of our new season of married life, the wedding became a travel starting point for our invitees.

‘I think we’ve made everyone fall in love with Spain,’ I told Deacon later as we stood on the porch of our villa, looking out to the vast ocean as the sunset painted the sky in shades of amber and violet.

His strong arms wrapped tight around my waist, and I leaned back into his solid chest before turning for a long, breathless kiss.

‘How so?’ he rasped, letting me catch my breath.

‘Marcus and Clara have extended their stay to explore Cudillero, Angel and Roxy are headed to Lanzarote, and Divina and Davon are kicking on to Andalusia.’

‘Seems our love has opened the door to Spain for the people we adore,’ Deacon murmured, his lips on my temple. ‘Can’t beat that, babe. Can’t also outdo the fact that we survived the dark years, and now, we’re baskin’ in the freakin’ light.’

I shook my head at him, arching a brow. ‘And you call me corny and cringe.’

He chuckled and kissed the corners of my eyes, holding me close as the sun slid beneath the horizon.

Chapter 37

DEACON

SEVEN WEEKS LATER

The morning sun fell across our main bedroom, warming our bed.

I lay with my head resting on my wife’s chest, listening to the steady beat of her heart under my ear.

Her fingers ran through my hair, stroking my head just how I liked.

We were back from our honeymoon in Spain, our relationship closer and stronger than ever.

Months before the wedding, Ana moved into my place, renting out her cottage, which made total sense for us.

My house was nearer to Raff’s school, the city, and the Six Sinners’ HQ downtown.

We already had plans for a few minor renovations, a proper interior-decor refresh, and maybe adding new art to the walls.

We’d even talked about swinging by Angel’s wife, Roxy’s gallery next week to pick out several key pieces.

This solid, healed space we were in now was hard-earned after years on an emotional rollercoaster.

In our marriage now, Ana and I operated under strict ground rules.

Neither of us would wait until we were bitter or resentful to speak up.

We hashed out whatever mess we made until we got it right, no matter how long it took.