Chapter 31
**Skyler Johnson**
"You look like a dream." My mother says as she wipes the tear from the corner of her eyes. I can't even bring myself to roll my eyes at her dramatics because I feel like tearing up myself. As I stare at myself in the mirror I can't help but feel every bit like a princess in my gown. The ball gown has a white bust but the skirt has an ombre blue going all the way from baby blue at the top to the darkest midnight blue at the bottom and I can only thank the designer for not ruining the colours as they fade into each other.
"Thank you." I whisper and give my mother a grateful smile because I know she must have spent hours on this dress. "For everything." I add and although I can never fully tell her how much she means to me this has to be the start.
"No need to thank me, honey. It's what mother's do." She says and I find myself nodding. A nock on the door brings us out of our moment and seconds later Gabriel enters the room. He looks over at me and the corners of his mouth lifts just a little as he walks into the room. "I'll give the two of you some time." My mother says as she walks out of the room.
"You actually look good." Gabriel says and I laugh. "Xavier wanted to make sure you weren't having a breakdown." He says as my laugher dies down and I shake my head.
"No breakdown here. You can go back and tell him to stop worrying, it doesn't suit him." I tell him and he nods. Silence falls between us and I know he wants to say something but I don't rush him.
"I didn't like you, you know." He starts and he rolls my eyes. "I thought you were stuck up and spoiled when I first met you and I wasn't far off." He says and I shrug because it's true.
"That's sweet of you to say." I say in a flat tone, even though I have a smile on my face.
"Oh, and you're annoying as fuck." He says but this time he smiles. "You're one of us though and we protect our own." He says and I give him a grateful smile. "So, now that you've gone insane, do you think we can go to the range sometime?" He asks and I laugh but give him a nod.
"I would love to. Now go and tell Xavier to stop worrying." I say and he doesn't waist any more time to leave the room. My mother, Cecil, Candice and the rest of the bride's maids come back into the room after that and before I know it my vail is being pinned to my hair and thrown over my face.
Minutes later my father is the only one with me in the room and although we don't say anything to each other we understand everything that we ever needed to say. We just stare at each other until someone comes to tell us it's time and as I slide my hand into my father's I realize I'm always going to be his princess. As we walk down the isle and Xavier's looking like a dream in his navy blue suit I know I'm always going to be his queen.
It all goes so fast. Much faster than I thought it would. The priest says something but the only thing I understand is that Xavier is my husband by the end of it all. Candice hands us the rings while we're saying our vows and when Xavier kisses me if feels like the whole world could fade away, as long as I was in his hands. It's when he pulls back I know my world is going to be alright.
"I love you." He whispers and my breath hitches because I know it's not a lie by the look in his eyes. Tears start falling down my face and Xavier looks panicked.
"I'm fine, stop worrying so much, it doesn't fit you." I tell him, wiping my tears while he lets out a breathless laugh and kisses me again. "I love you." I tell him and his face goes serious but his eyes tells me everything I need to know.
"Okay, you can go make babies later." Gabe suddenly says and I glare at him but he doesn't seem to care. People around us smile as we make our way past them and towards the tent, where the reception is taking place.
"How long do we have to stay here?" Xavier asks as we take our seat on the couch where we're going to take pictures with everyone.
"As long as we want to." I say and he nods.
"So, we can go now?" I glare at him when the question leaves his lips and he sighs. "You owe me so much." He says and I shake my head.
"I don't owe you anything, buddy." I tell him and he gives me a heated stare.
"You're mine now and I'm not waiting any longer to have my way with you." He says and I can feel my cheeks burn up.
"I want to be first!" Candice shouts as she rushes over and takes a seat on her brother's lap, like she hasn't been running back and forth all morning to take pictures with us. People around us laugh but they let her have her fun before the photographer starts to call different people to take pictures with us. Xavier makes me dizzy with all the kisses he steals in between shots and I know someone's taking photo's of that too. It takes us a while to complete the pictures with the family and then Xavier and I are moved around the whole backyard like puppets by everyone as we take pictures by ourselves.
"I'm proud of you." My father whispers in my ear as the song we're dancing to plays in the back yard.
"There's nothing to be proud of." I tell him because I haven't done anything lately that makes me feel worthy of praise.
"Oh, but I think there is." He says before he turns me and I find myself in the arms of a dark eyed man. Xavier twirls me around the dance floor some more before he finally just holds me in his arms while people join us on the dance floor.
"So, I was told to give you a gift." He whispers in my ear and I roll my eyes.
"Of course you were." I say and I feel his chest vibrating as he laughs.
"Come on." He says, leading me of the dance floor and into the darkness of the night. I follow him down the path that they made with fairy lights and into the house. He leads me into the kitchen where a box is waiting for us on the counter. "Open it." He whispers in my ear and wraps his arms around my waist.
"Xavier." I breath as I pull away the gift paper that's covering my gift. I lift it up, the steel cold in my hands but that's not what makes this special. SMB is engraved on the barrel of the gun in a pale pink colour and I'm aware of how weird this would be to other people but to me it's the perfect gift.
"Welcome to the mafia, Mrs. Black." He says and I don't think any other words has ever meant something to significant to me as those do at this very moment.