Saving Innocence (Luca and Caden #2) (manxman) (boyxboy)

Prologue

Luca’s POV.

My heart soared with joy when I saw him. He stood proudly in the font of the open room. He looked gorgeous in his dark black suit and brown tie. When I walked into the room, he looked back and our eyes met. The happiness that glowed in his eyes was enough to stop me in my tracks. And that’s when it sunk it.

I’m getting married.

It had taken a few years, lots of personal growth and a few hard times, but we were finally getting married.

When he first asked me, around six years ago now, I’d said no. I felt bad almost immediately when hurt had flashed across his eyes. But he wasn’t ready for that sort of thing. That’s what I had thought anyway. But he asked me the next day in front of everyone. It wasn’t overly romantic or extravagant. But it was perfect. He was perfect.

Nonnina and nonnino had both seen us get engaged. But the time came, just after I left the hospital, for nonnino to go. He’d gotten sicker and sicker until finally, his body just gave up. Our whole family had been there. I was with him when he died, though. I was with both of them when they died, holding their hands as they slipped into the darkness. Nonnina didn’t last long after nonnino. She lived long enough to see us all—mostly me—through the grieving period. I’ll admit; I wasn’t very good after nonnino died.

I blinked as I stepped beside Caden. My fiancé. My almost husband. Those memories were painful, but they’d made me stronger and made us stronger as a couple. He’d supported me through all of that and now it was our time. I was marrying the person who saved me. The person who loved me. The man who managed to steal my breath every day.

“Hi,” I said softly. He smiled.

“Hey you,” Caden whispered affectionately.

He grabbed my hand and we turned to face mamma. She was officiating the ceremony. Since neither of us was particularly religious, it made sense for us to do it non-traditionally, and Caden had wanted the woman who fought for me to marry us. Who was I to stand in the way of what he wanted? Anyway, it meant a lot to mamma. She hadn’t seen us kids a lot after we all moved out and she married Keith. She was happier than I had ever seen her, though. And I was thankful every day for that. Nonnino and nonnina would have been happy for her. We were happy for her. Dante included.

“We are gathered here to witness the joining of Caden and Luca. Two boys who were born to be together, and who have faced serious obstacles, but came out fighting. They have survived more than any young couple I have ever met, and it is my honor to marry these two wonderful boys.” Mamma’s voice broke a couple of times, but she never stopped. Not once.

She said all the legal stuff first. That was something we had told her to do. Neither of us wanted to be crying during the important legal stuff, so we’d agreed to get those pesky details out of the way before we said our vows.

“Who’d like to say their vows first?” mamma asked once she’d finished.

Caden turned to look at me. His grey eyes were filled with tears. But the love shining in them was what took my breath away and made my knees weak. He was everything to me. Everything. And I wouldn’t have made it through the last few years without him. I felt more alive listening to him, looking at him, than I ever had before.

“Luca, before we met I was... I can admit it, I was an ass. But you helped me see the good in me. You taught me how to love and love with all my heart,” he sniffled just a little. “I have never met anyone who could love me the way you do. And I’ve never wanted to be loved by anyone more than you.  You’re my forever, Luca. And I promise you, no matter where you go or what you do, I’ll be with you as your husband, your lover, and your friend.” He breathed out, it sounded a bit like a sob. “I love you Luca Capaletti,” he finally spit out and he wasn’t able to talk again.

I smiled at him. His words might not have been what everyone would have expected from the man, but those were the words I knew he would say. He’d been saying them every day since we got together.

“Caden. When I met you, I was broken. I can admit it now; I wanted to die. But you wouldn’t let me. You clung to the person you saw, not the person you were faced with,” I coughed, trying to clear my throat. “I’ve loved you since we met and I’m so glad you never gave up on me. Life is beautiful and worth living because of you. I breathe every day and I don’t want to stop. I can’t bear the thought of being apart from you and it kills me when we’re separated. You are my whole world and nothing could change that. I’ll never love anyone again, because I’ve had the best and sometimes the best is all you need. I love you so fucking much, Caden Hayes. And I’ll never let you forget that.”

People were crying around us. I wasn’t paying attention to them at all. My eyes were fixed on Caden’s as he looked at me again. I swear I could have died then and I would have died a happy man. I’d never thought I could do that to him again—make him cry—but there he was, crying openly in front of everyone. Without shame or reservation. It was a really beautiful thing. His tears weren’t of sadness like the ones I had caused before. No, these were happy tears. Tears shed for our future together and what was to come.

Mamma sniffled beside me and asked for the rings. Ty handed Caden his and Dante gave Mac Caden’s ring, and she handed it to me. I tickled her cheek and she giggled in my brothers arms. She’d grown so much in the last few years. She was definitely her mamma’s daughter too. Full of mischief and laughter. And Dante. Well, my brother was just proud. He’d seen me thrive and grow, and he was the most supportive brother ever. I loved him for it.

“With this ring I thee wed,” Caden whispered as he slid the ring on my finger. A smile touching the corners of his lips as he watched me. My heart swelled with love.

I did the same to him and muttered the same words softly. Those words felt so good on my tongue.

“With the power vested in me by the state of New York, I now pronounce you husband and husband,” mamma said as she smiled at us. “You may now kiss your husband.”

We smiled. He moved first and pulled me into his arms, sealing his mouth against mine. And that’s how we were married.