It was like he’d been holding his breath the whole time, because at my declaration the air rushed out of him, and we crashed into each other. His hands came up under my butt, lifting me onto him. Wrapping my legs around his waist, I met his open kiss with an eager one of my own. Tears poured down my face, and formed a salty seal around our lips. When his tongue slid into my mouth, I nearly whimpered, I’d forgotten how good he tasted. Everything within me came together then, every broken piece that had torn apart with Lucifer.

Lincoln finally broke away from me, taking my face in his hands, and looking straight into my eyes. “Your absence made me realize how much your presence had made me a better person. I don’t ever want to be without you again. Ever.”

“Neither do I.” I whimpered as he pulled me in for a tight hug.

We held each other for a moment, just breathing in each other’s scent, feeling the heat from our bodies. This was real. I was really back with Lincoln.

When he finally pulled away from me, he had a wild look in his eye. “Marry me. Tomorrow. Right when the courthouse opens,” he begged.

Laughter burst from my lips, complete and utter joy spreading throughout my limbs. We were soul mates, and I didn’t want to be without him for another day in my life. Life was too short for caution. I wanted to live my life to the fullest.

I just nodded because I couldn’t speak, and a huge, gorgeous grin swept across his face.

He pulled me into him again, my head tucked into his chest.

“I can’t believe this is real,” he murmured.

I sighed, relishing the warmth of his body against mine, his smell, his arms—everything.

“Let’s go home,” I told him.

He moved quickly then, releasing me before walking over to an overgrown brush. He made quick work of it, pulling large branches off what now was revealed as a hidden green pickup truck.

“Is Noah with you?” he asked.

He knew Noah would never leave Shea and me to navigate San Francisco alone.

I nodded, reaching into my pocket and pulling out the small vial of light magic that Raphael had given me.

“Yes, he’s fine. First, drink this. Lucifer can see everything you do outside of Fallen Academy. He could be watching you right now.”

Lincoln paused, looking a little alarmed, but then he downed the bottle in one quick swig, without further question.

After opening the passenger door and letting me inside, he went around and climbed into the truck. It was dusty, like it’d been sitting there a while, and when he turned on the key, it took a few times to get the engine to turn over again. I was getting the sense that time was of the essence and we shouldn’t linger, because he quickly pulled onto an overgrown path and made his way toward a main highway.

Reaching over to hold my hand, he glanced at me. “Tell me everything. Since the day we’ve been apart. I want to know it all.”

I took a deep breath, squeezing his hand tightly, and then I told him everything: Raksha and the drugs, Sera and having to leave her, making the promise with Lucifer, and his desire to have some weird baby with me. I told him every last bit of it until my voice started going hoarse.

He listened quietly, holding tightly to my hand the entire time, and I knew everything would be okay because we had each other.

Chapter Twenty-Six

We’d driven all night, only reaching Fallen Academy in the early hours of the morning, and promptly passing out, wrapped around each other inside of Lincoln’s trailer. Noah, Luke, Chloe, and Shea had all been there when we’d arrived, all thankfully unharmed.

Noah helped heal my knife laceration, and I’d been given a quick report on the people we’d saved from a life of slavery. They were being sorted into temporary housing, and given Angel City citizenship. After declaring to my mom and Shea that Lincoln and I were getting married when we woke up, we’d fallen asleep.

I peeled my eyes open to find Lincoln propped up on his side, staring at me with obvious adoration. He trailed his finger down my neck and across my collarbone. “I missed every part of you.”

My heart did somersaults at his words, and I almost couldn’t believe it was real, that we were finally together after everything. I had missed Lincoln’s naturally poetic love declarations.

Sitting up, I leaned in to kiss him when a loud bang sounded on the trailer door.

I froze.

“No seeing the bride before the wedding!” Shea hollered through the door.

I grinned, knowing in that moment without a shadow of a doubt that Shea hadn’t slept, and had probably been planning my wedding all morning.

Lincoln groaned as I leapt from the bed, flying across the small space to open the door.

Shea, Chloe, my mom, and Luke were standing there with a variety of cheesy bridal items, including a big penis-shaped lollypop that Chloe was sucking on eagerly.

“Come on, bride-to-be, we have a bachelorette brunch to go to!” Shea informed me, slipping a sash over my baggy pj’s that said ‘Bride.’

I laughed. “We just want a small courthouse thing.” Knowing Shea, she was going to make a huge deal of it.

She glared at me, hands on her hips. “Not gonna happen. Come on.”

I rolled my eyes. “Let me brush my teeth first!”

Shea yanked me forward. “No time. Wedding is in two hours.”

I spun around to see Lincoln holding my toothbrush filled with paste and a cup of water.

“Have fun. I love you, and I can’t wait to marry you,” he announced.

A collective “Aww” sounded behind me, as I took the items from him and popped up on my tiptoes to give him a kiss.

As I let Shea pull me toward the campus, I looked out onto the open field where we did battle formations and training sessions. It was being filled with rows of white chairs.

“Something tells me we aren’t getting married at the courthouse.” I smiled at my bestie, and started to brush my teeth.

Shea shook her head. “Ew, no. Archangel Michael has offered to officiate the service, and Bliss Donuts is totally catering.”

Spitting my toothpaste out onto the cement, I stopped to stare at Shea, then my mom and everyone else. “I love you guys.”

My mom reached out and rubbed my back. “I couldn’t be happier for you, hon.”

I leaned in, giving her a hug. Chloe piped up then. “Highlight of my day was hearing Shea argue with Michael that he needed to get ordained online.”

I burst out laughing, pulling away from my mom’s embrace. “You didn’t!” I just stared at her.

Shea shrugged. “I need to make sure this wedding is legally legit. Archangel or not, he needs to get the certificate.”

My mouth hung open. “Did he?”

Shea nodded. “Of course. Everything is set for two o’ clock.”

Oh my gosh.

I was blown away.

We walked to the school cafeteria together, which was just dying down from the lunch crowd, and sat at the back, where Shea had decorated the table with gawdy bride-to-be stuff. Angela, Fred, and tons of students stopped by one by one to congratulate me, and welcome me back. It was overwhelming and amazing; I felt so loved and welcomed.

“Okay, we have five minutes until hair and makeup. Should we use that time to throw this in Tiffany’s face or…?” Shea asked.

I chuckled. My mom had left to get my brother and would meet me later. Throwing my wedding in Tiffany’s face sounded pretty good, but I did have another idea.

“Where is hair and makeup?” I asked her.

“Our old dorm room. I kicked the first years who live there out for a few hours so we could reminisce.”

I grinned. “Okay, I’ll meet you there. I have one thing I need to do.”

I skipped away, still in my pj’s and bride sash, and made my way to Raphael’s office.

He called out for me to come in after only one rap on the door. There was something comforting about knowing he was always there, always in his office if I needed him.

When I opened the door, he looked up and immediately beamed at me. “Hello, Brielle. I’m glad you stopped by. I wanted to tell you how happy I am that you and Lincoln are back safely, and congratulate you on the upcoming nuptials.”

Stepping into the office, I closed the door behind me. “Thank you. I actually wanted to ask you a favor.”

I played with the hem of my bride sash nervously.

“Anything,” he replied sincerely.

My throat tightened with emotion. “Well, I’m getting married in an hour, and normally the bride’s dad walks her down the aisle. Since mine’s… gone, I was wondering… if you would.”

Raphael stepped out from behind his desk, eyes filled with emotion. “Brielle, I would be very honored to do that for you.”

I smiled shyly. “Okay, awesome. I’ll pick you up in an hour?”

He nodded. “It’s a date.”

I grinned. “Okay, I’ll see you later.”

Bursting from his office, I ran toward the dorm room I’d shared with Shea. I’d been gone a year, so who the hell knew where my clothes were, and I hadn’t had time to shop for anything super fancy. I might be getting married in my pj’s for all I knew, or cared.

When I peeled open the door, I saw my mom, Shea, Chloe, and Luke were all there holding curling irons and makeup bags. But what grabbed my attention was the simple white slip dress in my mom’s hands.

It looked familiar.

“Mom, is that…?” I was totally going to cry this entire day.

She nodded. “The dress I married your father in. It’s so simple, so I figure it’s kind of timeless. We didn’t have much money back then.”

“It’s perfect.” I tried and failed not to sound as emotional as I was. It was made of a shimmery white silk with spaghetti straps, and nothing else embellishment-wise. A simple, yet beautiful dress.

“Try it on so I can alter it while the girls are getting you ready.”

“Bless you for calling me one of the girls.” Luke looked touched, hand over his heart, and my mom blushed.

“Sorry, Luke, I forget you’re a boy sometimes with how well you can apply false eyelashes,” she told him, and we all busted out laughing.

It was true.

“I’m totally your maid of honor, right? I mean, you didn’t ask, but…?” Shea batted her lashes at me.

I chuckled. “Of course you are! Chloe and Luke, will you be my bridesmaids?”

They both nodded excitedly, and we started on our makeover. I’d spent the past year in Hell with no tweezers, so they had their work cut out for them.

As I sat there and let them fuss over me, I tried to soak it all up and just be happy. But there was something heavy pulling on my heart, something I could never forget.

I’d left two dear friends down there with Lucifer, and I wouldn’t ever be truly happy until I got them back. Getting married to Lincoln without Sera, or Raksha, there felt wrong in some ways. It was definitely something I wanted, but I also wanted to get them out of there. It was bittersweet.