Up ahead I see the signal and then I’m running through the grass. My lungs burn from the run, and it feels like there are wolves nipping at my heels. The rear car door opens, and I leap inside a second before it takes off. Sienna and I fall across the back seat, and I breathe for the first time in what feels like hours.
Sienna sits up on the seat and pushes her long hair out of her face. “Sugar,” Leo says when her eyes land on him, and then she launches herself into his arms.
“Dad!” she cries, and I look up in the rearview mirror at Sam, who nods at me.
“We did it,” I pant and close my eyes in relief.
Chapter Thirteen
Sienna
One week later…
Standing in front of the mirror, I hold my locket between my two fingers. I take a moment to remember my mom, and my eyes water knowing she would have loved to be here today. It’s days like this that I miss her most of all. What girl doesn't want their mom beside them on their wedding day?
“You're breathtaking, honey,” Margaret says as she comes to stand behind me. “You look so much like your mother.” I blink rapidly, trying not to cry and ruin the makeup Margaret put on me. I turn around to face her.
“Thank you for being here. You’ve really been an amazing stand-in mom for me over the years.” I lose the battle, a few tears escaping.
“Oh honey.” She pulls me in for a hug. “You're the daughter I never had and one day soon I’m sure you’ll make me a grandma.”
“Yes.” I nod. I love the idea of our kids calling her "Grandma.”
“Now, let's get you cleaned up.” Margaret grabs a tissue and pats my cheeks with it to stop my makeup from running.
“My turn?” Dad asks, stepping into the room.
“I just got her to stop crying,” Margaret teases with a smile on her lips.
“The last thing I ever want to do is make my daughter cry.” He walks over toward me as Margaret slips out of the room, leaving us alone. It’s still hard for me to believe my dad’s here in front of me. My Kai gave me that, and he saved us all.
“I see so much of your mother in you.” He leans in and places a kiss on my cheek. “I know she would have given her blessing to this wedding. Love always won out for her.”
“And you?” I ask. He hasn't made any protest, but he also hasn't been excited about it either. Honestly, when it came to the wedding it was hard to read his mood.
“You have my blessing and not because I owe Kai, but because I’ve seen you two together. There is no denying you’re both in love. He would lay down his life for you. There’s nothing more I could ever ask for from the man who wants to marry my daughter.”
“Really?” He nods and gives me the final thing I need for my wedding day.
“If I’ve given you reason to think otherwise, I’m sorry, sugar. It wouldn't matter who you marry. It’s still a bit hard for me. You’ve been my little girl for so long, and here you are, a bride.”
“Oh, Dad, I’ll always be your little girl. I love you so much.” He pulls me in for a hug.
“I love you too, Sugar. Now let's get you married before Kai comes charging in here. He’s been pacing the whole time.”
Dad offers me his arm and I take it as he leads me outside and down to the beach. We came to the island right after Kai saved me. There was no way we could have gone back to the estate, but it didn’t matter to me. I don’t care where I live as long as I have the people I love around me.
Thankfully my dad is always a few steps ahead of everyone. His friend Sean Sparrow helped him broker a deal for a private island. It’s a safe location with no ties to our old life. Right now we’re on the island of Lanai where Kai was born, but only for the wedding. He wanted to have his family here with us, if only in spirit. After this, there’s a private island waiting for us that Sean and his wife Tessa live near. They’re only a short boat ride away on their own island, and from what I’ve discovered, I think they are laying low too.
Kai stops pacing when he sees me and my dad coming toward him, and his smile grows. I know he’s fighting not to walk over to me and pull me into my arms. But he knows it’s important to me that my dad walks me down the aisle.
The last week with Kai has solidified what I already knew: that I love him. We haven't been apart for more than a few minutes since he saved me. Well, since he saved us all.