Page 46 of Midnight Rebel
The ceremony passes in a blur of emotion and promises. We speak our vows—words about finding light in the darkness, about choosing each other every day, about building something beautiful from ruins.
When Colt slides the ring onto my finger, his hands are steady but his voice is rough with emotion.
“Two years ago,” he says, loud enough for everyone to hear, “a stubborn journalist in a mask walked into my life and turned everything upside down. She saw past the leather, past the rumors, past every wall I’d built. She saw me.”
His thumb brushes across my knuckles. “And I saw her—my Firefly, bringing light to all my dark places.”
I blink back tears as I place his ring on his finger. “And I found my Ghost,” I reply, my voice shaky but sure. “The man who taught me that sometimes the scariest stories have the most beautiful endings.”
“I love you,” he murmurs as he leans in to kiss me, and the garden erupts in cheers and the distinctive sound of motorcycle engines revving in celebration.
The reception flows seamlessly from ceremony to celebration, just like we planned. The restored ballroom where we first danced now sparkles with hundreds of tiny lights, the elegant chandeliers draped with subtle cobwebs that catch the light.
Each table features carved pumpkins alongside elegant flower arrangements, mixing The Manor’s spooky charm with wedding elegance.
The MC’s wedding gift reveals their softer side—a handcrafted leather-bound album filled with photographs and newspaper clippings chronicling our story, from that first masquerade ball to today.
The final page holds a key to a cabin near The Manor’s lake, restored by the MC themselves.
“Everyone needs a getaway,” Hawk says gruffly, though his eyes are suspiciously bright. “Somewhere just for you two.”
Colt’s arm tightens around my waist as we flip through the pages. “You knew about this?” I ask him.
“I need to keep a few secrets, if only to keep you guessing,” he murmurs against my ear.
As the night progresses, I find myself watching him move through the crowd. He shifts seamlessly between his worlds now—discussing Manor business with Margaret one minute, planning MC rides the next, then turning to welcome the mayor with the easy grace of someone who’s finally found his place.
The dance floor fills as the band plays, and I smile watching Hawk awkwardly twirl Margaret while Skylar teaches some of the younger MC members proper dance steps.
More guests arrive for the public portion of the evening—the whole town has been invited to join the celebration after dinner.
“Penny for your thoughts?” Colt asks, appearing at my side and pulling me close as another song begins.
“I was thinking about masks,” I say, running my fingers along his collar. “And how far we’ve come since that first night.”
He chuckles, the sound rumbling through his chest. “I knew you were trouble the moment I saw you in that mask, lurking in the garden with a camera in one hand.”
“Trouble?” I arch an eyebrow. “I prefer to think of it as journalistic curiosity.”
“Call it what you want, Firefly,” he murmurs, spinning me under the chandelier’s light. “But it led us here.”
I lean into him, savoring the moment. The Manor hums with life around us—music, laughter, the blend of our two worlds celebrating together. The old house has never felt more alive, more full of purpose.
“No regrets?” I ask softly.
Colt turns me to face him fully, his blue eyes intense. “Not a single one. You’re my home, Autumn Montgomery. Everything else—The Manor, the MC, this town—it’s just extra.”
“Even when I’m chasing down dangerous stories?”
His smirk deepens. “Especially then. Though I prefer being your backup these days instead of your subject.”
I rise on my toes to kiss him, not caring that our guests are watching. We’ve earned this moment, this happiness, this future we’re building together.
As we break apart, the opening notes of a familiar song fill the air—the same one that was playing during the masquerade when we first met.
Colt’s smile turns wicked. “Dance with me, Firefly?”
“Always,” I reply, letting him pull me close.