Chapter forty: Why should I love you?

Five days later,

Kate shivers with excitement as Polly helps her secure the veil to her head. Kate's stomach is jumping with excitement. The rich scent of orange blossoms mingled with her deep pink rose bouquet.

"You look so beautiful." Polly walked around her, adjusting her dress here and there, causing her to smile. "How the hell did my nephew ever get a woman like you to fall in love with him?"

Kate smiles as she admires her reflection in the mirror. This dress was gorgeous. The light silk fabric flowed so nicely over her body that no alterations were needed, it fit her perfectly. The back of the dress had a long train, which was embroidered in delicate, white lace. The deep V back ended at the wide satin sash, which showed off her petite waist. The flirtatious ruffled sleeves stopped just above her elbows.

"Kate?" Anton called outside of the door.

"Come on in." she said cheerfully.

"Good, because your," his voice dies as he looks at her. She smiles. "you look lovely Kate."

"Thank you." he places a kiss on her cheek.

"Now, what were you saying?"

"Oh," he glanced at his watch. "your husband is getting pretty anxious. Apparently, we're running five minutes late."

"Really?" Polly says as she gathers up Kate's train. "Then let's go."

Kate takes Anton's extended arm. "Yes, lets."

"You sure you don't want out of this?" Anton teases as they hurry down the stairs. "I'm sure there's a duke that father could find you."

Kate shakes her head. "I'm sure. I want this man."

Anton says nothing else as they exit the restaurant. He had kept silent about the wedding to her father and as far, he knew, Anton was down here to draw up some business deal involving the pub with Arthur. The two of them had become friends. As she steps out onto the boardwalk, John is impatiently sitting in a black carriage, being drawn by a white horse. "Hello John."

"You look nice Kate." Kate smiles at John's blasé tone. He's probably upset about having to drive a carriage instead of a car. "Tommy's going f**king nuts about this whole waiting thing."

"Well," Anton helps her into the carriage. Polly carefully rearranges her skirt and veil inside the carriage. "let's not let keep him waiting much longer."

"No you don't!" Polly grabs a hold of Anton's arm. "You ride up front with John. I won't have you getting her dress with your shoes!"

"Yes mom!" Anton said sarcastically before cringing as he realizes that he called aunt Polly, 'mom'.

Polly smacks his shoulder with a smirk as she goes around to the other side of the carriage. "Welcome to the family."

"Gonna get dirty anyway." John says. "Wait till you see where the ceremony is."

Polly's face blanches. "Please God; say it's not in a horse stable!"

Kate simply smiled. She was ecstatic to be marrying Thomas Shelby, especially since it was now a new month and Kate hadn't had started her monthly course. Time would prove her suspicions, but it was probably as Thomas had predicted. She was most likely pregnant with his child at this moment.

"What the f**k, is taking so long?" Thomas demands impatiently.

"Take it easy Tom." Arthur says with a smile. "Women take forever, primping and all that. she'll be here." Thomas pats his pocket for a cigarette, but Arthur smacks his hand with a shake of his head. "You know she hates the smell."

"Right." He inhales and then exhales. "You got the ring?"

Jeremiah chuckles as Arthur shoots him an annoyed look. this has probably been the tenth time he'd asked him that. "Yes, now just calm down!"

Why Thomas thought he could pull off a wedding that she'd love, he never knew. If Kate was on her way to him, Christopher and Abigail would be setting up the restaurant for the reception. He'd actually let Polly have that task and she'd assured him that the restaurant would be ready for the wedding party by the time they'd gotten back from the ceremony. The cake was ready along with food for the family and few guests that had been invited.

He remembered how nervous Kate had been at John's wedding, too many people and guns made her nervous. Her wedding was going to be simple and intimate, just as she wanted. John would pick her up in the carriage and drive her up to this secluded spot in the forest where a large, solitary, blossoming, apple tree was. they'd exchange their vows and head back to the restaurant. There, they'd have their first dance to the song they first danced to. There would be music, dancing and celebrating before he'd whisk her back to their house.

The house wasn't quite ready for them to move into yet, but Thomas had made sure that the master bed and bath was ready. he and Kate had picked out the essential furniture for their room together. The two of them would be putting the last details of their house in order together in the days to come. ironically, he realized that he was looking forward to those days. He'd never seen himself as the kind of man who'd settle down in a somewhat domestic fashion, but he could see his life unfolding with Kate. There would be a few bumps and skirmishes, but they were unavoidable. As long as she was with him, anything would be possible.

"Oi," Arthur pats him on the shoulder. "here she comes."

Thomas exhaled deeply as he turned towards the carriage. He couldn't see Kate, her back was to him. John pulled up the horse, shooting him a thumb up before hopping down. John helps Polly out of the carriage, while Anton helps Kate down. For a moment, her face is obscured by the lace veil, then, she looks at him and his heart stops.

She is the most beautiful thing he's ever seen. Kate smiles broadly at him, her green eyes dancing as she clutches her brother's arm tightly. His nerves immediately subside at the sight of her. God, he wanted her by his side again. she smiles at him, her smile causing his soul to begin burning inside him. He'd never had this feeling of completeness inside of him until her.

Anton placed Kate's hand in his and Kate gazed at him, stars in her eyes. "Mr. Shelby."

"Mrs. Shelby." He can't help but smile at her as she adjusts his tie. "You're beautiful."

She blushed, as if she could sense his thoughts at this moment. "This," she gazes around the forest. "it's prefect. Thank you, so much. I love it."

"And I love you."

Jeremiah clears his throat, drawing their attention to him. "Alright you two, let's get you married."

He would never remember the actual ceremony; he was so lost in Kate. He barely remembered speaking his vows to her and everything became clear to him after he slid the ring on her finger and was granted the right to kiss his wife.

His wife.

His family applauded them and let out a few cheers as he kissed her deeply. he'd been aching to kiss her for five days and from the way Kate clung to him, he could tell that she'd missed being with him as well.

After hearing a few heckling sounds, he breaks the kiss, but Kate doesn't release him. "Give me a minute." She inhales deeply, her fingers pressing into his shoulders. "I just…want this moment to last a little longer."

"That's alright." He stated as he wrapped his arms tightly around her waist. she exhaled and closed her eyes. "Take it in as long as you want."

"I love you so much, Thomas Shelby." She murmurs.

"And I love you, Katherine Shelby. You're my angel and I'll make sure that your life is as close to Heaven as you can get on this earth. I've got you for the rest of my days. You're bound to me forever."

"Perfect." Kate lets out a murmur as she kisses his neck, causing him to smile. "I'm married to the love of my life and I've never been happier." As he moves to kiss her again, Kate murmurs. "This is heaven…I'm sure of it."

MeriemDjez: And, it's over. I hate ending stories!

Idcam: You'd be right, there will be a lot of drama in 'Wicked Game'. Because I'm so nice, I left a preview below. I was inspired by Sabrina!

Teaser

"My daughter, in two months is going to marry a German."

Thomas blinks. "I fail to see how that concerns me."

"I've failed to interest her in any other man."

"Maybe that's because she loves him." Thomas points out as he reaches for a cigarette.

Her father snorts. "Love? The girl is young and foolish. I've had them put off their wedding as long as I could, but now I can't."

"And, this concerns me how?"

"Because Mr. Shelby, you're a business man and I've got a business proposition for you. should, you be able to complete the task…I will make sure you get 100,000 pounds." Thomas chokes on his cigarette. "Interested?"

"For a sum like that…I'm assuming you want me to kill her fiancée?"

He snorts. "No, she'd never speak to me again if I did something as drastic as that."

"So what do you want me to do?"

"I want you, to seduce her." Thomas can only stare at her father. His father was bad, but, he would have never offered Ada to any man for such a sum. "I saw the way you looked at her and I also know you kissed her in Sabini's Club. You clearly fancy my daughter, so this task shouldn't be a problem for you."