A/N: Before you read on I'd like to indulge in some shameless self-promoting.

It would mean the world to me if you guys added Sealed With A Kiss to your library. I'll be posting new chapters up every week from now on so please give Cole and Poppy's story a shot.

Ok now enjoy the last chapter of Stealing the Groom, which also happens to be the first book I have ever completely finished!

P.S: Check out the string quartet version of Romeo + Juliet's (The Leo D version) song called "Kissing You." ------>
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XXXIII: The Letter

THE JOURNEY BACK to Italy was quite seriously the most impossible task I have ever endured. For starters, I had to wait in the airport for almost two hours for an open seat because I had to change the time of my flight, and by the time I was actually able to board the plane I was in a horrid mood. 

It didn't make matters any easier that I kept looking behind myself, my eyes searching to see if I'd catch a glimpse of a pair of familiar brown eyes amongst the sea of tourists.

My heart ached; I wanted nothing more than to get home already so I could have myself a nice little cry and pig out on ice-cream as I watch, yet again, Dirty Dancing. 

Another set of bad news was that in exchange for changing my flight, I had to take one with multiple stops.

Once in Chicago, I was ready to get back on a plane for Europe when a severe snow storm hit. No planes were coming in or out, and to my misfortune I was trapped in the States for another day longer. 

Upon hearing about my predicament, my assistant decided to make the best of things and set up an appointment with an art gallery representative. Handling the logistics of the gallery’s purchase took a few more days, and by the time I was back in a first class seat flying over the Atlantic ocean, I had become a couple hundred thousand dollars richer. 

The second stop was in London. I took advantage of the trip and did some shopping in the airport as I waited for my flight to try and distract myself. 

Sitting down in a hard, plastic chair after passing by the security detail, I stared numbly at my new Pucci bag and felt nothing, not even an ounce of excitement. I felt dead inside, completely and utterly gutted out. 

I felt the cautionary sting in my eyes, and before I could let the hot, wet tears fall down my face I sat up straight and blinked them away. Taking the Pucci purse, I busied myself with transferring the contents of my messenger into the brand new leather bag. My hands stilled as I came across my phone. It was off, It had been since I ran out of battery on my way to the airport in New York. 

No use turning it on now, not if all I would find would be missed calls from my mother for daring to leave town without telling her. Stuffing it into the front pocket, I moved on until I ‘d gotten everything out of the old bag. Everything except an old, worn envelope.

My breath hitched when I realized what it was. Tears blurred my vision, and my hands shook as I slowly brought the envelope up for closer inspection.

It was the letter from Max that I’d found in his old locker at The Brew. With everything that had happened, it had completely slipped my mind to read it.

Now I wasn’t too sure I wanted to. 

My head snapped up as my flight was called to board the plane. Carefully placing the letter in my bag, I stood and carried my luggage. My legs kept moving forward, but my mind was elsewhere, high in the clouds and deep in the past. 

THE BUZZ OF AMERIGO VESPUCCI AIRPORT was nothing compared to the chaos that was going on in my head. My movements were slow and labored, almost as if I were too tired to keep going. 

The letter, written in Max’s barely legible penmanship, had taken life of its own and stabbed me right through the heart. His words kept flashing in my mind, making even walking to pick up my luggage arduous.

I think I’ve written this letter at least a thousand times...I just can’t seem to get the words right.

My eyes shut painfully tight. Keeping my composure was proving to be difficult, and I didn’t want to cause a scene in the middle of a busy airport.

A lot’s happened since you’ve been gone. Hannah turned another year older, and has become even more of a brat, always speaking her mind and never taking ‘no’ for an answer. My mom’s gone now, just as you’ve done, and nothing no longer keeps me in town.

I spotted my suitcase from a distance and took a deep breath before approaching it. 

I’ve been offered an internship in New York. It seems like a good thing for me, but also for Hannah. Everything here reminds her of you and Mom.

A man nearby helped me retrieve my things and I thanked him. 

“Miss, are you alright?” the man asked in a polite tone. I nodded and took my bags.

I’m writing to say that this is the end for us.

God I felt sick. I wanted to cry and scream and sleep and forget I ever went home and erase his words from my memory. But I couldn’t because they had already been imprinted into my very being.

I waited for you a whole year, and I would wait for you for a hundred more if you had asked me to. But I need to think about what’s best for Hannah. She needs a change of scenery and a change of life, and I’m going to give her that. 

I pulled my luggage behind me, each step feeling heavier than the first.

I haven’t stopped loving you, Elle, and I don’t think I ever will. But when you left you took a part of me with you. You’re never coming back, and I need to start looking for a way to fill that void.

I passed an employee who smiled warmly at me. “Welcome to Florence! Enjoy you visit. Addio, signora!”

If by some miracle we meet again, I’d like for us to start over. I’d be for you anything you need me to be, whether that be a companion, a lover, a friend...well that’s up to you. But just know this: if I see you and your crazy-blue eyes once more before I die, no matter if we’re twenty-five of eighty-five, I won’t let you go as easily. I’ll take what you can give me and be content.

My legs gave out and I let myself fall into a chair clutching my chest. I pulled out the letter and stared down at the bottom of the page. He’d signed and dated it “Till We Meet Again.”

Loving you more today than the first,

Max.

I’m not sure exactly how long I sat there in the middle of the airport. But it must have been a while because a guard warily approached me to ask if I was alright. I gave a weak nod and refused when he offered to call someone to pick me up. No one is here, I’m alone, I wanted to tell the guard, but I settled for a simple ‘no thank you.’ 

Pulling my phone out, I turned it on and stood to take my things. As the screen lit up with dozens of messages and countless calls, I walked towards the exits.

Noticing that aside from the seventy calls from my mother (which I ignored) I had at least fifteen from Dante and Cole, and I began to worry.

Calling my voicemail, I winced as the operator announced that I had over thirty unread messages. I skipped right past the ones from my mother and deleted them without an ounce of remorse. 

“Cara,” Dante’s smooth voice filled the  speaker. “All Hell’s gone loose. Hastings went to the F.B.I. Call me as soon as you can.”

My steps came to an end just as the voicemail ended. I quickly dialed Dante, not caring about the time difference.

“Cara,” he answered on the first ring. “Merda! You had me so worried...”

“Dante, what’s happened?” I squished the phone between my cheek and my shoulder and continued walking.

“Chaos can’t even begin to describe what’s going on. Maxton went to the F.B.I a few days ago. He took with him enough evidence to have Byron arrested and charged on the spot. All the Mercer accounts have been frozen and your family is in a panic. The press is eating this all up, especially since the trial is in a few short weeks. Byron’s refusing to go down without a fight, or at least without taking everyone down with him.”

“What!” my jaw dropped in astonishment. “When did this happen? When was Byron arrested?”

The line was silent for a moment. “Dante, hello? Have I lost signal?”

“No, I’m still here.”

“Well go on, tell me.”

I heard Dante mutter something before he sighed. “New Years Eve.”

“What?” I asked as my feet once again froze. Perhaps I heard wrong...

“Maxton had Byron arrested on December 31st.”

“B-but that’s impossible. That’s his wedding day.”

Dante sighed again and spoke after a long pause. “He canceled the wedding.”

My lips parted in surprise.

Not because of what Dante said, but because of the sight before me. 

A man stood with his back to me. He was dressed casually in a pair of dark wash jeans and a navy V-neck. He was starring off into the distance, giving me the perfect angle to stare at his strong, chiseled jaw. 

“Elle?” Dante’s voice said in the speaker. “Are you--” My hand fell lifeless to my side after I ended the call.  

The man held a sign behind him as he checked the time on his phone. The sign made me smile. It read “Crazy-blue eyed beauty.”

I slowly approached, my mind refusing to believe what my eyes were seeing. The man heard my footsteps and turned to face me. His chocolate brown eyes met my own and it was as if it were just the two of us there. Every noise seemed to disappear, each person ceased to exist. 

“H-Hi,” I finally said. 

Max shook his head with an amused smile on his lips. “Geez, a guy walks out of his own wedding and follows you halfway across the world and all I get is ‘hi’?” 

“My God,” I said as my hand came up to smother my shaky breaths. I couldn’t form a proper response even if I tried. “W-what...how are you here right now?”

“I took a plane. Unlike you, I flew straight here after the storm in the midwest blew over.”

“No, I don’t mean that. I was talking about the wedding. Max, what have you done?” My eyes took in his expression. He looked away and stared at the people around us. 

“Did you ever get my letter?” He didn’t give any more detail but I knew which letter he was talking about.

Max glanced over and I nodded. “I wrote that when I was young and stupid and hurt. I don’t want to be your companion or your lover or your friend, Elle.”

I frowned and swallowed past the lump that formed in my throat. “Then why are you here?”

Max reached forward and brushed a piece of hair away from my face. “I don’t want to be just your companion or friend or lover...”

My breath hitched as Max’s fingers gently grasped each side of my face. “Elle, I want it all with you. I let you go once before, and paid five years in Hell without you. I’m not about to make that same mistake again.”

“B-But Simone! What about her? She doesn’t deserve this. What about Dante and Cole and Hannah, hell even Byron? What about everyone that we left behind to deal with this mess?”

Max crouched down and lightly kissed my forehead. The tenderness of the moment caused my eyes to drift shut, and for a second I thought about what he was actually saying. He’d left the money and all the things that came with it behind for me; for us.

“I know there’s a lot of shit to deal with back home, but I frankly don’t give a damn. All I care about right now is you.” He paused and stared deep into my eyes, willing me to understand.

“I gave up on us once, but I won’t do it again. Not as long as your beautiful crazy blue eyes stare at me like that, not when my entire being yearns for you, not when I love you so much it hurts, not I’m so drunk on you it drives me insane!” 

I let out a soft sob and instinctively Max pulled me closer. “ I love you Elle, I never stopped loving you. I don’t care about the rest. We’ll figure it all out later, together.”

Max tipped my chin up to face him. His eyes searched mine, “Goddammit Elle, say something. Please.”

I shook my head and pushed his hands away gently. “There’s nothing more to say.”

His eyes filled with pain and regret. “Elle...” Max said in a strangled voice.

“Let me finish.” I took a step forward. “There’s nothing left to say. I want everything with you, too.”

The blinding smile I love so much grew on his lips as his hand at my lower back pulled me against him. His lips met mine and he kissed me as if I were a priceless wine he’s allowed to mature and only now after so many years he is tasting. He savored my lips, reverently caressed my cheek, and delicately tangled his hands in my long hair. 

When we pulled back, Max refused to let me go. He pressed his forehead against mine and gave me a small smile. “I love you Max, you’ll never know how much.”

“I think I have a pretty good idea.” He kissed me again.

I broke the kiss and hugged myself in shame. “What’s wrong?”

I sighed and looked away from his beautiful, stormy eyes. “Nothing, I guess I just...I stole the groom, huh?”

Max laughed and pulled me into another toe curling, spine tingling, earth shattering kiss. “Elle, I’ve been yours since the day you set those crazy blue eyes on me.”

“Max, I’m being serious. I need to call Cole, see how Simone is and goodness, I can’t even imagine the things people are whispering about us. And then there's --"

“Hey,” Max said shaking my shoulders. “You can’t steal something that was already yours, Elle.”

I sighed and buried my face in his chest. “This is such a mess.”

Max hugged me tight. “Nothing we can’t handle.”

“You really believe that, don’t you?” I said pulling back far enough to take in his expression.

“I believe in us, Elle. The rest will follow.” Max kissed me again, this time with  hunger and so much love that I felt my knees buckle. 

“Do you?” he asked softly. “Do you believe in us, Elle?”

“Yes,” I said with a smile, the first real smile I’ve worn since I last believed and hoped and loved. 

“I do.”

_____________________________________________________________________________________ A/N: Epilogue and final Afterword coming within the next few days! I'll thank everyone properly in my last authors note, but for now I'm just glad that I finally finished Stealing the Groom and thank you for reading.

I hope you all enjoyed it at least half as much as I thouroughly enjoyed writing it.