Mistake (completed)

As soon as I walked in the door everyone started pointing and whispering. I zero in on Cadence. I see her stiffen and slowly turn towards me slowly likes she's afraid it's all in her head.

"Antonio?" she whispers as she pinches herself.

"Tony!"

She gets up and flies into my arms, legs wrapped around me hands in my hair.

"Yo-you're h-here, yo-you're really here." she cries and sniffles.

"I am and I am so damn sorry Cadence".

I hold her tight one hand balled up in her shirt and the other flat against her warm skin.

"Do you want me?" she asks hopefully.

"Goddess yes" I reply.

I can feel her tears soaking through my shirt. I pull her back just a little so I can look her in her beautiful teary eyes.

"I, Antonio Rodriguez, accept Cadence Richards as my mate".

"I love you".

"I love you too Cadence. Thank you for not giving up on me".

She laughs, kisses me again and I set her down.

"I suppose you're going to want your cabin back." she says as she fusses with my hair.

"Yeah but I was thinking I'd love to have a roommate".

Her eyes light up. I can tell she really wants me to say that I want her to stay but I want to mess with her just a little.

"Do you think Leon would want the other room?"

She feigns surprise and punches me in the arm. It makes me laugh, "Of course I want you to stay".

"You better." she huffs.

Hand in hand we head back to her table. Everyone is still pointing and whispering. I'm so glad she reacted so well to me showing up I was really worried I would be too late.

"Can I ask you something Tony?"

"yeah of course".

"Why now?

I was hoping to have this conversation in a more private setting but she wants answers and I don't blame her.

"You'd think I was crazy if I told you the whole story but the short answer is I found the note you wrote Gabriel where you told him you love me, combine that with people telling me I'm an idiot for leaving you and here I am".

"You were an idiot for leaving me." she sadly says before she looks away from me, avoiding my gaze.

"I know" I reply shamefully, "I really fucked up".

"Can we go outside?" she asks quickly before she gets up and walks away.

Leon and Griffin head back over and Leon feels he must say something, "Don't start being stupid now, get out there".

Hes right though. I need to get my shit together and get out there before she thinks I no longer want her.

Cadence

I pace around outside. I need to tell Antonio the truth about what happened while he was gone or I will feel this guilt forever.

Antonio comes outside and immediately asks, "is everything ok?"

"Yes... No?"

I start to hyperventilate a little, "the day you called and spoke to André I... I slept with him. I was so overwh-"

"Cadence" he grabs my shoulders preventing me from pacing more and wordlessly coerces me me to look into his eyes, "You don't have to explain yourself to me. I was with one girl after I left and Diego hated her and he hated me for not being here. You did what I wanted and you found someone who made you happy".

He rubs my shoulders a few times before he takes my face in his big strong hands.

"I love you and I'm sorry for everything I did".

Antonio picked me up and moved us away from the door. When we got around the corner he pinned me to the wall and rained kisses down upon me.

After about ten minutes of kissing him I want to go back inside. Unfortunately my dad showed up while we're were outside and he's sitting with Leon and Griffin.

Griff and Leon mouth that they are sorry so I just go grab another table in the back hoping to avoid dad. Unfortunately that doesn't happen.

"YOU!" he yells and points at Tony.

Tony places himself between us which warms my heart.

"Is there a problem Mr. Richards?"

"You shouldn't have come back here".

I peek around and give my father a disgusted look.

"Well I did. Like it or not I live here".

"Cadence get away from him." he demands.

"No!" I snap.

My dad lunges for me but Antonio is much faster than my dad so he moves us out of the way.

"Oh so you think you're smart?"

"Not at all just much faster than you, Sir".

I grab Tony's arm, "maybe we should just leave".

"No, you were having a drink with Leon and Griffin, he shouldn't get to ruin that for you".

Leon says he'll come sit in the back with us but that seems to enrage our father more. He demands the boys stay away but they basically tell him to shove it where the Son doesn't shine.

Griffin tells him he has no right to judge anyone or boss then around and that just makes him more angry.

He's about to start ranting when Leon chimes in again, "Cade was happy for you when you started to date Gale, why can't you just shove your misguided feelings about Antonio aside and let them be happy?"

He comple9ignore Leon and Looks at me, "what happened to bear you've been seeing?"

I'm now crying, "André wanted this for me. He wants me to have my true mate!"

"Bullshit!" he yells back.

"Leave me alone! I love Tony, he's my mate and I want him in my life more than I want you in it".

"Leave father, you've done enough." Leon comes to my defense.

"Shut up Leon". He screams at him.

"Cadence let's just go home. You don't deserve this".

We start head out with the boys. Griffin and Leon tell Tony and I to head back and that they will come out in a couple of hours and they'll bring my truck with them.

Before we make it all the way outside dad charges towards us. Leon yells for Tony to look out but it's too late. He stabbed Tony!

"Noooo!" I yell before turning towards my sperm donar.

Emara takes control as my anger courses through my veins.

"Get out of here before I tear you to shreds".

He doesn't move. He just looks at me like he won.

"How could you try to kill my mate after the pain you went through when mom was taken from us?"

I grab him read to separate his head from the rest of him.

Rory interjects saying we need to calm down because the police are on their way. I snarl and say he might not make it that long but Rory somehow ends up being the voice of reason.

"I know we haven't always seen eye to eye but don't throw your life away. You just got your mate back go be with him Cadence, he needs you".

Strangely enough her words broke through the haze of anger Emara and I felt. I give her a nod before I dash outside.

"Hi Cadence. The guys called me, they took Tony out to the cabin to help clean and look after his wound. They asked me to meet you here and drive you home".

"Rayne! You're back". I'm surprised I missed her while she was gone.

I hug her and hand her my keys and we speed off towards mine and Antonio's home. I never expected the first night I have him that he'd be stabbed let alone by my father.

We drive in silence my worry for Tony making me too anxious to talk. Just before we hit the dead zone I send André a text and ask him to meet me at my place in an hour and a half but with the way Rayne drives it might not take that long.

*****

When we arrive I notice André is already here and he's sitting outside with Griffin. I get out of the truck immediately and run over to them. André meets me part way with a smile on his face.

"He came back". He says and he hugs me.

"He did" I say crying.

He whispers in my ear, "I am so happy for you".

Of course that makes me cry more. I'm worried for Tony but I'm also sad that André and I won't be close anymore.

"Thank you for everything you've done for me".

"Shh, it's ok, don't cry." he comforts me a moment before he shifts away from me, "Who's that?"

"Oh that's my friend Rayne, why what's wrong?"

"Nothing" he says as he steps away, "She's my new mate".

I laugh and he gives me a look and asks why I'm laughing.

"You helped convince my mate to come back and when he did he brought yours".

Griff laughs as he comes towards us, meanwhile Rayne slowly walks over to us and awkwardly says hi.

"Rayne I'd like you to meet my very dear friend André, André I'd like you to meet my life long best friend Rayne".

I'm so happy for them but am consumed with worry over Tony. I leave them outside and go check on my mate while also giving them space.

I'm so happy for them but I hope I get to stay happy for me too.