When the veil is lifted over my head, I smile at the woman I’ve become.
I can’t believe this is really happening. That I’m actually getting married.
“Here, hold this.” Andrea shoves the bouquet in my hands and makes me look at myself in the mirror.
“How do I look?” I ask, a beaming smile on my face.
She smiles, then breaks out into huffs as she starts to cry. “Oh, honey …”
“Don’t cry,” I say, lifting the veil again so I can hug her. “I don’t want you to be sad.”
“I’m not sad. I’m over the moon,” she says. “I never imagined this day would come so quickly. One day, you were my little girl, and then the next … a grown woman marrying a man who stole your heart.” She grabs my face and caresses me as I lean my forehead against hers. “I’m so proud of you.”
“Thank you so much,” I reply. “For everything. For being there. For guiding me. For keeping me grounded. For your love.”
We stay like that for a moment, swaying back and forth in each other’s arms to the soft tune playing on the radio in the background.
Sophie suddenly yelps, and I immediately turn my head to the stroller and release Andrea from the hug.
“Poor little girl,” I mumble, walking over there to give her some shushes and bounce her stroller a little. “All that time without your mom.”
“Oh, she’ll be fine. She can do without her mom for a few minutes so she can finally get married,” Andrea says, walking over to her to give her a quick cheek pinch. “Right, pretty girl? You’ll be safe with me.”
The sound of a door clicking makes me turn my head. Mario comes in and clears his throat. “I apologize. I do not wish to disturb you.”
“It’s okay,” I reply, smiling broadly.
“I am here to collect Andrea,” he says, nodding at her.
A blush creeps onto her cheeks as he approaches her. I’ve never seen her so nervous, not with any guy, but for some reason, Mario makes her go all giggly and mushy, and I don’t get why. When he grabs her hand, it’s like she starts to glow. Are they … getting feelings for each other?
I turn around in my dress as I watch him pull her along to the door. She waves at me and blows me a kiss. “I’ll see you at the altar. Good luck!”
“Thanks,” I muse, as he gently pulls her out the door and closes it behind him.
The service is about to start, so I take one last look at myself and tilt my head up high. I used to think I’d be scared. Nervous. Hesitant.
But now that I look at this woman in the mirror, the one with the beautiful gown and the happy smile on her face, I’m overwhelmed with pride.
A wedding is easy.
But marriage? That’s a challenge.
But I am ready to face it head-on.
Marcello
As the music begins to play, and Claudio and Ricardo are winking at me from the sideline, I know it’s about to start. But when Harper finally comes through that door in those pretty little white heels and that pristine white dress, I am not prepared for how badly she takes my breath away. She is beautiful. Gorgeous in every way, shape, and form.
She glides down the aisle with ease, smiling at the small gathering around us like nothing will stop her from reaching me. The look on her face is so damn proud that we have made it this far.
She stops briefly near Andrea and gives our little one a pec before continuing her stride to the altar, where I’m waiting for her with my hand out. And as her hand collides with mine, everything falls into place.
We are here, finally. Together. Becoming one family.
With our enemies gone and our future secured, nothing will get in the way of loving her and our little Sophie. Because now that I am the only don left standing, this city will know peace for a long time.
All the pain from the past, all the worries I’ve had, all the suffering I’ve had to endure … it was all worth it for this moment in time.
When I can call this woman … my Kitten … my wife.
She’d better enjoy that expensive dress as long as she can because when this party is over, I’m going to rip it off her body.
When the ceremony and the champagne have lavishly flowed, we retreat up the elevator to our private hotel room, leaving Sophie in the gentle care of Andrea and Mario. Our room is a different room from where she dressed, much more spacious and with a variety of furniture, and we can use to make all our dirty fantasies come alive.
“Is there enough time?” Harper asks as I drag her through the hallway toward the room.