I leaned against Luca’s strong arm. “You remember our first few years together in our penthouse? Places like this always remind me of that time.”
“I’ll never forget a single moment with you, Aria,” Luca said quietly.
“Marcella seems to think she found in Maddox what we two have, and shouldn’t we be happy for her?”
“White is a biker. His lifestyle is at odds with ours.”
“When we first met, you didn’t think you could be a good husband or father, and now you are. Give Maddox the chance to prove himself. Do it for Marcella.”
“I worry that allowing her to pursue this bond will cause more harm for her in the long run than do good.”
“If you give her a choice but don’t accept what she chose, you might as well not have given her any choice at all.”
“So you can see the two marrying? You can see White as part of our family, sitting at our dining table? You can see him belonging to our world, and not always be apart?”
I wanted to see Marcella marry one day, wanted to see Luca leading her down the aisle to the man she loved and wanted to spend the rest of her life with. I wanted her to be happy. Could I tell if she’d be happy with Maddox? No. I was worried too. I couldn’t deny it.
Love was unpredictable. Would a bond to Maddox harm Marcella eventually? I didn’t think so, but I couldn’t be sure. Not because I thought Maddox would hurt her on purpose, but he wasn’t familiar with our world as Luca had pointed out. He’d have to try to grow used to our traditions, but they were alien to him. He’d managed to work with Luca’s soldiers in the last few weeks but he’d never be one of them.
Was love enough if he never really belonged? If living in our world kept him adrift?
If he was willing to give up the lifestyle he was used to for Marcella, he really must love her, and that was enough for me. The rest was out of my hands. “It’s not our choice, Luca.”
“The tabloids and many people in our world will tear into Marcella for the kiss, and it’ll get only worse if we confirm the relationship, or God forbid, announce an engagement.”
“Marcella is an intelligent woman. She knew the consequences when she kissed Maddox and she’s willing to brave them for him and herself.”
If Marcella accepted the backlash her relationship with Maddox had already caused and would still cause in the months and years to come then she too must love him. I would have risked everything for Luca, would have followed him to the end of the world, and beyond.
I, more than Luca, followed my gut instinct. It had gotten me in trouble in the past, but over the years I’d learned to use it in a more careful manner. The happiness on Marcella’s face in the private moments she and Maddox shared had given me one of my infamous gut feelings too. Marcella had chosen Maddox and though they’d found each other in the most impossible moment, they seemed perfect for each other. They were different, came from vastly different backgrounds, but if anything could conquer seemingly insurmountable differences then it was love.
On my wedding day, I would have laughed about this statement. Though I only felt like crying on the most important and, for many brides, the happiest day of their lives. I hadn’t been happy that day and only in retrospect could I find joy thinking of that day, knowing love had followed our yes to each other.
Marcella and Maddox would one day hopefully affirm their love with a yes. She wouldn’t feel trepidation or fear on her wedding day, and that made me even happier.
One wasn’t better than the other. Marcella wasn’t me. She’d grown up knowing her worth.
Her choice wasn’t mine to judge, but I’d do my best to make sure she’d never come to regret her choice.
I squeezed Luca’s hand. “Luca, you must talk to Maddox, maybe even invite him over for a drink so you two can really smooth things out between you. He won’t ever belong if you as Capo and head of our family won’t allow him to belong.”
Luca stared up at the night sky and sighed. “You and Marcella will be the death of me.”
I was glad when the party was finally over. Schmoozing all these rich, narcissistic people really wasn’t my thing. Marcella? She was a master at it. As the man at her side, I’d probably have to get better at it as well. Or maybe I’d always be the closet lover.
I smiled wryly.
“Why are you smiling?” Marcella asked in a drowsy voice. Her head rested on my shoulder so I wasn’t sure how she could have seen. Then I caught my reflection in the black high gloss privacy glass between the back of the limousine and the driver.