Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 73663 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 368(@200wpm)___ 295(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73663 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 368(@200wpm)___ 295(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
My heart flutters a bit. “You’re just saying that.”
“I mean it. I’m glad Allegra ran away. If she hadn’t, I’d never get to be here with you about to make one of the most important commitments of my life.”
“Even though it’s fake? Even though everyone knows it’s just some weird business deal?”
“Yes, because I don’t do half-measures. No matter what happens, you’ll always be mine, and I will always take care of you. I swear it now. This is the promise that matters. Do you understand?”
I nod, staring into his eyes. My heart’s going crazy and my lips tingle with anticipation. I shouldn’t be as happy as I am, but hearing him swear to take care of me—it’s more than I ever dreamed I’d get from a man. It’s more than I thought I deserved.
“I’m ready.”
His grip tightens. “Are you sure?”
“I’m sure. I’m ready. Let’s get married.”
“Okay, bella topo. Come on, baby. You’ll do great.”
He takes my hand and pulls me into the night.
Chapter 20
Maddie
The small crowd sits on white chairs in front of a makeshift altar strewn with flowers. I don’t know most of the people, though I spot Dante sitting next to Stefania. Saul and Carlo are there too, along with several other older Italian men, probably important members of their organization. Some of the staff stands near the back, including Tara, the morning cook I adore so much. For some reason, seeing her there makes me feel better.
The priest performs a truncated marriage ceremony, skipping through whole sections, but we say the vows. My voice doesn’t shake. Renzo sounds almost ecstatic. When he slides the simple wedding band onto my finger, I nearly pass out, but I survive until I hear the words I’ve been dreading. “You may kiss the bride.”
It’s just like on the sidewalk outside of the restaurant. The guests disappear. His family aren’t watching, his Capos, his staff. None of them are there. It’s only Renzo, only his lips, his hands on my hips, his taste in my mouth. I kiss him for longer than is probably appropriate, but when we break apart, the gathered crowd laughs and applauds, and soon I’m whisked away into a large dining room covered in alcohol and trays of appetizers.
A makeshift party ensues. Renzo introduces me to everyone. “You made a huge mistake,” Carlo says, grinning massively. “Should’ve married me. I’m the best brother.”
“That’s not what I hear,” I say which earns a pleased nod from Renzo.
Carlo laughs though and seems content to joke around.
I meet more men, some of them soldiers, some of them more important than others. Renzo makes sure I spend time with everyone. I get the sense he’s feeling them out, testing them to make sure that this is acceptable. If there’s a problem, I can’t sense it. Everyone’s drinking, laughing, having a good time.
“I always wanted a sister,” Stefania says, hanging on my arm. She’s got a big glass of wine in her hand.
Renzo frowns at the alcohol. “Aren’t you too young for that?”
“I’m in college, big bro. What do you think we do for fun on the weekends?”
“Study.”
“Right. Yes. Study.” She rolls her eyes. “I grew up drinking wine, asshole. I think one glass is fine.”
“I’ll make sure she doesn’t have more,” I say, and Renzo only grunts in response before another of the older Capos pulls him away for a conversation.
“Seriously, how’d you end up hitched to Mr. Serious anyway?” Stefania sits with me at a little table at the far side of the room. Some of the men light cigars and sit out back together while others are clustered around a basketball game on TV, betting with cash.
“It sort of just happened.”
“You mean, he made you an offer you couldn’t refuse?”
“If that’s a Godfather reference—”
She laughs and shakes her head, her curls bouncing. “No, I’m joking. Renzo would never force a girl to marry him. He’s way too uptight for something like that.”
“We just sort of fit together, I guess. It made sense.”
“Well, I’m happy for you. Maybe. I don’t know. The situation’s so weird.” She makes a face, looking around. “This is the old world. You know what I mean?”
“That’s what he said too.”
“The families are all stuck in another lifetime. I grew up in it so it all felt so normal, but then I went to college.”
“Oh, no, don’t tell me. You were poisoned by the evils of feminism and liberalism?”
She laughs, shaking her head. “No, I mean yes, but mostly I just realized that not everyone gets pushed into a politically convenient marriage. Go figure.”
“Your brother seems like he does a lot of that. Sacrificing for your family, I mean.”
Stefania’s face gets serious as she watches Renzo across the room. My husband—what a freaking weird thing to think—is speaking with Dante and his brothers. The three of them laugh, and even Renzo’s smiling.