I hid a grin.
‘On any other day, someone would pay dearly for upstaging me,’ Orazio started, to a smattering of forced and nervous laughter. ‘But for the wedding of my grandson to Maddelena – yes, his choice of bride shocked me too at first, but’ – he paused, casting a curiously nostalgic look at us – ‘sometimes the heart must have what it wants. So for the sake of love alone, I must step aside, let them have their day. With my blessing.’
A loud cheer went up. And when Cesare turned to me, the fiercest blaze yet lighting his eyes, the last ball of apprehension melted away.
‘That went better than I thought it would,’ he said.
‘You expected him to misbehave?’
‘With Orazio, you never know. At the very least, I was expecting a quip about that great-grandchild he mentioned.’
My eyes widened. I’d clean forgotten about that.
Cesare frowned. ‘You still want my babies, don’t you,bedda?’
‘More than anything,caru.’
His face transformed from civil to feral in a heartbeat as he stared at me for the longest, nerve-shredding stretch. ‘Take a walk with me, baby?’ he murmured in my ear.
I nodded readily, needing a reprieve from the cloying attention of guests and Cesare’s family alike. To them, I was still very much an unknown quantity. A decades-long enemy had suddenly become an ally. Morbid curiosity vied with open wariness.
It hadn’t strayed into open hostility, for which I suspected I had my new husband to thank.
He took my hand and I caught the dull flash of his ring. Matte black platinum embedded with a ring of black diamonds. It blended into his inked flesh as if it was always meant to be there.
Hand in hand, we stepped outside, past the brightly lit terrace strewn with guests, many of whom had spilled onto the many paths that led to relaxation areas around the garden.
Seats were set out in large and small groupings for the fireworks planned later, and extensive bars manned by sharply dressed waitstaff were dotted around to keep the drinks flowing.
We reached the grand gazebo decked out in fresh flowers and ambient lighting, and I breathed crisp cold air into my lungs.
‘How are you feeling,bedda?’ he asked, pulling me close.
‘A little overwhelmed.’
‘But happy?’ he pressed. His eyes, as ever, dissected my every expression. And I caught a frantic edge in his gaze. Almost as if he was… nervous?
I slid my arms around him. ‘Yes, very happy, Cesare.’
‘Bonu.’ He stopped for a moment. Then exhaled. ‘Our path has been far from conventional. You know I desire you, that you’ve worked your way into my soul. You know this life we lead. You know the road isn’t always smooth. But know that I will protect you with my last breath.Sì?’
My heart attempted to hammer itself out of my ribs as I blinked back tears. ‘Yes.’
He unmeshed our fingers, placed mine where he had three short months ago. At that intersection of muscles just above his belly button. Then, eyes latched fiercely onto mine, he drew my fingers up the landscape of his tattooed torso. To rest on his heart. ‘You were always going to find your way here. Your rightful place. This heart beats for you,amuri miu.’ He left my hand there, where his heart thumped strong and steady and mine, to wrap one hand around my waist and the other over my nape.
He pulled me close until my hand was smooshed between our bodies. Then looking deep into my eyes, he said, ‘I love you, Maddelena. With everything I am,t’amu.’
I knew then why’d I’d waited. Any other time wouldn’t have been as perfect as this. He was right; we’d done things upside down. So confessing my heart long after we’d made our vows felt right.
‘I loved you in secret and in the dark. I loved you in danger and through opposition. All my yesterdays, todays and tomorrows belong to you, Cesare. With everything I am, I love you.’
A long, holy shudder moved through him. I suspected I saw a telltale sheen in his eyes too, but his head was swooping down, claiming my mouth with a deep groan as we kissed as true loves for the first time.
Then, foreheads pressed together, we breathed.
Laughed. Kissed.Loved.
The firstpopdeceived me. I looked up, expecting fireworks.
