I nodded, trying to mask my fear.
“Because of all of that. . .I need to take care of thispersonally. I will not let anything get in the way of our having a lovely future.” He landed a sweet kiss on my cheek. “However, I will see you in our honeymoon suite later this evening.”
“Okay.”
He rose and gestured to his people.
And with that, almost all the men rose to their feet and headed off with him—Capos, soldiers, and even a few associates.
Who the hell will die tonight? Someone from a prominent family?
The only men that remained were soldiers, associates, my twins and several top guards who stood vigil around the room and me.
The rest of the guests were mainly women.
Okay. Well. . .Gianni isn’t horrific. . .if I’m forced to be married to him then. . .I’ll take this for now.
I began to eat, and all of the women observed me with polite smiles.
But I didn’t even try to talk to them. All I could think about was who Gianni was going after and what would the rest of my night be like.
This was now my new life and every hour, no every minute was turning out to be a whirlwind of craziness.
Chapter eleven
So Many Questions
Once the reception was done, and I’d received many more wedding gifts, the priest blessed me again with that bloodiedknife and then all thirty of my men escorted me out of the ballroom and through the hotel.
When I passed the front desk, I spotted many of the same employees that had been there when I was dragged in earlier wearing a ballerina costume.
Surely, the employees were shocked to now see me in a breathtaking gown and surrounded by men.
I mean. . .I damn sure was shocked too.
None of the men spoke to me, but that was typical. When I grew up with Maximo, I had four guards during the day and a different set of men at night. The day guards followed me around as I went to school, did chores, and ballet practice.
The night guards watched over me in the evenings, standing outside of my door and barely ever glancing my way.
But absolutely none of them ever said one word to me, not hello or goodbye.
When I was young, I would try to talk to them, not knowing any better and just simply. . .feeling alone after my mother’s death.
But as an adult, I didn’t dare share a word with these guards, understanding Gianni’s temper and the fact that a sentence passed could mean the guard’s death.
When we arrived at the elevators, several men got on to go up and check the level before us.
Next, I got on with eight men—three stood behind me, three stood in front, and one man flanked each of my sides.
Will this be my life from now on? Never alone? Always boxed in by huge men with scars and guns?
The thought didn’t make me sad or depressed.
I was just. . .frazzled by the sudden massive change my life had been through in barely eight fucking hours.
Once we made it to the twelfth floor, the guards guided me off the elevator and took me to the honeymoon suite.
One guard opened the door and then stepped to the side.
