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Minutes ticked by and they felt like hours until Lyle entered the ceremony venue and with one swift nod, I knew she had arrived. I turned on my heel to face the registrar who smiled politely at me and the guys as they followed my lead. I placed one hand on top of the other and crossed them at my front, my gaze remained forwards as I heard the heavy wooden doors open and the soft music play. The hairs on the back of neck stood on end almost instantly as I felt her presence the moment she stepped foot in the venue.
Loreta was the first to appear to my left, shortly followed by Robin and Tay. They lined up beside one another as they watched in complete and utter awe as Anastacia began her walk down the aisle. I could imagine how stunning she looked as she clung to her father’s arm. I knew she had a fear of falling but even if she did, I would be there to catch her before she even had time to think.
“She looks beautiful. Why don’t you turn around and appreciate the vision walking towards you,” Gino whispered without moving from his position.
“I won’t turn around until she reaches me, as much as it kills me not to, it’s tradition.” I had discussed this with my father this morning. He informed me that neither him nor my grandfather looked at their bride until she reached their side. It pained me not to turn around. I wanted to see her face smiling back at me. She was the only one who knew how to calm me down with just one look, and honestly, right now I needed calming down since the drum like beating in my chest had just about become too much.
“Calm down, she’s here.” Gino cleared his throat as he smiled softly over his shoulder at Anastacia.
“Who gives this woman to be married to this man?” the registrar asked directly to Victor.
“Her mother and I.” Victor spoke clear and confident enough for every fucker in the room to know Anastacia was about to become my wife with his blessing.
As Anastacia took her final step towards me, I turned to face her and it felt as though someone had taken a sledgehammer to my chest, my heart nearly stopped beating at the sight of her and for the first time in my life I might have had to fight back the tears that so willingly wanted to fall. She smiled up at me instantly and it was as clear as day how much she mimicked an angel. I held out my hand to her as Victor placed hers in mine gently.
“Look after my girl.” Victor smiled warmly and I knew that was hard for him to say. She had always been his little girl after all.
“With my life.” I smiled back with a friendly nod.
I helped Anastacia up the last step as she squeezed my hand. I felt her trembling, and I knew she was as nervous as I was; what a fucking pair we were.
“I think for once I’m at a loss for words to describe how beautiful you look,” I whispered as I leaned down to kiss her cheek. “I really fucking missed you.” I felt her body ooze confidence instantly as I spoke each word.
“I missed you too.” She smiled, and I wasn’t sure if it was the light peeking through the flowers or if it was genuine happiness, but her eyes shone brighter than they ever had.
I stepped back from her as I held her hands in mine. I didn’t have a damn clue if this was what we were supposed to do but it’s what they did in the movies Ana made me watch when we wanted some downtime together.
“Family and friends, thank you all for coming today to share in this wonderful occasion.” The registrar smiled at us both but neither of us paid attention, we were too lost in one another to listen to this part. “Today, we are gathered here to unite Lorenzo Ricci and Anastacia Fedorov and their families. I’ve been told you’ve prepared your own vows, is that correct?” the registrar asked politely.
“It is, well, from my side anyway. I wanted to surprise my fiancée with something heartfelt.” I winked at Ana who had done a complete one-eighty from emotional to half shocked, half surprised.
“I haven’t prepared anything; we didn’t discuss this,” she whispered quiet enough for only me to hear.
“I know and like I said it was a surprise from my end.” I smiled as Gino tapped my elbow to hand me the vows I wrote but I no longer needed them. After seeing her standing here made me certain of my words.
“Lorenzo, please recite your vows to Anastacia.”
“Amore, it’s safe to say we haven’t exactly had the easiest of times and that was mostly because of me.” Anastacia let out a soft giggle, the one I adored. “Hey, I can admit when I’m wrong… well, maybe not all the time.” I breathed deeply, as this was harder than I originally thought, but Ana placed her hand over my heart as it resumed beating at its regular pace.
“But seriously, those ups and downs—mostly downs—have turned what we have into something special, something I would only ever want with you because you are that sunshine I never knew I needed, that piece of heaven I know I’ll never reach, that light in the darkness that I used to prefer. I’ve never met another with a heart as forgiving as yours, and somehow that same heart found a way to love me, found a way to see who I really am beneath the surface.” I cupped her face, and she automatically nuzzled her cheek into my touch. Her eyes never left mine. “I love you, Anastacia, I may have even loved you the moment we met, but I was too stubborn and proud to admit the one thing I tried not to, but you captured me in more ways than one and what a woman to be captured by.”
I saw Anastacia try to speak, but I stopped her as this was the one time I could get out everything I wanted to say.
“I can’t promise you a perfect life. I can’t promise I’ll be a perfect husband or even a perfect father to any children we may have, but I can promise you one thing. I’ll do my utmost best to make you happy and give you the life you deserve, the love you deserve and be the man you deserve.” I breathed a sigh of relief as I noticed Ana had let the tears fall, even when she was an emotional wreck, she was beautiful, and she wasmine. “Anastacia, you are myendgame.”
“Thank you, Lorenzo.” The registrar glanced over at Ana. “Anastacia, do you have anything you want to say?”
Ana took a deep breath and composed herself like the queen she was, straightening her back as she stood tall and elegant.
“Lorenzo, I don’t know how I’m supposed to top that because it’s clear you have a hidden talent I didn’t know about.” She laughed as did I, and then I realised most of the allies in this room had probably never seen me laugh before. “You’re right, we didn’t have the best of starts but that doesn’t matter because someone once told me the past is the past.” She glanced over at her grandmother who flashed me her gentle smile. “You may not be the perfect husband, or father to however many children we may have but then again, I can’t promise I’ll be perfect either. I think perfects overrated anyway. As long as I have you, then I know everything will always be fine, better than fine actually. You are the rock I never knew I needed, the love my heart never knew it wanted and the thought that my mind just can’t seem to shake, and I wouldn’t have it any other way because Lorenzo Ricci, I love you.” Now it was me who seemed to just about hold my emotional state together which I never wanted to show but fuck it, if you can’t show a little emotion on your wedding day, when can you? Anastacia gazed up at me with those heart stopping translucent eyes as we slowly became one.
“Thank you, Anastacia.” The registrar smiled as he continued, “Do you, Lorenzo Ricci, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to live together in matrimony, to love her, comfort her, honour and keep her, in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in joy, to have and to hold from this day forward, as long as you both shall live?” What once was a paragraph I swore I’d never hear was now one I welcomed with complete and utter happiness.
“I do.” I smiled as Anastacia mirrored my gesture, and I knew then that was the easiest ‘I do’I’ll ever say.
“Do you, Anastacia Fedorov, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to live together in matrimony, to love him, comfort him, honour and keep him, in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in joy, to have and to hold from this day forward, as long as you both shall live?”
“I do.” I could easily listen to her say those words repeatedly as though they were a broken record playing in my head.
