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And you’re worried that she’s changed her mind.
I ignore it, because there is no way that will happen. I don’t care if I have to go up there and grab Gia and drag her down here. She will be my wife. Nothing else is acceptable.
“Just got word from Urso,” Dante says quietly into my ear, pulling me from my annoyance. “There is movement at Giovanni’s vacation homes. It seems the Parisi’s are on their way.”
“Any news on the De Lucas?” I murmur.
“Movement at both homes. Informants have said that they are gearing up, so I imagine they’re going to come in hot.”
As expected. “Ensure they are able to get past the gates, but you know what to do after that,” I order. Dante nods and steps back. Then he stops and listens and turns back to me with a smirk. “It seems they’re finally on their way down.”
Fucking finally. I turn to nod to the judge, who gets himself in position, and the room goes quiet. Impatience beats through me as I have to wait, but I remind myself a few more minutes won’t hurt.
When Alessio finally slips into the room, shutting the doors behind him and giving me a stupid grin, I scowl at him. If he thinks he’s going to waste time, I’ll shoot him myself. I won’t kill him, but a wound that puts him out of commission for a while and out of my hair would be a damn relief.
Music starts to play and I ignore Alessio as he makes his way down the aisle and to his seat in the front row. The doors open, and in walks Sofia, wearing a dark dress, carrying some flowers, and a smile on her face. She walks down the aisle and doesn’t even look at her family, though her eyes do cut to Dante. I don’t look at him, considering I don’t give a damn, but I’m sure there’s something there considering his relationship with Sofia. No, the only woman I want to see is Gia.
Thankfully I don’t have long to wait. I’m not prepared for her when she walks through the doors. As soon as she comes around the corner and walks through them, I’m sure I’ve forgotten how to breathe.
She is breathtaking. The dress fits her perfectly, and moves sensuously with each step. And I’m sure that I will never see a more beautiful sight than this as long as I live. Possessiveness burns through me, and I have to hold myself back from striding down the aisle and taking her away from Pietro, who is smiling like a proud father. But when my eyes catch Gia’s everything else fades away.
I see the nerves in her eyes, but also a deep look of that makes my heart pound and my cock twitch. Love, desire, and most of all, trust. I vaguely hear someone whispering but I don’t take my eyes off Gia. This moment is the only thing that matters to me. Knowing that she’s going to be mine. Forever.
When they reach the end of the aisle and stop in front of me, Pietro kisses Gia’s cheek and murmurs something quietly to her. I fight back the urge to snarl at him to let him go, but it’s close. And judging from the knowing smirks from those in the front row out of the corner of my eye, I know they see it and are getting a great kick out of it. Fuckers.
Pietro finally steps back, and I reach out my hand to Gia, who takes it and grips it tightly. “You look beautiful,” I murmur to her, earning me a warm smile. And even though I know the judge is waiting, I don’t bother waiting until after the vows I kiss her softly, but deeply, and then pull away after a moment. I hear chuckles but pay them no mind. Gia’s face is red, but she gives me a knowing smile. I turn back to the amused judge, who has been on my payroll for some time, and order, “Let’s get this done.”
Perhaps not the most romantic thing to say, but I hear Gia chuckle, so she can’t be too unhappy.
The rest of the ceremony is a bit of a blur, though I take great pleasure in sliding her wedding band on her finger. It’s at that moment that I know she’s mine. And from the smile on her face, and the knowing look in her eyes, she can tell exactly what I’m thinking. She slides my ring on, and though it feels foreign it also feels right.
“And though you jumped the gun a bit earlier,” the judge jokes lightly, drawing my attention. “I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride. Again.”
I don’t need to be told twice. I yank Gia forward, making her laugh, and I kiss her mouth, uncaring about the cheers and cat-calls from the room. The only thing that matters in this moment is knowing that Gia De Luca is now Gia Armani.
When I finally manage to pull away, Gia looks up at me dazedly, but then smiles. “You can’t escape me now,topolina,” I murmur, kissing her again quickly.
There’s a light of challenge in her eyes, but she just keeps smiling and says, “It’s a good thing I picked you then isn’t it?”
“As if you had a choice.” I pull away and then we move to where the judge has a small set up for us to sign the marriage license. We waste no time signing it, with Dante and Sofia as our witnesses. Once we’re finished, I take her hand in mine and turn us around.
Though, I suppose it’s comedic timing, I honestly couldn’t have planned this next chain of events to happen at such a perfect time. Suddenly, a large commotion fills the halls, and as my men stationed throughout the room jerk to attention, in files some very pissed off De Lucas. “You will not be marrying my daughter, you fucking bastard!” Leonardo yells furiously as he storms into the ballroom, followed closely by Giovanni, all of their sons, and Carmen bringing up the rear. I don’t miss the way she sneers as she looks around the room either, and when her eyes land on Gia, there is absolute fury and hatred in their cold, dark depths.
Gia’s hand is trembling in mine, and I hold it tighter as I stare down her father who is storming up the aisle. He hasn’t even noticed the other people in the room now standing, but Giovanni and Marco do, and both falter as they catch sight of the Caruso men. Giovanni is good at hiding his emotions and gives nothing away as he focuses on his niece once again, while Marco’s shows fury and then concern before he can mask it. “You fucking whore!” he screams at Gia. He still has a bruised and cut temple from where I hit him with the gun, and doesn’t look all that steady on his feet.
“You will not speak to my wife that way,” I tell Marco with a dark menace to my voice. “And after what you’ve done to her, I’ll gladly put a bullet in your fucking head.”
“She’s not your fucking wife,” Leonardo snarls, completely ignoring my other statement, and already storming toward Gia, who is trying to pull away from me, but I hold her firm. I won’t let her cower to this man or any of the rest of them again.
“I have a marriage certificate that says otherwise,” I inform Leonardo, who stops in his tracks, his face red with fury. “Giulia De Luca is now Giulia Armani, and if you’d like to leave here without a war starting, then you’ll congratulate us and leave quietly.” There is steel in my voice.
“You have already started a war by kidnapping my daughter and then forcing her to marry you,” Leonardo rages. “She is promised to someone else.”
“Ah yes, that,” I say carelessly. I motion to Pietro, who steps forward, and this time, Leonardo realizes who is standing there. A range of emotion flies across his face. Shock, anger, confusion, and then a hint of trepidation. “Leonardo, I’m sure you know Pietro Caruso. Just one of the men that your daughter was promised to.”
Leonardo looks back at me sharply. “She was not promised to a Caruso,” he informs me tightly. “She was promised to Gideon Esposito as an infant, and was to be married to him the day she turned twenty-five.”
“Well she was promised to my son by your son, so I believe we have a slight problem here, Signore De Luca,” Pietro says coldly.
