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“I got you,topolina,” he rasps, pulling me into his chest. “I got you.”
I let myself sink into him, relief overwhelming, but right on its heels is panic. “Sofia!” I scream, fighting to get away from Nico to see her. To make sure she’s okay.
“I’m fine, darling,” Sofia rasps, and I turn my head to see her standing there, gun in hand at her side, even as Dante grabs her and pulls her into him. I look over to see Carmen now certainly dead, a bullet right in the middle of her forehead. Aurelio emerges into the room, and makes his way to his daughter, panic clear on his face, though it melts into relief when he sees she’s fine, though he wastes no time in pulling her away from Dante and into his own big arms.
“Oh thank God,” I breathe, putting my head on Nico’s shoulder. I shiver in Nico’s arms as I grip him tight.
“Fuck, Gia,” he breathes into my ear. “I heard the shot and the scream and I thought the worst.”
“Sofia saved me,” I tell him. “She shoved me to the floor and fired.”
“I’ll never argue with her again,” he vows, before taking my mouth in a desperate kiss. I can taste his fear, his desperation, and his relief. When he finally pulls away, he buries his face in my hair and just holds me tight.
“I think that’s more major raise territory, Boss,” Sofia jokes lightly, making Nico lift his head and look at her.
“I’ll give you whatever you want,” he says seriously. “Name it and it’s yours.”
Sofia looks surprised at that. “I think I might take you up on that vacation,” she jokes.
“Done,” Nico says instantly.
“No, that’s not necessary,” she assures him, clearly shocked that he’s agreed.
“Dante,” Nico barks.
Dante gives him an amused smile. “I’ll handle it, Boss,” he replies, giving Sofia a pointed look.
I hear more footsteps and in comes Pietro and Alessio through the passageway, and when they look at the carnage in the closet, Alessio pouts. “Damn, I missed all the fun. You couldn’t have saved one for me?” he whines to Nico.
“I killed them, idiot,” Sofia growls at him, clearly affronted that he thought the men had done it.
Alessio looks at her and then arches a brow before looking at the two dead bodies. “Huh, looks like you finally worked on that flaw of yours where you couldn’t hit the broadside of a…what do you Americans call it?”
“Barn,” Dante supplies helpfully, smirking when Sofia glares at him.
“Fuck you, Alessio,” Sofia sniffs.
“Before you start your childish squabbling,” Pietro says impatiently, “perhaps we should get out of this room and see to handling the remaining guests downstairs?” He looks at Nico and I, and his eyes soften and fill with relief when he sees that I’m unharmed. “Massimo is going after the brother, but we need to deal with them. Nico, see to your bride. Sofia—”
“I’m fine and I need to get started on cleaning this shit up and getting the crew in here,” she tells him briskly.
“Sofia,” Dante says warningly, clearly not happy with that suggestion. Sofia pins him with a cold glare, and an expression clearly daring him to argue with her.
“We’ll sort it out,” Pietro says to Nico. “See to your bride, and then we’ll meet later.”
Nico nods, stands, and then carries me to the passageway, walking briskly to his own room. He shuts the door firmly behind him, and then walks right out of the closet and into the bathroom, where he sets me on my feet. I sway slightly, knowing that I’m heading toward the crash now that the adrenaline is starting to wane. “Fuck, Gia,” he whispers again as he holds me steady and stares down into my face with a dark expression on his face. “I thought I’d lost you.”
“I’m fine, I promise,” I reassure him, reaching up to cup his face in my hand. “You and Sofia saved me.” I give him a wry smile. “But I think I need to get you to show me how to handle a gun, because I was helpless, and I don’t want to ever feel that way again.”
“Alright,topolina,” he soothes. “But right now, I want to get you cleaned up and then we’ll go meet everyone.”
I nod. “You’re going to have to help me out of this. I can’t get all those buttons myself.” He doesn’t say anything and I look over my shoulder at him. He’s staring at the dress and where the train is torn away from the back from both me and Marco stepping on it. “Nico?” I question.
He finally lifts his eyes to mine and the expression in them makes my breath hitch, much like it did when I saw him at the end of the aisle. “I didn’t get to tell you what I thought when I saw you in this dress,” he says gravelly, gaze holding mine. “I have never seen anything more beautiful in my life than you walking toward me, Gia, and knowing you were about to be mine in every sense. You looked angelic, and I wanted to rip this dress off you and show you just how much I loved it and how it showcased everything you are. Class, elegance, simplicity, and a grace that few can claim to have. I never thought I’d marry anyone, or if I did, it would be calculated and a transaction at the most. But now, here you are, and I want to do it all over again.”
Tears burn in my eyes, and one slips out before I can stop it. “And when I saw you, you were so handsome, and any doubts I had went away,” I tell him honestly. “I knew I made the right choice. Maybe it’s not the most conventional route, but we’re here, and surprisingly, I wouldn’t change it for the world. Because when I see you, I see the strength that I need to keep going, and the man who’s going to fight for me, no matter what. And I love you so much that it scares the shit out of me.”
“Me too,” he sighs, leaning his head down to press his forehead against mine for a moment. “I’m sorry the wedding was ruined, Gia, and we can do it all over again once this whole thing is sorted, I promise.”
