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When the priest turns to Antonio and asks him if he’ll take me in marriage, Antonio stands up straighter and says in a clear voice, “I do.”
His words send a shiver through me. So, this is it. My turn.
“And do you,” the priest asks, “Nina Petrov, take Antonio Moretti to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
For a moment, I glance at my father, who gives me a subtle nod. I can’t disobey him now.
I turn back to Antonio. “I do.” The smile Antonio gives me lets me know everything will be all right.
“Then I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
Antonio gently cups my face and leans down. With the barest of touches, he brushes his lips against mine before pulling back. Instantly, I want more. Just that simple touch set my body on fire.
“Let’s get out of here,” he says so only I can hear. I can’t help but agree.
Because the wedding happened so fast, there’s no reception. Instead, my parents give us their congratulations.
Father shakes Antonio’s hand as we stand outside of the church. “Treat my daughter well.”
“You know I will, sir,” Antonio replies. “I look forward to working with you.”
“And I you.” Father turns to me, his eyes turning colder. “Make me proud, Nina.” There’s an undercurrent in his words that make me frown. Before I can wonder much what it is, Mom pulls me into a hug.
“I’m happy for you,” she says into my ear.
Once she steps back, I hug Anna, even as she tries squirming away. “Be safe, ok?”
“You’re weird sometimes, Nina,” she says back, stepping away from me. I want to tell my sister everything, but I can’t. Not with my father right beside her. Anna has to be ok. I have to believe it.
Antonio takes my hand. “I guess … it’s time to go home.” I nod and follow him to his car. He drives himself, I note. I wave goodbye, mostly to my sister and mother, as Antonio drives us away from the church and from my father.
* * *
Antonio’s apartmentis a lot smaller than the high-rise condo I grew up in, but it instantly feels warmer inside. Messy blankets lie over the top of the couch. A record player sits in the corner. A rack of his shoes is in the entryway. It feels … lived in. My home felt like a glass museum, but Antonio’s home feels like a real home.
“I plan on moving into a real house once I take over,” he tells me as if apologizing for the small space.
“No. It’s perfect,” I tell him.
“Yeah?” He shrugs his jacket off, showcasing the muscular build beneath his white shirt. He’s so handsome; it’s almost hard to concentrate on anything else. “Well, thanks. When my uncle took over and I left, I didn’t have anything, I had to make my way in the world, and I worked to be able to afford something like this. It isn’t as nice as the place I grew up in, but it’s still nice. It’s all … mine.”
“I’ve only ever lived in the condo I grew up in, and that place is staunchly my father’s, so …”
“So, I guess we can make this place ours. For the time being.”
My breath gets caught in my throat at Antonio’s words. Ours. The thought doesn’t make me nervous. In fact, it makes me sort of … happy. “I’d like that.”
“Great.” His easy-going smile warms my heart. “I know this has happened fast, us getting married. I never expected this.”
“Why did you agree to marry me?” I blurt out.
He pauses before nodding, a resolute expression on his face. “Because you offer me the chance to save my family and take back my family’s power from my uncle. Why did you agree to marry me?”
“Because my father wanted me to.”
“Huh.” He takes a step closer to me, and I don’t move away. “Do you always do what your father tells you?” With a tentative touch of his fingers, he sets his hands on my waist. The sudden touch makes me yearn for more, but then I remember what my mother told me.
It’s my duty to have sex with Antonio, but it will hurt.
