“I don’t understand what we’re doing here,” Ricardo says as the car stops, and we park near the sidewalk.
“There’s just someone I need to thank, that’s all,” I say, looking around the bus stop.
I’ve left Sophie in her daddy’s arms. He’s only changed her diaper a few times, and with his aversion for stench and dirt, it was the funniest thing I’ve seen in a very long time. But I thought it’d be good for him to bond with her every day, so now he gets personal time with Sophie while I go out and about for some me-time.
But I’ve been meaning to do something important for a long time now, and I’m not giving up until I’ve completed the task.
“But you come here every day, and there’s nothing,” Ricardo adds.
When my eyes finally land on the person I’ve been looking for all this time, I swiftly open the doors and step out of the car. I don’t care what Ricardo says or that he wants to accompany me so I don’t get in trouble—I’m going. There aren’t any mobster families out for my blood anymore. The Irish and Polish have dispersed, and who was left have joined our ranks. There is no more threat, and I feel safe enough to walk about the streets by myself.
And to walk up to this very specific man sitting on a bench near the bus stop. His trench coat is one of many, but the way he parts his hair and has this super-refined beard is so striking that I know for sure it is him.
When I approach him, he looks up at me with apprehension.
“Hi,” I say.
He frowns. “Um, hello.”
I know it’s awkward. A random stranger talking to you in the middle of the street. But I have a reason. A good one too.
I fish the wallet from my pocket and hold it out to him. He stares at me and then the wallet for a few seconds until it finally clicks.
“But that’s—”
“I found it on the sidewalk. A long time ago,” I say, swallowing back the lump in my throat.
He frowns. “You … found it?”
I blush and tuck my hair behind my ear. “Yeah, when you walked by, you dropped it, and I couldn’t … give it back yet. I needed some money.”
He takes the wallet but doesn’t put it into his pocket.
“How do you know this is mine?” he asks.
“I remember this was the place you dropped it at, so I figured you’d come by here often. So I just kept coming by every day, watching the bus stop to try to find you.”
“Every day?” He makes a face like he can’t believe someone would go through that much effort.
“Yeah. It’s important to me. I owed you.” I take a deep breath. “And I’m sorry, I know it was wrong. I just wanted to bring it back to you.”
I lick my lips as he opens it. “I put back all the cash I borrowed. Plus more.”
When he notices the hundred-dollar bills, he almost drops the wallet but manages to catch it just in time before it hits a puddle of water on the ground.
“But this is way too much,” he says. “I never had that.”
“I know,” I say, smiling gently. “But I wanted you to have something extra. For the trouble. And also to make up for me borrowing it.”
He narrows his eyes at me and then tucks the wallet back into his pocket where it belongs.
“Thanks, I guess,” he says.
“No, no, thank you. You really helped me out while I was at a really low point in my life. Living off the streets and all that.” I try to hide another blush by looking away and clearing my throat. “Look, I just don’t like being indebted. That’s all.”
“Okay,” he says.
“Okay.”
An awkward silence ensues, so I mutter, “Well, I don’t think I’ll see you around anymore. But I hope you have a nice life.”
“Thanks,” he replies. “You too.”
“Bye.” I turn around and start walking.
“Hey,” the man calls out, so I glance at him over my shoulder. “Are you okay now? Do you need help?”
A broad smile slowly creeps onto my cheeks. “Don’t worry about me. I’ve found a place I can call home.”
A knock on my door prompts Andrea to pause midway through zipping me up in my gown.
A familiar face peeks inside. “Uh, hey.”
“Melanie,” I say with a smile. “I’m glad you came.”
She smiles back. “Of course.” She closes the door behind her. “I was there when you were at your worst … And now I’m here when you’re at your best.”
She walks over to me, and we hug for a moment.
We’ve been through some deep shit. Even though we were separate for most of the time. It’s our trauma that bonds us.
“I just wanted to say thank you,” she says.
“Don’t thank me,” I reply. “You saved yourself. Not me.”
“But if you hadn’t been there, I’d probably still be stuck in Stefan’s clutches.” She sighs. “Just let me thank you, okay?”
“Okay,” I say. “I’m happy you’re okay now.”
She breathes out a sigh of relief. When our hug ends, she says, “You look absolutely stunning in this dress.”
I blush. “You think?”
“I’ve never seen a more fabulous dress in my life. Turn around.”
I swivel on my heels as best as I can.
“Lovely,” she adds. “Honestly, it’s perfect.”
I smile again. “Thanks. I’m really glad you’re here too.”
She nods, then she hugs me again really quickly. “I’m grateful to be here.” She leans away, grabbing my shoulders. “You ready?”
I sigh out loud. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”
She laughs. “You’ll be fine. You love him.”
I frown. “How do you know?”
“I can see it in your eyes, silly.” She winks. “Girls know these things.”
I hide my smile by rubbing my lips together. Yeah, I think I do kind of love this man.
“Well, see you at the ceremony,” she says, waving again as she walks off. “You did a good job, momma bear.”
“Momma bear?” Andrea mutters, her brows furrowed.
I snort. “Oh, she means well.”
“Right …” She clears her throat and then grabs my shoulders and turns me toward the mirror. “Where was I? Oh, right!” She zips me up and grabs the veil lying on the chair.
When the veil is lifted over my head, I smile at the woman I’ve become.
I can’t believe this is really happening. That I’m actually getting married.
“Here, hold this.” Andrea shoves the bouquet in my hands and makes me look at myself in the mirror.
“How do I look?” I ask, a beaming smile on my face.
She smiles, then breaks out into huffs as she starts to cry. “Oh, honey …”
“Don’t cry,” I say, lifting the veil again so I can hug her. “I don’t want you to be sad.”
“I’m not sad. I’m over the moon,” she says. “I never imagined this day would come so quickly. One day, you were my little girl, and then the next … a grown woman marrying a man who stole your heart.” She grabs my face and caresses me as I lean my forehead against hers. “I’m so proud of you.”
“Thank you so much,” I reply. “For everything. For being there. For guiding me. For keeping me grounded. For your love.”
We stay like that for a moment, swaying back and forth in each other’s arms to the soft tune playing on the radio in the background.
Sophie suddenly yelps, and I immediately turn my head to the stroller and release Andrea from the hug.
“Poor little girl,” I mumble, walking over there to give her some shushes and bounce her stroller a little. “All that time without your mom.”
“Oh, she’ll be fine. She can do without her mom for a few minutes so she can finally get married,” Andrea says, walking over to her to give her a quick cheek pinch. “Right, pretty girl? You’ll be safe with me.”
The sound of a door clicking makes me turn my head. Mario comes in and clears his throat. “I apologize. I do not wish to disturb you.”
“It’s okay,” I reply, smiling broadly.
“I am here to collect Andrea,” he says, nodding at her.
A blush creeps onto her cheeks as he approaches her. I’ve never seen her so nervous, not with any guy, but for some reason, Mario makes her go all giggly and mushy, and I don’t get why. When he grabs her hand, it’s like she starts to glow. Are they … getting feelings for each other?
I turn around in my dress as I watch him pull her along to the door. She waves at me and blows me a kiss. “I’ll see you at the altar. Good luck!”
“Thanks,” I muse, as he gently pulls her out the door and closes it behind him.
The service is about to start, so I take one last look at myself and tilt my head up high. I used to think I’d be scared. Nervous. Hesitant.
But now that I look at this woman in the mirror, the one with the beautiful gown and the happy smile on her face, I’m overwhelmed with pride.
A wedding is easy.
But marriage? That’s a challenge.
But I am ready to face it head-on.
Marcello
As the music begins to play, and Claudio and Ricardo are winking at me from the sideline, I know it’s about to start. But when Harper finally comes through that door in those pretty little white heels and that pristine white dress, I am not prepared for how badly she takes my breath away. She is beautiful. Gorgeous in every way, shape, and form.
She glides down the aisle with ease, smiling at the small gathering around us like nothing will stop her from reaching me. The look on her face is so damn proud that we have made it this far.
She stops briefly near Andrea and gives our little one a pec before continuing her stride to the altar, where I’m waiting for her with my hand out. And as her hand collides with mine, everything falls into place.
We are here, finally. Together. Becoming one family.
With our enemies gone and our future secured, nothing will get in the way of loving her and our little Sophie. Because now that I am the only don left standing, this city will know peace for a long time.
All the pain from the past, all the worries I’ve had, all the suffering I’ve had to endure … it was all worth it for this moment in time.
When I can call this woman … my Kitten … my wife.
She’d better enjoy that expensive dress as long as she can because when this party is over, I’m going to rip it off her body.
When the ceremony and the champagne have lavishly flowed, we retreat up the elevator to our private hotel room, leaving Sophie in the gentle care of Andrea and Mario. Our room is a different room from where she dressed, much more spacious and with a variety of furniture, and we can use to make all our dirty fantasies come alive.
“Is there enough time?” Harper asks as I drag her through the hallway toward the room.
“I will take as much time as I need with you, Mrs. Dellucci,” I reply, bringing her hand to my lips to give it a delicate kiss.
She blushes like she’s not yet used to carrying my name. But she will get used to it soon … once I make her scream it out loud. “But dinner will be soon. Don’t want to keep the guests waiting, right?”
“They will wait as long as I demand them to,” I respond. When I lift her in my arms, she squeals. “I will get my dessert first.”
“Marcello!” she gasps, her eyes and mouth wide open as if she’s shocked, but that pinkish blush on her cheeks tells a different story. “It’s only been a day.”
“An entire day of you being away from me just to get all fancy and dressed up is far too long for my liking,” I growl as I kick open the door. “Now let me have a goddamn taste.”
“Oh my God, Marcello, you really are going for it, aren’t you?” she muses. “You even carried me over the threshold.”
She giggles as I carry her into the room and plop her down on the nearest sofa I can find.
“Marcello? I think you mean … husband.”
I take off my coat and the straps around my shoulder that secured my pants in place, throwing it all aside. Her eyes follow my every move, her tongue dipping out to lick her lips as if she’s dying to know what I’ll do to her.
“What are you going to do, husband?” she asks, almost making a purring sound like the devious Kitten she truly is underneath all that glitz and glamour.
“There’s a reason I told you not to wear underwear today, wife,” I say.
I pounce down onto her and lift her butt up in the air until her dress falls back over her legs. She squeals as I hold her in place, and I cover her mouth with my hand. “Shhh … Don’t want any unwanted guests, now do we?”
She shakes her head softly as I slide my hands up her pretty chiffon dress, pushing apart her legs. “The only sound I want to hear from you is ‘Yes, Sir’ and ‘thank you, Sir.’”
“Yes, Sir,” she quips.
So I spank her exposed ass for trying to provoke me.
“Ah!” she shrieks with a naughty giggle afterward.
And I dive right in, burying my head in the only place that makes me feel like the most powerful man on this planet: My wife’s wet fucking pussy.
