“The flowers got stuck in traffic, but they’ll be here in an hour. I couldn’t find a priest who’d do it on such short notice, but there’s a guy I know at the yacht club who’s registered to do weddings, and I have him in the car,” Ras says as he leans against the doorframe of my bedroom.
I adjust my tie in the mirror. Muffled female laughter reaches me from down the hall. Outside the balcony, a violin is being tuned.
“Not ideal, but it will do,” I say.
Ras moves to the bar cart, pours whiskey into two glasses, and hands one to me. “How do you feel?”
“Like I’m getting married in two hours,” I say.
He smirks. “Cin cin.”
We clink our glasses and drink.
My biggest regret is that I can’t give Vale the wedding she deserves, which is why I told her that she’ll have two—one now while her sister is here with us, and another once I take my place as don. I want to see her on the steps of the basilica in Naples where my parents got married.
There’s a photo of that day resting on my nightstand. I move to look at it again. Most of our family photos burned in the fire, but over the years, Ras’s father helped me find a few.
Whenever I see this particular photo, I’m struck with how normal my parents look. It’s cropped closely on them, with just the basilica’s entrance in the background and none of the guests in sight. My mother is in a white lace dress with a high neck, and my father is in a finely tailored suit. Beautiful, yes. But normal. Without knowing anything about the couple, it would be easy to imagine them as a common Italian family, instead of a don and donna of the sistema.
Their love for each other humanized them.
After falling for Vale, I think I finally see them as humans too. Flawed and imperfect, but capable of immense love.
When the time comes, we leave the bedroom and make our way to the gardens where the ceremony will take place. We’ll get married under an arbor that Mari created a few years ago.
“It looks nice,” I say to Ras, scanning the space.
“I wish I could take the credit, but it’s mostly Gemma’s work.”
My brow arches. “You two are finally getting along?”
“Like oil and water,” he says, glancing away and sliding his hands into his pockets.
I snicker. “You think I haven’t noticed you eyeing her whenever she’s not looking? Too bad she’s engaged.”
His response never makes it out of his mouth. The violin begins to play, and the ceremony starts.
My sister comes out first, followed by Gemma, both of them in pretty blue dresses. They each give me warm smiles and take their places opposite Ras.
When Vale appears at the end of the walkway, my heart jumps into my throat. There’s a tremble in my hands, and I clench my fists by my side and force myself to breathe.
My God, this woman.
She floats down the walkway, her shoulders bared, and a bouquet in her arms. That dress on her is a wet dream, and I’m already considering how quickly I’ll be able to peel it off her.
Mine. The word echoes in my head up until she stops before me and lifts her eyes to meet mine.
The garden, our friends, even the ground I stand on disappear. Everything but her blanks out. Inside those eyes is a promise of a future I never thought I’d have, and when her full lips quirk into a breathless smile, I grin and lift my face up to the azure sky.
I hope you’re watching me right now.
A FEW DAYS LATER
Vale’s hair is bundled up in a towel as she steps out of the shower. I had intended on joining her there, but then I opened my goddamn mouth. I’ve spent the last few days in bed, thoroughly indulging my obsession with my wife. The plan was to continue to do that until dinner, but I’ve managed to piss her off and ruin the mood.
Her gaze finds me standing by the balcony, and she exhales a frustrated breath. “Did you really think I’d let you ship me off somewhere days after our wedding, Damiano? That’s not how this is going to work.” She stomps to the makeup vanity—a new addition to the room since she moved in—and huffs as she lowers into a chair. “I can’t believe you.”
I should have known she would react this way. Ras still hasn’t given the order to cut Sal off. I wanted to wait until after our wedding before causing all hell to break loose. Putting that gold band on her finger became my priority as soon as she said she’d marry me, but now that she’s finally mine, the fear of losing her is unlike any fear I’ve felt before.
Raking my fingers through my hair, I walk over to stand behind her. “I want to make sure you’re safe.”
“I’m safe by your side,” she snaps. “Don’t even try. I’m not leaving. Unless you want to sedate me and stuff me inside a trunk, I’m not going anywhere.”
I place my hands on her delicate shoulders and meet her angry eyes in the mirror. “I’m not stuffing my beautiful wife into a trunk,” I mutter. “Not again. It was only an idea.”
“A bad one,” she retorts. “Haven’t I proven to you by now that I’m not helpless? I don’t need saving. After these weeks on Ibiza, I’ve realized I’m far stronger than I ever gave myself credit for.”
“Vale, you’re the strongest person I know. It’s not you being weak that I’m worried about. It’s me.”
Her expression softens at my confession. She puts her comb back down on the vanity and places her hand over mine. “If we’re doing this, we’re doing this together. I’m not going to be cooped up in some remote Italian villa while you fight for your throne and risk your life. You need me, Dem.”
I lace her fingers with mine. I do need her. Her wisdom, her strength, and her courage. Just looking at her fills me with certainty there’s only one way for this to end.
With our victory.
She stands and throws her arms around my neck. “I love you. No matter what happens, I’ll love you through it all.”
Warmth spreads through my chest. I wrap her damp hair around my fist and bring her lips to mine. She tastes so goddamn sweet.
When we break apart, I rest my forehead against hers. “Before I met you, I thought romantic love made people crazy and weak. I was right about the first. Cazzo, I’m so fucking crazy about you. But love doesn’t make us weak. It’s the opposite. It shows us what we absolutely can’t lose—what’s worth dying for. I’d die for you, Vale.”
She kisses me again. “I’d prefer you live for me instead.”
An hour later, I’m sitting in my office. My hair’s still damp after I convinced Vale to take a second shower with me once we finished our conversation.
I pick up the phone and dial Napoletano.
He picks up on the third ring. “I hear congratulations are in order.”
“How would you—” My eyes jump to the corners of the room. “Are you watching me right now?”
“Ras called me earlier.”
I lean back in my chair and pinch the bridge of my nose. “Right.”
There’s a clipped chuckle. “How does it feel being a married man?”
“Excellent. Thinking about trying it?”
“No.”
I wait for him to say more, but apparently that’s all he’s got on the topic, so after a moment, I continue. “I’m about to pull the trigger.”
“The timing is right. There’s a lot of discontent in the ranks. I think you’ll find the support you need quicker than you expected.”
“Good. Still, I have to plan for the worst.” Spinning my pen over a knuckle, I release a breath. “I can’t have the two people I care about most in one place. Vale insists on staying, but Mari is still…unwell. She hasn’t fully recovered from what happened, and I want her someplace safe. Somewhere she’ll be able to heal.”
There’s a long silence on the other end of the line that I suspect is underscored with distaste. He’s probably pissed off I called him about this instead of something more suited for his skillset.
“Look, I know you’re not a babysitter. I’m asking for a favor—”
“I’ll take her.”
There’s no emotion in how he says the words, but the delivery is almost too flat. Like he’s actively trying to keep his voice neutral.
A hint of unease latches onto my spine. I shrug it off. Napoletano is nearly impossible to read when you’re talking to him face-to-face, let alone over the phone. The man is an enigma. It’s one of the many reasons he’s so fucking good at what he does. I hate the idea of sending Mari away, but besides Ras, he’s the only one I can trust with her.
“I don’t know how long it will be until things cool down.”
“She can stay with me for as long as she needs.”
I drop my head back and look at the plastered ceiling. It’s the right thing to do, but that doesn’t make it easy. “Thanks. Where will you take her?”
“Somewhere in Italy. It’s best for me not to say. You’ll be able to stay in touch over a secure line.”
“All right.”
“I’ll come pick her up tomorrow morning.”
That doesn’t give me a lot of time to break the news to her, but I know she won’t put up a fight like Vale did. She might grumble, but she’ll go with Napoletano and stay with him until it’s safe for her to come back.
“I owe you one,” I say.
“Yes, you do.”
We hang up, and I release a breath.
A guarantee of my sister’s safety for a future favor.
I shrug. On paper, it’s the simplest deal I’ve ever made.
Whatever Napoletano asks of me, it will be worth it to keep Mari safe.
And now that this is sorted, there’s no more reason to delay. Time to put our plan into motion.
I send a text to Ras and drop my phone down on the desk.
It’s the sound of the first domino falling.
