I love him more and more, and that scares the piss out of me. The fear of abandonment is strong within my soul. I hope there’s no way they can tie it to him or anyone in the Bianchi family.
"What's wrong?" I spin around to see Nero staring at me, trying to guess what the matter is.
He closes the distance in long strides, looking sexy as hell in his dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up. With a kiss to my lips, he pulls me down onto his lap as he sits on the sofa. “Tell me, angel face, what’s going on?”
"They just found my old boss dead, and he was a bigger sleazebag than I knew."
"Yeah. I told you I'd take care of it." He cups my chin, running his fingers along my jaw before replacing them with his mouth. Embracing the tenderness, I almost forget about our conversation. The sneaky bastard.
Nudging him slightly with a tone of anger in my voice, I ask, "Is that why he was at Domani’s yesterday?"
"You knew of that?" He pales and then straightens his spine.
I wrap my arms around his neck and play with the edge of his hair. This man is so gorgeous I steal another kiss before explaining what happened. “Yes. When Domani called Aria, we were all going to go over there. It wasn’t until we pulled up the driveway that I noticed the car. I had to get out of there, so I asked Luigi to bring me back. Please don’t be mad at him for not saying anything. I begged him to keep quiet.”
“I’m not mad at all. He’s a married man. He knows when to keep his mouth shut and when not to. The only person I’m upset with is myself. I’m sorry that I didn’t think about that factor. I swear, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable in any way.”
“Thank you, but knowing he’s out of my life forever makes me feel incredible. Does that make me bad?”
“Not at all. You were in danger with him alive.”
“Thank you for slaying my dragons.”
“No one will ever come between us.”
“How about we have nothing between us?” I ask, kissing his throat.
“Sounds like a great idea.” With a growl, he scoops me up and stands.
“Wow.”
“Where are we going?”
“To our bed, where I plan to worship you until we’re too tired to move.”
Chapter Eleven
Nero
It’s our big, special day and I’m thrilled to fucking hell that it’s here, although I have to say I’m pissed about last night. They took my wife away from me because I’m not supposed to see the bride before the wedding. I snarled and barked, but I lost in the end. Killing people with my bare hands is my specialty, but dealing with a bunch of angry women is a dangerous place to be.
“It’s almost time, Nero. Calm yourself.” Dom hands me a drink which I finish in one gulp.
“Easy for you to say. You’re already married.”
“And you have already bedded yours, so it’s not like you’re anxious to have your first time,” he reminds me. It’s not meant to be a dig, but that doesn’t help my already anxious mood.
“No. I fucking miss her. It’s the first time that I’ve spent the entire night completely away from her. I don’t like it.” It’s stupid for me to panic, but the thought of her deciding I’m not good enough plays in my head with every passing second.
A knock on Domani’s office door alerts us that it’s time. I take a deep breath and open it, knowing she’s ready to come to me and easing some of that anxiety. My angel face is going to be legally and eternally mine. There are no words for the rush of emotions that come over me. We exit into the large garden area where Father Falcone waits for Domani and me.
After shaking his hand, I take my place and wait for the music to usher in my bride. Zio has granted himself the honor of walking Mariana down the aisle since she has no one else. The patio doors open, and I’m doing my best to stay still as she begins her approach.
Mariana’s breathtakingly gorgeous. Her long white dress fits her figure almost like it’s one with her body. It’s simple but elegant, and there’s something in the way she moves that adds to its beauty. They finally reach me, but I pay my uncle no mind because my eyes are focused on my beloved Mariana.
“Angel face, you look incredible,” I breathe out, taking her hand in mine before we turn to face Father Falcone. She releases her breath and smiles.
The ceremony is over in a blur as I look at my wife, grinning like a fool. I slip my arm around her waist, pulling her to me as I share our first kiss with Mrs. Nero Bianchi. It takes a tap on my shoulder to finally stop, and then I notice that it’s raining, pouring down on us. Everyone runs to take shelter, but I shrug and kiss my wife until we’re panting for air.