“Are you ready?” Marco asked.
I met his green gaze with a shaky smile, tucking my hand in the crook of his offered arm. “Yes.”
The ornate wooden doors opened, and my breath hitched at the sight before me. I vaguely noted that Sofia was in the position of maid of honor, then Elena, Emiliana, and Lil. And Nico—intense, gorgeous, and soon to be mine—stood at the altar, waiting for me. A shiver of anticipation raced through me. He was breathtakingly handsome in a tux, black shirt, and red tie that matched the color of the girls’ dresses.
Between us, filling the nave and along the aisle, were hundreds of glowing candles in all shapes and sizes. An old-world vibe permeated the interior, a window to a time long past.
How did they plan this at a moment’s notice?
I clung to Marco’s arm as he guided me toward an ancient priest with bushy white eyebrows and a map of wrinkles on his weathered face. Nico turned and locked his gaze on mine, causing everyone else to fade until there was only him.
Marco handed me off to Nico then took his place on the side where the men were lined up. When I faced Nico, my breath caught from the fierce emotion swirling in his eyes, and my heart skipped a beat. I wanted this so badly. Tears filled my eyes, threatening to spill.
He bent and whispered in my ear. “Everything will be okay.”
My hands trembled in his. Silence settled, the moment poignant before the priest crooned the words in Italian that bound our lives together.
I felt suspended in time, everyone else fading but the man before me and the firm, unshakable way he held and reassured me since I’d forcefully entered his life. It was surreal, a moment that would live in my mind forever.
We repeated the vows, and Nico slid an eight-carat round diamond set in white gold onto my finger with a matching floating diamond eternity band. There was a flash from a camera, immortalizing the moment.
When it was time to kiss, Nico released my hands then slipped one of his behind my neck, winding the other around my waist and pulling me close. My eyes fluttered closed at the first brush of his lips. Sparks erupted from the feel of his mouth on mine, and I opened for him. Angling his head, he deepened the kiss, tasting and teasing until I pressed tightly to him, my arms wrapping around his neck on their own accord. Too soon, he pulled back. Dazed, I opened my eyes to see his pupils dilated with raw hunger. In his embrace, I shivered in expectation.
I’d asked for more time before we were intimate, but the vows and that kiss had changed everything.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
MIA
With my hand in Nico’s, we left the church then got into a waiting SUV. Guards were everywhere. They hadn’t taken any chances, especially since that tracker would have led Guido to Chicago. But even though Guido lurked somewhere in the city, I felt protected by Nico’s side.
I’d finally taken my life into my own hands and done what was right for me. I glanced at my husband, trying to figure out the best time to tell him I wanted to change an important part of our agreement.
“Where are we going?” He and I were in our car. The others followed in a few SUVs.
“Back to Marco’s. We’ll have brunch with everyone to celebrate.”
I grinned because he’d said it with such ease. Maybe we could find common ground in this arrangement. “And after?”
He took his eyes off the road, and I felt like I couldn’t breathe from the intensity of his gaze. “That’s up to you. We can stay at Marco’s. I’m sure El, Sof, and everyone would like to know you better. Or we can get settled into my parents’ house, which is just down the street.”
“Is there a third option?” I was having a hard time picturing us staying with his parents.
“They’re not there.” He chuckled. “I thought it might be more comfortable for you, since the house is similar in size to Marco’s. My condo in the city is smaller.”
I smiled because it would have been pretty uncomfortable if his parents were in the same place as us. “I don’t need a big house.”
We pulled into Marco’s driveway and stopped near the front door. A few other cars were already there, but I knew they couldn’t be anyone from the church because we were the first to leave. Everyone else arrived and parked behind us on the heels of that thought.
“Then we’ll stay at the condo.” Nico drew my attention back to him.
“Sounds great.” The unknown cars bothered me. I was on edge about when my father and Ricco would find out. “Who else is here?”
He winked, and as I was getting out of the car, I stumbled over my foot. Before I could fall, his arms came around me and then pulled me against his body. Heat flooded my face, and I knew I was bright red. His hard biceps under my fingers and his lips so close caused butterflies to take flight in my stomach as the memory of his kiss filled my mind. It had been my first. It was too embarrassing to admit, and thankfully, he didn’t seem to notice. I sure as hell wasn’t going to tell him that I’d never been kissed at twenty.
His fingers trailed over my cheek, tucking a loose curl behind my ear. I shivered from the thrill of his touch. I wanted more.
“There isn’t anyone here from New York, if that’s what you’re worried about.”