Chapter 6
SIX
Lissia
Standing at the top of the stairs that led down to the foyer, I gazed at myself in the ornate mirror hanging opposite the steps. Marchello had managed to have the most gorgeous dress delivered to the house within an hour of me reluctantly agreeing to marry him.
The garment was exactly what I would have chosen—imported silk, crystal beads, sexy yet classy.
But while I was dressed in white, there was nothing pure about these nuptials.
“Marchello, you’re not being fair.”
“Will you marry me today?” he asked, so full of hope.
I looked at my engagement ring, remembering the promise I made when I said I would marry him. I wanted to marry him just as much as I had when he asked. But life was different now. I was different.
“I don’t want it to be like this,” I said.
Was I truly ready to belong to the Accetti family so soon after learning the details of my father’s demise?
“Now who isn’t being fair?” He stared into my eyes, and all of the tenderness that had been there a few seconds ago evaporated. “You already said yes. I only want to make it official.”
“I want it to be official too.” I rested my palm on his jaw. “But I want to do it because it’s what we both want. I need it to be right. I don’t want you to do this because you’re fulfilling a duty.”
“I do have a duty.”
I sighed.
“I have a duty to protect you with everything I have. Giving you my last name provides me with a sense of peace. When we first started getting close, I didn’t want a relationship with you because I feared you would suffer the same fate as my mother.”
“I know you won’t let that happen.”
“I was so certain that if I fell in love with you, I would be signing your death certificate, but now I realize that falling in love with you was inevitable. It was the most natural thing that could have happened to me. I can’t breathe without you. I don’t want to.”
“That’s exactly how I feel about you.”
“Making you my wife is what I need to do to keep you safe. Please, give me that security. Let me be your husband. Let’s start our future today.” He took my hand. “I can’t stand another minute of you not having my last name. I want to give you all of me. The good parts, the bad parts, and everything in between. You’re mine, and the world needs to know that.”
“We belong to each other.”
“Ride or die.” He smiled. “Let’s start this ride.”
I nodded as tears trickled down my face.
“Is that a yes?”
“Yes.” I brushed my lips along his. “What’s a king without a queen?”
“He’s nothing without you.”
“Lissia.” Ricardo’s loud whisper drew me from my thoughts.
“What?” I turned.
“What are you still doing upstairs?” He stood at the bottom of the steps, dressed in a stylish gray suit and holding a spectacular bouquet of fuchsia roses.
“I needed a minute.” I took my time on the steps, being careful not to take a tumble. The dress wasn’t too long, and my Jimmy Choos were no higher than usual, but today would not be the day to fall.
“Wow!” Ricardo took my hand when I reached the bottom. “You are stunning.”
“Thank you.” I straightened his tie. “You look pretty sexy yourself.”
“Your hair and makeup are flawless.”
“Milo called in a favor and got a team here within an hour to make me beautiful.”
“No one needs to make you look beautiful. You were born that way.”
“You’re going to make me blush.” I glanced at the bouquet. “You’re taking being my bridesmaid a little serious, aren’t you? Your flowers are gorgeous.”
“These are for you.” He handed them to me. “Marchello wanted to bring them to you, but your mother and I convinced him that he needed to stay in the study until the ceremony.”
“How did he take that?” I sniffed the roses that reminded me of the color of the Corvette I wanted. Did Marchello pick them because he remembered too?
“He threatened to hit me, so I offered to bring the flowers to you.”
“Is everyone ready?” I asked.
“The judge just arrived.”
“The judge?”
“He’s going to officiate,” Ricardo said. “He’s on Nico’s payroll.”
“Of course he is.”
“How are you feeling?” He squeezed my hand. “Are you nervous?”
“Not really.”
An uneasiness I couldn’t explain lingered in my stomach that I couldn’t explain, but I didn’t think it was nerves. I didn’t question what I was doing today—marrying Marchello was a dream come true. However, I couldn’t shake the unsettled feeling that there were too many loose ends.
“I prayed to Saint Joseph for you and Marchello,” Ricardo said. “You’ll be fine.”
“The patron saint of married people.”
“You paid attention during religion classes.”
“Catholic school.” I shrugged. “My father thought it would make me a better person.”
“Maybe he should have gone to Catholic school.” He shook his head. “I’m sorry. That was insensitive of me. It’s just that I heard what he had planned for you, and I… I’m having a difficult time understanding how he could do that.”
Me too.
“It’s okay.” I kissed Ricardo’s cheek as my mother hurried toward us. “He wasn’t a very good person, but he was my father.”
“Time will heal that wound,” he whispered. “I promise.”
“Lissia.” My mother paused, gazing at me as if she hadn’t seen me in months. “Oh my.”
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“Nothing is wrong.” She looked at me with admiration. “You look like an angel.”
“Thank you.” I took a deep breath. “I guess I should go get married.”
“That’s what I came to tell you.” She hooked her arm in Ricardo’s. “Your incredibly impatient gangster is getting…well, impatient.”
“Let’s not keep him waiting.” It would only be a matter of minutes before he came looking for me, demanding that I marry him immediately.
My mother touched the diamond bracelet I chose for this occasion. “I gave you that when you turned eighteen.”
“You said it was your grandmother’s and I should wear it on special occasions. Today is pretty special.”
“I agree.” She nodded. “Marchello is a lucky man.”
“I can’t deny that.” I laughed. “He’s an incredible man.”
As the three of us walked toward the study, Nico came out and met us in the hallway.
“Speaking of incredible men,” my mother said.
“Ma!” I shook my head, but I couldn’t argue with her assessment.
Nico had on another perfectly customized suit. Clearly, Marchello and Milo inherited their style and impeccable flair for dress clothes from him.
As he approached us, his tough features softened.
“Nico.” My mother touched his forearm. “We were just talking about you.”
“Really, Rosalie? I can’t imagine what you were saying.”
When Nico smiled, my mother lost her footing. Ricardo held her in place so she didn’t stumble into Nico in a shameless attempt to get him to catch her.
“You’re a vision.” Nico focused on me. He reached for my hand, then said to my mom and Ricardo, “If you’ll excuse me, I’d like a moment with my future daughter-in-law.”
“We’ll go into the study with the others.” Ricardo led my mother to the room where I would say I do .
I waved and rolled my eyes as my mother turned to get another look at Nico before entering the study. Although, I could see why she acted that way. I had fallen hard for a younger version of the man standing in front of me.
“There are a few things I’d like to say before you marry my son.” Nico motioned for me to sit on the window seat at the end of the hall. “Can you give me a couple minutes?”
“Of course.” I took a seat, leaving room for him. “Marchello might get a little impatient though.”
Nico sat next to me, stretching out his long legs and crossing them at the ankles.
“I can handle Marchello.” He smirked. “I’ve heard we have that in common.”
I smiled as I looked at my bouquet.
“I’ve heard other things about you too,” he said.
“Oh, well they’re probably all true.” I shrugged. “I keep Marchello and Milo pretty busy.”
“Milo told me how brave you were when you were shot. He said you barely flinched.” Nico rested his hand on his lap. “Marchello told me you took on Collins and even stepped in between several loaded guns.”
“He wasn’t happy about that.”
“He never wants you to be in any danger, but he admires your courage and determination.” He tapped his fingers on his thigh. “I’m grateful he found you.”
“I’m grateful I found him too.”
“Before you take the Accetti name and pledge yourself to my son and our family, I wanted you to understand that if there had been another way to resolve the situation with your father, I would have done it.”
I shifted in my seat. “Really? He tried to kill Marchello and Milo.”
“I didn’t say I wouldn’t have made him suffer, but I would have come up with more creative ways to do it. When I found out about the sex trafficking, though, I couldn’t ignore that. I did what I had to do to protect my sons, this family, and you. Not to mention the countless other women who would have been subjected to a cruel fate.”
“I can’t believe my dad was involved in that. I’m heartbroken that he would hurt me or anyone that way.”
“I’m sorry about that.” He touched my arm. “I did what I had to do.”
“I know,” I whispered.
I didn’t blame Nico for protecting what was his. My father would have done the same. He did when he put out a hit on Marchello. This was the life they chose. As much as I hated to admit it, one day the man I loved could die at the hands of his enemy. I had to come to terms with such a grim thought.
“I wanted you to understand who I am,” Nico said.
“I have a feeling you’re just as complicated as your son.”
“You seem to have him figured out.” He stood. “I’m thinking you and I are going to get along fine.”
“But you’re leaving.”
“Not forever.” When he ran his fingers along his jaw, I saw a flash of Marchello in his eyes. “The story isn’t over.”
“I’m going to hold you to that.”
“I’m going to like having you around here. You’re strong enough and crazy enough to survive among us.”
“There’s something I want you to know,” I said. “I can stand with your family because without Marchello I can’t survive.”
“We will protect you.”
“I don’t mean from my father’s enemies or Danny or even people who come for Marchello. I mean, my heart won’t survive.”
“I can see why my son got so distracted.” He winked as he helped me off the window seat. “Let’s get you married.”
“Nico.” I linked my arm with his. “Can I ask a favor?”
“Anything.”
“Will you give me away today?”
“I would be honored.” He led me to the study door.
“Can I call you Daddy ?” I smirked, searching for signs of shock in his expression, but I didn’t find any.
“Let’s not push it.”
He didn’t say no.
Nico opened the doors to the study, and my gaze connected with Marchello, who stopped his conversation with Milo and Lucas to take me in. He bit the corner of his lip and smiled at me before striding across the room and joining us by the door.
He wore a tailored tuxedo with a black shirt and a charcoal gray tie. The rose pinned to his lapel matched the ones in my bouquet. When he leaned in and gently kissed my lips, I breathed in his comforting spiced scent—the one that helped lull me to sleep every night and lingered on my skin after we had been together.
“Doesn’t your bride look beautiful?” Nico asked.
“So beautiful.” Marchello gazed into my eyes.
Was he as overwhelmed as I was with what we were about to do?
Nico joined the judge by the window adorned with roses and white lights, giving Marchello and I a chance to talk.
“Do you like the dress?” he asked.
“It’s perfect.” I smiled at Milo as he winked at me from across the room. “I can’t believe you were able to get something on such short notice.”
“Don’t you know by now I make shit happen?” He touched my cheek. “Nothing is impossible when it comes to you.”
“Are we really doing this?”
“I’m not sure why you’re so shocked.”
“Why is that?”
“You knew long before I did that this day was in our future.” He twirled the end of my hair around his finger. “Didn’t you?”
“I suppose I predicted that somewhere between throwing that box of cookies at you and you tossing my phone in the river.” I batted my lashes. “We were so charming together.”
“I’m grateful for your persistence.”
“You’re not calling it provocation anymore?”
“I’ve accepted it for what it is.”
“What’s that?”
“Destiny,” he whispered into my ear and clasped my hand in his. “Let’s make it official.”
“Wait.” I pulled back on his hand before he could lead me toward the judge and the beautiful archway of roses.
He looked over his shoulder. “We’re not going to fight now, are we?”
“No.” I kissed his cheek. “I don’t want to fight.”
“What do you want?”
“I want you to stand by the window and let me walk to you.” I motioned for Nico to come back. “Your father is going to give me away.”
“Oh.” He nodded. “I can do that.”
“Are we ready?” Nico asked as he fastened his arm in mine.
“Yes, I am.” I gazed into Marchello’s eyes. “I want to get married.”
Marchello’s lips curved into a half-smile before he abided by my request and went to the window. Milo stood at his side, and Ricardo waited to stand by mine.
“Welcome to the family.” Nico guided us toward my future and into the arms of the only man I would ever love.
After giving me to his son, he stepped back and stood near my mother, taking her hand as they both watched over us. Pride shone in their eyes.
I was about to become Mrs. Marchello Accetti. I had finally found a place where I belonged.
But that nagging, unsettled feeling wouldn’t dissipate. As happy as I was to be getting what I had wanted from the moment I realized I was in love with Marchello, I couldn’t ditch this menacing feeling…
What are these vows we’re about to pledge to one another going to cost us?