Chapter 26 Dante
DANTE
"There's something you should know about me, Dante," I say.
He turns to look at me. “What is it?”
I take a deep breath, feeling unsure.
It's half past noon, and we're on our way to the fashion show. Earlier this morning, he took me to a designer store and bought me a gorgeous dress to wear for the event. I feel like a princess in it.
"I don't like crowds," I say. “They make me anxious, and I’m more prone to panic attacks when I'm surrounded by too many people."
"Is there a reason for that?" he asks.
There's a weight in my chest. It feels uncomfortable to be speaking about one of my many defects. But I push past that feeling because he's done the same for me.
"I've always felt like a freak," I say. "Like there's something abnormal about me and my life. And when I'm in crowded places, it's only heightened. It's a reminder of how far from normal my life is."
"You'd be surprised how many people feel that way," he says. "They may not have the same story as you, but you're not alone in the way you feel."
"Do you feel like a freak, too?" I ask, looking at him.
"We're all freaks, love," he says, his hand coming to rest on my thigh. He squeezes it possessively.
The city looks even prettier in the daytime, but I can't seem to stop looking at Dante. Something had changed between us this morning.
Maybe it’s because we finally surrendered to this energy between us. Maybe it's because we kissed for the first time.
When I woke up this morning, I got this feeling that I’m exactly where I'm supposed to be.
There wasn't even a whisper of uncertainty in my head.
Waking up in this man’s arms is what I want to do for the rest of my life.
“We can skip the event,” Dante says. “I can plan a private meeting with the families later.”
“I’m already all dressed up,” I say, glancing down at my creamy-white dress. “And I want to see the fashion show. I think it’ll be an interesting experience.”
“Are you certain?” he asks.
I almost tell him the truth. I want to tell him that he has a calming effect on me. For whatever reason, just being next to him makes me feel stronger.
But it feels like it's too soon to be saying those kinds of things to him.
"I'll be fine,” I say.
He clears his throat. "There's something I need to tell you as well."
"Oh?"
"The fashion show doesn't start for another hour," he says. "We’re making a stop on the way."
He glances at me for a moment, then looks back at the road.
"When I woke up this morning, there was only one thing on my mind," he says. “All I could think about was making you mine. In every way.”
He says that so casually, like it doesn't make my heart skip a beat.
"I don’t want to wait any longer, piccola," he says.
"Wait for what?" I ask.
He parks in front of a beautiful cathedral.
"To marry you," he says.
The smile freezes on my lips. To say that this is unexpected would be an understatement.
"A priest is waiting inside as we speak," he says. He grabs a large box from the back seat and hands it to me. "This is for you."
I open it to find yards of tulle and lace embroidery. It’s a wedding veil. The bejeweled comb glitters under the sun, casting its reflection everywhere in the car. I wouldn’t be surprised to find that these are real diamonds.
“I don’t understand,” I say. “Why now?”
"Because yesterday was a wake-up call. Life can change in an instant. And I don't want to go another day without making you my wife."
"You want to marry me because your boss escaped from prison?"
"I want to marry you because you have bewitched me."
My heart squeezes in my chest. His words are pretty, but they do nothing to calm my racing heart.
“Does it have to be right now?” I ask. “It feels so sudden.”
He watches me for a moment.
"You signed a contract," he says. "You read the fine print. I get to marry you on the date and time of my choosing."
I stare at him for a moment.
"Is that all this is to you?” I ask. "A contract?"
"I don’t see a point in waiting."
I glance down at the dress I'm wearing. He was the one who picked it out for me. It didn't even occur to me that I was wearing a wedding dress. God, I feel stupid.
I have to fight to keep the emotions from rushing to my head. I don't want to cry over this.
I can't tell him the truth either.
Because somewhere along the way, this bond between us felt like more. It felt like there was more than a contract and compulsion binding us together.
And although I haven't known him for all that long, I formed a connection with him that I’ve never had with anyone else.
I'm afraid he doesn't feel the same way about me.
"Fine," I say. "Let's get married."
He lifts my hand and kisses it.
It's obvious that he likes me right now, but will this feeling stay forever? Or is it going to be transient like everything else I've ever known?
DANTE
The reasons don't matter.
All that’s important is that I have my woman next to me.
Earlier this morning, I got an email from the Don.
He said that he would be back in Italy just in time for the wedding.
I don't know what came over me, but all I knew was that I didn't want the wedding to just be a spectacle. Grace and I sharing our vows isn’t going to be a source of entertainment for anyone else.
I want a private ceremony with just the two of us and a witness.
Because for me, this is so much more than a contract.
I help her out of the car. She stares at the cathedral as I place the veil comb over her intricately braided bun. She looks so stunning that my breath catches in my throat.
"What?" She looks up at me.
The morning light falls on her skin, making her look like an angel.
"You look ethereal, Grace,” I tell her.
The bells begin to toll. She glances up at the cathedral, where the Gothic spires graze the sky. When I take her delicate hand in mine, she glances down at our joined hands.
"We're doing this," she says.
"We're doing this," I repeat.
I lead her toward the entrance. The moment we step inside, we’re transported into another time and place.
Light from the stained glass windows catches on Grace's white dress, covering her in a mosaic of ruby, emerald, and sapphire. The high vaulted ceilings feel big enough to contain everything I feel for this girl. The candles and incense fill the space with sweet smoke.
Like all holy places, there's a sacred energy here. Thousands of people have come here before me with hopes and dreams of their own. Thousands of couples have declared their love for each other in front of family and friends.
All of the church pews are empty, except for one. Enzo turns to look at us as we approach. He presses his lips together, but he knows better than to protest now.
We stop in front of the priest. Enzo found him earlier this morning, and we're lucky that he agreed to officiate the ceremony.
Grace and I stand before each other.
Every time I look at her, I feel like I can see all the way down to her soul. And it's the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.
The priest begins the ceremony.
Grace looks nervous to be standing here before me.
Maybe in another life, we could have done things the normal way. Maybe I could have had the chance to court her. Maybe she would have had the chance to develop affection for me.
But in this life, we’re bound together by unfortunate circumstances and a contract.
"Dante Mancini, accetti questa donna come tua legittima sposa?” the priest asks. Do you take this woman as your lawful wife?
"Lo accetto," I say. I do.
The priest turns his attention to Grace now.
"Grace Thorne, accetti quest’uomo come tuo legittimo marito?” he asks.
She stares at me for a moment, so much unspoken turmoil written on her face. She closes her eyes.
"Lo accetto," she says.
I slip the gold band on her trembling finger, finally claiming her as mine.
Her uncertainty and fear should make me pause. But I must have sold my soul a long time ago because all I feel is possessiveness blazing through my chest. I tug her closer toward me and lift her against my body. Her face is inches from mine. The black of her pupils explode from the proximity.
I thread my fingers into her hair and kiss her.
I mean for it to be a chaste kiss, but the monster inside me takes over. I pour my hunger into her, letting her know just how much I want her.
Everything else fades into the background.
I make a silent vow in this moment.
I'll watch over this woman for the rest of my life. Even if she chooses to walk away after our contract ends, I'll always be there to guard her, even if it's from a distance. She'll always have my heart, even if she refuses it.
I feel her crumpling underneath me, gasping for air as I claim her as mine.
When I pull away, she's dazed. Her lips look bruised from the kiss. Her eyes are weighted, containing a lust that I know all too well.
Mine.
Mine, mine, mine. The word echoes in my head, drowning out everything else.