Chapter 41
Chapter Forty-One
CADE
There’s a small part of me that wants to slap myself, just to make sure I’m not dreaming as I wait in the small church in Brooklyn for my bride.
My beautiful pregnant bride.
It’s not a usual wedding day. A Tuesday afternoon.
Neither me nor my bride are religious, but there is a part of me that can’t shake the fact a higher power somewhere helped keep Violet safe. That something bigger than anything I know led her to date my brother and then put her squarely in my arms.
We’re pregnant. We’re having a fucking baby. I’m going to be a dad. The test is in my pocket, it’s like a good luck charm for today.
There are a few friends and family here.
Jack and Enzo by my side. A few other friends, a wild mix of people from The Syndicate on my side along with a portion of the mafia.
And I have to give it to uncle Gino, as he is now insisting I call him.
He made the church service happen on the day we wanted.
The bride’s side has friends of Vi’s from school, from the political office, as well as Cassandra and Gianna who I’ve seen my brother eye off. I’ll have to have a word with him about treading carefully, though he’s done a lot of growing.
The music starts and everything in me stills as Lia comes down the aisle in sea green, followed by Violet.
She is stunning in a simple, silk dress that fits her perfectly. Of course, as far as I’m concerned, she’d be a vision wearing a garbage bag.
She steals my very breath and lights up the entire air in the church with her presence, and her smile as she looks at me almost floors me.
When she gets to the altar, I’m grinning too, and I barely hear the words of the priest. It takes Jack to elbow me to make me respond.
I slip the ring on her finger, and she does the same with me.
We’re fucking pregnant.
We didn’t write our own vows. Mine are something I plan to say tonight. They’re dirty, sappy, true. And from the light in her eyes as we exchange the churchly ‘I dos’, hers are the same.
“You may kiss the bride,” the priest says.
I kiss her with my soul and heart behind it but keep the heat firmly in my pants.
Then we walk out of the church as husband and wife. Officially.
Later tonight, I’m presenting her with a choker, something small, but a sign of my ownership of her, something to celebrate our darker side. I’ll expect her to wear it when we play. When we go out and feel naughty.
Knowing Vi, she’ll wear it all the time.
I turn to her and whisper, “We’re having a fucking baby, Vi.”
“I know, I told you that.”
“I’m just saying, I fucking love you and that baby.”
“Cade?”
“Yeah?”
“I love you and our baby, too.”
I squeeze her hand.
Outside the church, uncle Gino, who’s platonically smitten with Vi, comes up and gives her a fatherly hug.
“I’ve worked out my favor.” This is typical Gino. He hasn’t mentioned the threat made by Zayne, but he likes to sound out favors and gauge my reaction. Sometimes, I do them because, as Enzo has said, they’re actually good jobs.
“You have?” I say. “And what’s that?”
“I want your wife to work with my son, Lou. He’s a good boy,” He makes it sound like it’s a dirty word. “He wants to go into politics, so he’ll need someone to put together a good team.”
“I’m not finished with my honors yet,” she says.
“He’s honest.” Gino looks like he doesn’t know whether to spit on the ground or laugh. “But we’ll work around it. Okay? Good. A deal.”
And he then turns. “I’ve booked Belle de Grasse for the dinner and the dancing.”
I look at my bride. “Are you okay with that?”
“Yes.” She pauses. “I’ve always wanted to eat at Belle de Grasse.”
I hold Violet in my arms as we slow dance. “I want to say you look gorgeous, but you always look gorgeous. And now you’re officially mine.”
“Am I?”
“Yes.” I growl against her ear, kissing her. “Did I mention we’re having a baby?”
“Once or twice. Have you told anyone?”
“Not yet. You?”
“Our secret. For a bit.”
“Good.” That’s my girl. That’s my bride.
I could dance with her forever, hold her forever. And I plan to do all that, but most importantly, I plan to love her forever.
She looks up at me like I’m all that matters, too.
I love this woman so much. “I saw Jack eye off Gianna. I’ll have a word with him to behave.”
She nuzzles me. “He’s changed a lot.”
“It’s a little late to switch back to him.”
“I’d never. Besides, I’ve got The Ghost.”
“Who has a gift for you.”
She looks at me, eyes sparking. “I can’t wait.”
We keep dancing, and I breathe in her flowery scent.
I can’t believe how things worked out. I can’t believe I want to have regular sex with her just as much as all the games. And…I’ve got a lifetime to fit it all into.
I look around the room and groan. “Man, Enzo’s hitting on one of your friends. I warned him to keep it in his pants tonight. This is not the night to cause trouble.”
But Violet giggles and squeezes my ass. “I know exactly what he’s like, which is why I arranged with one of Macy’s friends to distract him.”
I narrow my eyes as I look at her. “Distract him how?”
“Oh, you know…” She shrugs. “Hit on him and then pretend to be his cousin… Gino’s in on it, too.”
“You didn’t…”
And she laughs. “Oh, yes, I did.”
Enzo suddenly lets out a strangled cry as he glares at me and yells out, “You fucking told her, didn’t you?”
I pretend not to hear him and lean into her ear. “You know I’m going to have to do some major groveling to earn his forgiveness now, right?”
I make myself sound way more annoyed than I am.
I can’t really be annoyed because I’m turned on by the fact my wife’s got the balls and talent to pull off a stunt like this on my best friend.
Fuck, she really is the hottest woman I’ve ever met.
“Oh, he had it coming. Remember when he hit on Lia?” She rises on her toes and kisses me. “Besides, I’ll make it up to you on our honeymoon. Where are you taking me again?”
“Definitely not Cancun,” I mutter, kissing her.
And she kisses me back.