20. Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty
Dante
Hearing Sienna tell me that she loves me… it’s something I never thought possible. That someone could be capable of loving me.
“I don’t deserve it,” I say. My body aches. My mind is still foggy from the anesthesia. But despite all of that, I’m here, in the moment with Sienna.
“I know you don’t deserve it. But it’s how I feel.” That fire in Sienna’s eyes I love so much returns. “I’m glad you’re not dead. I want to be married to you, Dante. You agreed to make peace with Gabriel. Do you still intend to honor that?”
“I do,” I say, surprising even myself. “I was almost killed because of us. I don’t want you to be my weakness any longer.
I realized, while I was on that table and Gabriel was cutting and hitting me, that you didn’t have to be my weakness if I made peace with him.
That I could have you. But Gabriel better stick to his word and not try and control me.
As long as he does that, I’ll be happy. With you. ”
The light in her eyes makes my chest fucking squeeze. “You really mean all of that?”
“Yes.” I grab her hand. It’s so small in mind. “I want you in my life, Sienna. I do want to marry you. I just didn’t want Gabriel controlling me.”
“I understand that. I don’t want Gabriel controlling me either.”
“I…” Before I can tell Sienna that I love her also, her mom arrives in the doorway. “Henrietta.”
“Dante,” she says in a clipped tone. “You’re alive. I’m happy for my daughter’s sake.”
“But not for your own, I take it.”
She sighs and enters the room. “You threw yourself in front of that bullet. For my daughter. For me. I don’t understand it. You shot me before.”
“I know. And I am sorry for that. I was intent on hating everything. You were in my way. I know you’re not going to want to hear it but it wasn’t anything personal.”
“You’re right,” she says flatly. “I don’t want to hear that.”
“I’m just being my honest self. But I threw myself in front of that bullet for you and Sienna because… it just felt like the right thing to do. I’m an asshole. I’m not going to pretend otherwise. But I’m an asshole who cares about your daughter and is sorry I shot you.”
“That’s the best I’m going to get from you, isn’t it?”
I shrug, even though it hurts. “Yes.”
Her eyes flick over my body. “Well, at least you paid the price. You were shot too. For my daughter’s sake, we’ll call this even. But if you ever come for me again, I will shoot you.”
“I wouldn’t expect anything less. I see where Sienna gets her fire from.”
Henrietta smiles at her daughter. “Yes. She does get it from me.”
“Sienna never stopped fighting. It’s something I always admired about her. I’m sorry that I kidnapped her. I’m sorry that I shot you. If I had known I’d be feeling the way I do, I wouldn’t have done any of it.”
“I know,” Sienna says. “I want to believe that. I want us to start over. Can you do that with me?”
“Yes.” The moment I say the words, it’s like a weight is lifted off my shoulders. “I want to do that with you, Sienna. I want to marry you. If we’re married, we can be stronger. And no one can use you against me. Or take you from me.”
“That’s all I want. Mom? Would you mind giving us more time, just the two of us? We need it.”
Henrietta looks apprehensive but she nods and leaves the room.
Before Sienna and I get the chance to talk, Gabriel enters. I stiffen.
“I see that you’re alive. Good. That means our peace deal can go into effect. You two will be married. We will end this war.”
“Don’t control us,” Sienna snaps. It only makes me more proud of her. “We will get married when we’re ready and not on your time. Dante will keep to his word. Yes?” She stares at me hard.
I know the only way I can have Sienna in my life is if I agree to this. So with a sigh, I say, “Yes. I’ll keep to my word but you have to do the same.”
Gabriel nods once. “I can do that. Just stop causing problems for me. We can work as equals.”
“Fine,” I grit out. It’s not going to be easy for me but for Sienna’s sake, I’ll do it.
“Good. I’ll leave you two alone but there’s someone here who wants to talk with you.” He steps out of the way and Luciana comes into the room.
“Luci?” Sienna asks.
The sight of Luciana – the woman I once tortured – hits me in my wounded stomach. “Sienna.” Her eyes flick to mine. “I don’t like you. I don’t agree with any of this.”
“No one asked you,” I growl.
“Stop,” Sienna says to me. “Luci. Let’s talk.”
“No. There’s nothing to talk about. I’m happy you’re happy, Sienna.
And I’m glad we’ll all have peace through your marriage.
But I do not agree with any of this. I cannot be.
I still want you in my life, Sienna, but I don’t want him coming around.
I don’t want to hear about him. Is that understood? ”
Sienna looks stunned before she nods. “I understand.”
It’s taking everything in me not to snap at Luciana and tell her to mind her own business but I hold back.
“Good,” Luciana says. “I just had to say that.” Her eyes flick to mine again. “Don’t hurt her.”
“Her mother already threatened me so you’re good.”
She grits her teeth before storming out of the room. After a beat, Gabriel follows.
“Oh,” Gabriel adds before he leaves. “I told Matteo to never try what he did today again. You’ll be safe, Dante. But only if you stay in line. You’re going to have to prove yourself.”
The anger returns to me but I tamp it down. For Sienna, I remind myself. Only Sienna.
Once it’s just me and Sienna left, I finally let out my annoyed huff.
“Thank you,” she says. “For keeping your cool. I know it couldn’t have been easy.”
“It wasn’t,” I growl. “But… for you. I did it for you. And selfishly, I don’t want to be tortured again. I would rather be at peace with you. I want you more than I’ve ever wanted anything. I love you too, Sienna.”
My admission makes her eyes widen. “Really?”
“I’m amazed I can still surprise you after everything we’ve done together.”
“I wasn’t sure if you were capable of love.”
“You showed me I could be. For the first time in my life, I became selfless. All because of you. If that isn’t love, I don’t know what is.”
“I’m happy, Dante. I want us to be happy.”
“Then let’s be happy. But let’s also have fun while we’re at it.”
Her smile – slightly devious – tells me that she’s in full agreement.
“Do you, Dante Zaneli, take this woman, Sienna Lanza, to be your lawfully wedded wife?” the priest asks.
I stare down at Sienna in her beautiful wedding dress and large eyes and say, “I do.”
Our wedding day. The one thing I didn’t want because I was worried it would ruin my life. Instead, it’s only enhanced my life. I now have love, a beautiful woman, and peace with my enemy.
Sure, I can’t go around causing as much chaos but I can still have fun. Mainly, me and Sienna. After my body healed from the gunshot wound, we couldn’t keep our hands to ourselves. I’ve taken her every which way around the entire house. And she has loved every minute of it.
But we’ve also talked. Shared more stories of our lives to each other. Grown closer.
I never knew how much I was missing by letting my parents dictate my life.
Sienna has the brightest smile on her face. Henrietta came around to the idea of me once she saw I wouldn’t treat her daughter like utter shit. Luciana still hasn’t forgiven me and she probably never will. That’s all right. I have Sienna. That’s all that matters.
“Do you, Sienna Lanza, take this man, Dante Zaneli, to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
“I do,” Sienna says without an ounce of hesitation. She told me that she had tried running away when Gabriel told her he wanted us to marry all those months ago. Now, she’s gladly marrying me. How funny life can be sometimes.
I have spent days making up for how I’ve treated her. Sienna is a forgiving person that I don’t deserve. Yet, I think the darkness in her likes my darkness, so she didn’t need to forgive me for much.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife,” the priest announces.
I cup Sienna’s face and give her a tender kiss. I’ll wait and give her the more passionate kiss later, when it’s just the two of us. I am trying to be a better man after all. Fucking my wife on the altar is probably not the best idea.
Though…
“My wife,” I whisper against her lips.
“My husband,” she breathes out.
“Shall we start our lives together and have some fun?”
Her eager smile tells me that’s exactly what she wants. “Absolutely.”
I hold her hand as we walk down the aisle, our guests clapping for us, excited to live my life with Sienna.
Excited for passion and love and just a little bit of chaos.
The End