by Cora Reilly
Since I was a little girl, I’d dreamed about my wedding day. Mom and Nonna would show me photos from their day, beaming and wistful. They’d both been beautiful brides, and they never stopped telling me that I, too, would be a gorgeous bride.
Nonna had always been so excited about witnessing my wedding, the first wedding from her grandchildren. Now she wouldn’t be there.
Neither would be Dad. My stomach hollowed out, a gaping abyss of grief and sadness.
“They are watching from above,” she finished firmly. “That should be our consolation today. This is a day of joy and we can’t allow grief to ruin it. I’ve waited too long to see my beautiful Gem walk down the aisle.”
Mom squeezed my hands tightly, staring into my eyes. “Be happy. That’s what both of them wanted for you.” She smiled. “Happiness and many beautiful children.”
“Mom!” I choked out, then laughed. “I’m only eighteen. I won’t give you any grandchildren anytime soon.”
Mom shrugged. “You never know. I was your age when I got pregnant with Diego.”
I didn’t mention that Savio and Dad were nothing alike. Savio definitely didn’t want any children yet, and to be honest, neither did I.
Mom regarded me in a strange way, stroking my cheek. “So grown up. I can’t believe my little girl is going to become a married woman today.” A hint of embarrassment crossed her features.
She cleared her throat. “Tonight will be a special night.”
My eyes grew wide, realizing the direction of Mom’s words. Heat crawled up my neck.
Mom’s cheeks, too, were stained pink. “I think,” she said with a small embarrassed laugh. “I’ll ask your future sisters-in-law to have this conversation with you.”
“Oh no, Mom, I don’t need a conversation.” Toni had explained everything I needed to know. After all, she’d been with Diego, but Mom didn’t know that, of course.
Mom shook her head and walked toward the door. “Every bride needs that kind of talk.” She slipped out before I could try to dissuade her. I stared at my reflection.
My tears had dried by now, and fortunately my eyes weren’t swollen. I hadn’t cried enough for that. I fumbled with the necklace. Nonna’s family heirloom.
A knock sounded, tearing me from this dangerous path of mourning.
“Gemma?” Kiara’s voice rang out. I cringed at the conversation that was about to happen.
Guests had started trickling in and began filling the pews. To see the day that a Falcone would marry in church…
I’d gathered with my brothers in the back, greeting everyone. Kiara and Serafina were busy instructing Greta and Nevio once more. Gemma’s mother hurried toward Kiara and Serafina and said something to them while throwing a quick glance in my direction. They nodded, then Mrs. Bazzoli walked away.
“What is it?” I asked.
Kiara blushed.
Serafina smiled coyly. “Mrs. Bazzoli asked us to have a talk with Gemma before you marry.” She paused for emphasis. “A girl’s talk.”
I shook my head. “Gemma doesn’t need a talk. I’ll show her everything she needs to know.”
Serafina huffed. “Of course, she needs a pep talk. Unlike you, she hasn’t slept with half of Vegas.”
I grinned. “I know. She’s all mine.”
Serafina exchanged a look with Kiara. “Why don’t you return to your groom duties and we’ll handle the girl stuff?”
“As I see it, giving her a good night is my groom duty.”
Fabiano exchanged a look with my brothers as he sauntered toward us with Aurora on his arms.
“I think you need to lower your expectations,” Serafina said.
“Don’t ruin tonight for me.”
Kiara rolled her eyes.
“I’m sure you’ll manage to do that on your own,” Serafina said with a laugh.
“Don’t ruin his night, for fuck’s sake. His fucking blue balls moodiness of the last few months is intolerable. I’ll turn fucking homicidal if he doesn’t get laid soon,” Remo snarled.
“You’re homicidal on the best of days, Remo, let’s be honest here,” Fabiano said, rocking Aurora whose face was red from her last screaming fit. It made her blonde hair and blue eyes stand out even more.
Kiara and Serafina slipped away before I could stop them.
“Damn,” I muttered.
“Maybe you should listen to Fina’s advice and lower your expectations. Maybe Gemma won’t sleep with you tonight, and even if she does, it probably won’t be the fireworks you expect,” Fabiano said.
“Speak for yourself,” I said. “Only because you didn’t give Leona any fireworks in your first night, doesn’t mean I’ll fail too.”
Fabiano rolled his eyes.
Remo smiled twistedly, his eyes following his wife.
“Any tips?” I said.
“Whiskey goes well with the taste of blood.”
I cocked an eyebrow. “Thanks.”
Fabiano shook his head, covered Aurora’s ear with his palm. “Aurora will be banned from visiting your mansion once she’s older.”
Diego came over with impressive bags under his eyes. We shook hands and he probably would have uttered another warning if a murmur hadn’t passed the present guests.
I followed their gazes toward the entrance of the church and let out a low whistle.
“That girl is going to get someone killed one day,” I said.
Luca Vitiello towered in the doorway with his stunning wife and even more stunning daughter. His son was already taller than his three years older sister.
“How old is she?” Diego asked.
“Twelve,” Fabiano said in warning. “And you better look at something else when they come over, or Luca’s going to cut you down.”
“Luca won’t cut down anyone in my territory,” Remo said with a dangerous smile.
“If someone checked out Greta in that age, would you hesitate to cut them down if you were in Luca’s territory?” Fabiano asked.
I scoffed. Remo would rip the fucker’s throat out with a smile.
Kiara, followed by Serafina, entered the room, and I wanted to disappear in the ground. Kiara appeared even more flustered than I felt. They both took me in.
“God, you are so beautiful, Gemma,” Kiara said, pressing a palm to her mouth.
Serafina nodded slowly. They both were absolutely stunning. Kiara in a long red dress that contrasted beautifully with her pale skin and dark hair, and Serafina like a regal angel with her straight blonde hair and a dark blue dress. “You will bring Savio to his knees.”
I wasn’t sure how my marriage with Savio would be.
“Your mom asked us to talk to you,” Serafina said, coming closer.
“I really don’t need a talk,” I said quickly. “I already talked to… someone.” I couldn’t really say that I’d talked to Toni because it wasn’t public knowledge that she’d slept with Diego.
“Well, I wouldn’t rely on Savio’s ample knowledge alone, if I were you,” Serafina said.
“Did you ever meet any of the girls?”
Kiara touched my arm. “No. Savio never cared about any girl enough.”
Serafina leaned in. “From this day on, you’re the only girl that matters. Like I said, you need to bring him to his knees.”
“Do you think that’s possible?”
“Oh yes,” she said, exchanging a look with Kiara. “Every man can be brought to his knees.”
They’d have to know. They were married to Nino and Remo.
“So, you’re sure you don’t want to ask us anything?” Kiara asked softly.
“One thing…among Traditionalists the bloody sheets tradition is still upheld but since your family isn’t very conservative, I was wondering if there’s something like that.”
“No!” Both of them said at once.
Serafina touched my shoulder. “You decide if you want to sleep with Savio, only you. There won’t be any bloody sheets or anything else putting pressure on you and please pro
mise me that you won’t let him push you into anything you don’t want to do.”
I smiled at their concern. “I won’t.”
Savio had made me wait a long time before he’d made up his mind, first about our engagement, then about our wedding. He could wait for what he wanted a while.
I loved Gemma in tight clothes that showed off her breathtaking curves, but I’d been expecting her to opt for a modest wedding dress. After all, the spectacle took place in church and her family was in attendance. So, seeing her in her high-collared, long-sleeved dress with the veil covering all of her face didn’t come as a surprise, what did, was that she knocked the breath straight out of me. A hush fell over the crowd.
An apparition of white.
Diego led her toward me. The closer they came, the more of Gemma’s face became visible through the fine material of her veil. They stopped beside me, and Diego pulled back her veil. The tender look that passed between them made me forgive Diego for the veiled threats of the last few weeks. This was his little sister. I’d never had a sister to protect, but I had Greta.
I held out my hand, surprisingly steady, and he handed Gemma over to me with a curt nod. His jaw was locked tightly as he turned and headed to the first row where our families sat.
Gemma’s hand was shaking against mine, beckoning to my protective side. I slid my thumb over her soft skin and was rewarded with a small smile. Leaning down, I whispered. “You look like a princess, Gem.”
The smile got a bit wider, then the priest started his sermon and Gemma’s expression became focused. I zoned out. This spectacle was for Gem, nothing else. I still didn’t believe in any of this hocus pocus.
I caught Remo’s eyes who stood next to me with his arms crossed and a mildly pissed expression. Nino wore a look of mild exasperation. For him, it was completely unreasonable to believe in God. Good thing that he hadn’t involved Gemma’s conservative family into a discussion about the existence of a higher power. Knowing my brothers and my devilish little nephew, it would be a miracle if this wedding ended without a scandal and half of the Bazzolis never talking a word to us again. Only Adamo managed an expression that suggested he actually listened to a word the priest said, though he was probably daydreaming about the next street race in two weeks.
Gemma’s “I do” cut through my thoughts and I quickly returned my focus to the front. The look she sent me made it clear that she knew I hadn’t paid attention.
“I do,” I said firmly, and then ice-cold realization hit me. Right this second, I was a married man. From the corner of my eye, I caught Fabiano and Remo exchange surprised looks. Had they thought I’d say no? I wouldn’t put it past them to have placed bets on the outcome of this day. If that was the case, I wished they’d told me so I could have placed my own wager.
Greta tiptoed toward us in her pale pink flower girl dress, led by Nevio in his tux. Without him, she would have never walked down the aisle with so many people watching. I gave Nevio a warning look. If the little monster did anything to mess up this day, I’d kick his devious ass. In spite of himself, Nevio didn’t as much as make a face. He looked focused on Greta. Those two were like yin and yang. He and Greta stopped in front of us. Greta held up the ring cushion, giving me a tiny smile. She didn’t once look at the priest, Gemma or anyone else.
Gemma leaned down and whispered something that made my niece smile a bit wider, surprising me briefly, but then my eyes were drawn to Gemma’s back, which was bare. Her defined back and elegant shoulder blades, her delicious spine that I wanted to run my tongue over. My pulse sped up. Gemma straightened with the ring in her hand and faced me.
I don’t know what my expression was like, but it must have reflected my hunger because Gemma’s cheeks turned red. “Your hand,” she whispered, and I held out my hand for her.
She slipped the ring on. I bent down to Greta and took the remaining ring. This time I’d opted for a less obnoxious ring, a simple gold band with a few diamonds. “Thank you, dollface.”
Nevio pouted.
“And thanks to you.”
Together they turned around as I straightened. I gripped Gemma’s hand and slid the ring on her finger. A familiar wave of possessiveness washed over me, seeing my ring on Gemma’s hand. Glancing at my own hand, I realized that now I, too, would wear a sign that made me someone else’s. It was a strange feeling, knowing Gemma would be the woman I’d spend the rest of my life with, the only woman I’d have sex with…
“You may kiss the bride,” the priest said, tearing me from my thoughts.
I smirked.
Snaking my arm around Gemma’s waist, my palm pressed to the soft, hot skin of her back, I pulled her against me.
“Behave,” she said almost desperately a second before my mouth crashed down on hers. The priest had given his official blessing for a kiss, so Gemma’s stuck-up family could suck it up. Sliding my lips over Gemma’s soft ones, I nudged her open with my tongue. Gemma tensed, but I didn’t give her a chance to react, pulling her even closer, my pinky slipping below the fabric of her dress to tease her tailbone as my tongue tasted her. Applause rang out in the church, at first only by a few people, probably orchestrated by Remo, until everyone fell in.
Eventually I pulled back, breathing heavily. I would have kept kissing Gemma if blood hadn’t started pooling in my cock. A hard-on in church was definitely something that Gemma would hold against me. Gemma’s skin was flushed, her lips swollen, her eyes lidded. For a moment before she remembered herself, desire filled her gaze and fuck it, I wanted to throw her over my shoulder right then and carry her to the car so I could take her to a secluded place where I could have my way with her.
Then Gemma’s eyes narrowed, and realization settled on her features, her eyes darting to our audience.
Outside of the church the guests gathered around us, clinking champagne glasses and cheering. Remo and Serafina were the first to congratulate us, of course. As Capo and my brother, it was his honor. He shook his head, then grabbed my hand and pulled me against him to hug me briefly. Many men avoided public displays of affection, especially if they were a high-ranking mobster. Remo knew he didn’t need to impress anyone. Every person in the room respected or even feared him. “I can’t fucking believe that you’re married. I was sure you’d pull a Hugh Hefner on all of us.”
I snorted, pulling away. “How could I not agree to marry, considering the hottest girl in Vegas was waiting at the altar?”
“That’s a lot of trouble for a piece of virgin ass,” Remo muttered. Gemma stiffened beside me.
My hand around his tightened, my lips curling in anger. “Careful.”
Remo’s mouth twitched into his twisted smile. “I see. Not just some hot ass after all.” He stepped back with that insufferable knowing expression and Serafina took his place. She smiled. “Congrats.” Then she hit my arm. “Don’t mess this up. I love her.”
“I’d never do anything to destroy your special bond.”
She hit me again before she stepped back, then searched the area for Nevio, who’d disappeared.
Diego and his mother Claudia, the latter holding Carlotta, who was still pale, were next. Diego gripped my hand and touched my shoulder. “Congrats.” He leaned forward, his eyes dead serious. “You are like a brother I never had. You are my best friend. But if you hurt Gemma, I’m going to kill you.”
I smiled in response. By now, I’d gotten used to his threats and they didn’t piss me off anymore. “She’s mine to protect now, Diego, and I will protect her.”
Diego nodded, but the hint of doubt lingered in his expression.
Claudia with Carlotta was next. She gave me a one-armed hug. “Please be good to my girl, Savio,” she whispered, her eyes earnest in their worry for her daughter. “Gemma is a good girl. She’s got a heart of gold, but even gold isn’t indestructible. I know as a Falcone, Diego’s threats mean nothing to you, but maybe the wish of a mother does.”
Tears filled her eyes. She looked exhausted and too-thin. Since Da
niele’s death, she’d been breakable. “Claudia, you don’t have to ask me to be good to Gem. I won’t hurt her, and if I tried, she’d kick my ass as she should.”
Carlotta smiled shyly. I held out my arms, and she immediately leaned forward. Claudia handed her to me, and I pressed her to my chest. She was a tiny kid, no surprise, given her illness. “Hey Lotta, you look dashing in your dress. Like a princess.”
She giggled and actually snuggled against me. Her dad was gone, a constant male presence in her life, and knowing Diego’s workload, he probably didn’t have time to fill the void. I stroked her head.
Gemma pulled away from Diego who’d been hugging her for a long time. They both stared at me. I gave them a wink then turned back to Carlotta. “Will you dance with me later?”
Carlotta nodded, biting her lip.
“Your other guests are waiting for their turn,” Claudia said and took Carlotta from me before she and Diego moved to the side. Gemma linked our fingers and stood on her tiptoes to whisper in my ear. “Thank you for making her feel special. She’s been through so much. She really likes you.”
I squeezed her hand as she turned back to the guests. Nino and Kiara waited before us. Kiara had tears in her eyes. Each of them carried one of their sons. Both were dressed in bow ties and suspenders, earning admiring glances from all the women around.
Gemma’s face twisted with rapture as well. My baby alarm went off at once, and I realized I should have talked to her about not wanting kids within the next ten years at least. Four kids in the house were already more than enough, five if you counted Aurora who was over half of the time with Leona. Did Gemma even take the pill or was that against her traditions?
Fuck. If I had to use a condom tonight, I’d kick myself.
Nino gave me a nod and clapped my arm. “Congrats.”
I raised an eyebrow, remembering his words about marriage. “I thought marrying wasn’t an accomplishment that warranted congratulating.”
“That’s true under normal circumstances, but given your promiscuity, attempting such a bond is a daring endeavor worthy of congrats.”
