But Ivan added something else. “I will prove that you’re safe here. That our boy is safe here. I know a way, and I’ll prove it before you marry me.”
The serious tone sent my gaze searching his. Determination replaced the uncertainty from earlier. It was fierce, glistening black like a polished stone. It stole my breath. Something sacred, a promise between our souls, passed between us.
All I could do was nod. Because saying something like “Okay, Ivan”or “Sure, prove yourself” was too weak, too mundane for the feeling.
Chapter 37 – Poppy
When Ivan said he wanted to prove himself to me, I wasn’t expecting him to take me to church. Besides, I was sure I remembered him saying he would do itbeforewe married. But the night of the raid on the rival mob was a blur. Too much blood, a hell of a lot of booze, and a long nap curled against Ivan’s side.
“I don’t have a dress,” I protested, gazing up at the stone façade. A river of disappointment spread through me. There were other wedding customs I wanted to implement. Some were Italian, others Bulgarian. At the very least, I wanted to be wearing something other than green linen shorts and a fitted cream tank top. The flip flops had a tear near the thong for crying out loud. That was not the memory I wanted.
“Why would you need a dress?” Ivan parked the car and turned to me.
I shot a look at Brady, who was paging through a book in the backseat. That kid was going to be the one who showed up to functions with a story he’d rather be reading. It didn’t bother me one bit that he was obsessed with books.
“Well, it’snormalfor a bride to dress up,” I muttered.
Ivan snorted. “We’re not getting married, flower.”
Those words hurt my heart.
“Not today, but soon.” He grasped my chin. “There’s something I want to do first.”
Relief rushed through me. “Okay.”
I didn’t remember the promise from that night correctly. What a relief.
Ivan moved around the car, coming to open my door.
“I’ve got it, tatko!” Brady sprang from the backseat, tearing after his father. Since the sports car didn’t have back doors, he had to climb out behind a front seat. Or in this case, vault over the center without waiting for one of us to fold the back down.
“Brady!” I scolded.
But he was already racing to join Ivan.
“A gentlemanalwaysopens the door for a lady,” Brady explained. “Not because she can’t, but because she’s a queen and she should be served.”
The lesson I worked hard to instill in him shone. I was calling this a mom-win. My little hellion was going to be some girl’s dream come true one day. She’d better be worth him—or we’d have problems.
One of the things I’d come to love about Ivan was that he never teased Brady. He gave him a solemn nod. “That’s right,Hristo.”
Brady opened my door and held out a hand. “I’m teaching tatko how to be a gentleman.”
I bit my lip in an attempt to fight back my smile. Sliding my fingers into the damp—and sticky—palm, I exited the car.
“You’re doing a fine job, bud.” I squeezed his fingers and when he released them, I discreetly wiped them on my shorts. “Thank you for being thoughtful.”
“Welcome!” He bounced around me to take Ivan’s hand. There was only a thin bandage wrapped around his bicep today. Theshotgun blast missed his arm by a dog’s hair; only a few stray pellets lodged in his flesh. The nerve that was struck was already healed.
It could have been a thousand times worse.
“So, if we’re not going to take vows, what are we doing here?” The parking lot was packed with cars, but I didn’t spot anyone. Their voices, however, carried around the building.
“You’ll see,” Ivan murmured.
From a quick glance, the crowd seemed to be local families from the neighborhood. But details stuck out, and I would bet money that these men were Made and under Ivan’s protection. We never did this with my father’s men. There were ranks, and they didn’t intermingle. While the captains would occasionally come to dinner with their wives decorated like trophies, they were never social visits. The famiglia turned out for formal events like weddings, funerals, and baptisms, but soldiers didn’t sit at picnic tables with capos, and enforcers didn’t play basketball with bookies. There was comradery here. This was the type of friendship that existed in a close-knit group.
All this time.To think what I’d been missing.
