What’s between us is more than love, and it will never die.
Come to me, La Mia Stella.
Never forget these moments.
These steps.
The wait.
I’ll never forget them.
You are the blood inside my heart and inside my veins.
You are the air that I breathe.
You are the sustenance that keeps me alive.
I’d die to keep you.
I’d die to protect you.
I live for you and only you.
Always come to me.
Don’t ever run from me again.
Always, always, always fall into my arms, into our home, into our bed.
Always, always, always shine for me.
You are my wife.
You are my life.
Mine.
All those things his eyes were vowing to me, he’d spoken to me in the middle of the night, only me and the stone walls of our home to hear. But on sacred ground, in front of people we loved,people I didn’t even know, he was making those promises to me before I even reached him.
Promises that couldn’t die, because they had gotten tangled in our love and made a home there.
That connection between our eyes was moving between us, a pulling like I’d never known urging me to move faster, to reconnect with the missing piece of my life, who was standing just a few steps ahead. I couldn’t control what it did to me, how it moved me even when neither one of us was actually moving. I had to separate myself from the rush of it, though. Force myself not to run, but to soak up every second of this walk, because it would never happen again.
Not like this.
A collective gasp seemed to suck the air out of the room when I passed all the guests, then sighs seemed to flutter the flames of the candles.
My veil.
The Fausti insignia—a rosary with a lion in its open center, a sacred heart in its mane—was embroidered in the center of the sheer material. Around it were roses and forget-me-nots. Pnina said it was going to be a breath stealer when I mentioned the idea to her, and it was. No one knew about it, not even Scarlett, Magpie, or Mia, until they helped me set the veil in place.
Matteo Fausti was a Fausti, and his family’s future leader, and I wanted to represent him. Let his world know that I already carried him within my heart, and I’d always have his back, like he’d always have mine. I was so proud to be his, and I would be the woman it took to be next to him while he led. I’d keep him in the light, keep him protected and fed, while also feeding his soldiers. The roses and forget-me-nots were for me. In honor of the woman who had already become a second mom to me, and for my own mom, who I carried inside of my heart.
I’d never forget her.
I hadn’t expected it, but I should have known. Matteo’s eyes were glossy, like at any second, tears would fall. They fell from my eyes, and he gently patted them dry when we reached him, rubbing them against his lips. Uncle Tito kissed my cheeks, told me how beautiful I was and that he’d tuck this moment inside of his heart, in a safe place. Then he gave my hand to Matteo.
“You will take care of her,” Uncle Tito said, his voice stern.
