She makes her journey down the aisle, and Nonna pats my hand.
“Thank you,tesoro.”
I blink up at her, caught off guard by the emotion in her eyes. Nonna Vitale is always warm, but she’s also known for being stoic. Right now, she’s anything but.
“For what, Nonna?” I ask.
“You made him smile again.”
The weight of her observation settles over me, a bittersweet reminder. Everyone in the family has worried about Romeo over the years, even if they tried not to show it. But I can’t take all the credit for the emotional shift, because so much of it had to do with timing. He had to get to a point where he could trust himself with me, and now that we’re finally here, everything just feels right.
“Okay, ready?” Val checks me over one last time.
I nod, and she sends us off with a smile, Beppe leading the charge into the ballroom. As we reach the aisle, and the altar comes into view, I almost falter for a second as I stifle a laugh.
There, across from my bridesmaids, is an impenetrable wall of suits—the Vitale men, each wearing a different mask. We have Jason, Michael Myers, and Angelo in his infamous skull. Naturally, my groom is wearing Ghostface in an all-black suit with his signature combat boots. He’s owning his not-at-all-a-gentleman look, and I love it.
I’m impatient to get to him, but Nonna keeps me grounded and maintains a ladylike pace as she mutters something in Italian about the men. When we finally reach the altar, and Romeo removes his mask, handing it off to his brother, my chest fills with a sudden rush of butterflies.
He’s so hot, I could maul him right here, and I can’t believe that after today, he’ll be mine forever.
Seemingly reading my thoughts, he takes me by the hand and leans in, lips brushing against my ear.
“Keep looking at me like that, little shark, and we won’t make it through the vow ceremony.”
I let out a dreamy sigh, and Pepe clears his throat, reminding us we have an audience.
He opens the ceremony, but I’m not sure I hear a word he says because I’m lost in Romeo’s gaze. When his thumb brushes my knuckles, and a hint of a smile passes over his face, I realize it’s time to pay attention.
We chose traditional vows, and unlike most of the time, there isn’t an ounce of sarcasm or dry humor in Romeo’s voice as he repeats them. He wants me to know he’s serious, and that this isn’t just a formality for him. It’s a promise.
When it’s my turn to repeat the vows, he grounds me with his touch, and everything else falls away. It’s just the two of us, swearing our love to each other for eternity.
After I finish, Rafe scoops Beppe up and hands over the rings. Romeo slips mine on first, and I could almost swear I feel a tremor in his hand when he lifts his gaze to mine.
Before I slide his band on, my thumb grazes the scar on his finger from the day of the lightning strike. It feels strangely fated, like that mark lingered there as a sign of what would come. That somehow, we’d always find our way back to each other.
When I look into Romeo’s eyes, I know he feels it too.
Pepe pronounces us husband and wife, and Romeo doesn’t wait for his cue. He sweeps me up into a kiss that lets me—and everyone else—know I’m his.
A chorus of cheers erupts around us, Beppe barks, and my heart swells even more in my chest.
“È sempre stata tu,” Romeo murmurs the words against my lips. “Sei mia. Per sempre.”
I echo it back to him, and in that moment, I know truer words have never been spoken.
It’s always been you. You’re mine forever.
EPILOGUE
GABRIELA
The midday suncasts a warm glow over the alfresco dining area, where Nonna Vitale has laid out a brunch fit for a queen. Technically, in our world, I suppose it is.
The girls and I sit together, sharing food and conversation while the Vitale men occupy their primal habitat, the outdoor gym. They were dealing with some kind of Mafia issue all night, so they got a late start.
We have a don’t-ask, don’t-tell policy regarding the details of their business. But since Angelo has taken over as don, I’ve surmised that most of what Romeo does for theCosa Nostratakes place on his computer. Occasionally, he’ll disappear to the woodshed, and he does what’s necessary to protect his family. As long as he comes home safe, that’s all I care about.
