“Speak for yourself,” I whisper back, quiet enough that only he can hear me. “You look like you went twelve rounds with a bottle of Yamazaki last night and lost.”
A genuine grin breaks across Leo’s face now, turning my insides to Jell-O. “Close. It was my brother Gio’s world-famous gin martinis. They sneak up on you.”
The effort it takes to bite back my snort is monumental, and I press my lips together to hold it in just in time.
I hadn’t realized how badly I need a bit of levity right now, but his willingness to joke at his own expense might just get me through this ceremony.
“I thought we were supposed to be calling it an early night to get proper rest.”
“And I thought you might know better than to show up after sleeping on it.”
Even the mention of my sleep last night has my cheeks flaming, and I fall silent as I suddenly find the hot summer afternoon air stifling.
It would seem the other Leo is back—the one who’s ready to make my life a living hell—and I wonder what happened to the Leo who said he wants me.
After the officiant finishes his opening, he transitions straight into reading verses from the bible, allowing me to give him half my attention as I focus on breathing.
Thankfully, this wedding didn’t require much personalization, seeing as I’ve only spoken to Leo a handful of times before today, so the officiant will say what he needs to say, tell us which words we need to repeat, and once the rings are on our fingers, it will be done.
Then we can escape to a quiet room to finish signing the contract—in blood.
Another tradition I’m really not looking forward to.
One that seems rather ironic, considering this wedding is to ensure that westopspilling our families’ blood.
I’m so deeply entrenched in my thoughts, I’ve completely lost track of the ceremony, and I jolt when the officiant says my name.
“I’m sorry, what?” I ask breathlessly, and a ripple of laughter rushes through the crowd, making my face burn.
“Do you take Leonardo to be your lawfully wedded husband, to live together in matrimony, to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in joy, to haveand to hold, from this day forward, as long as you both shall live?”
Dear God, I literally missed my only part.
“Oh, yes. I do.”
Another ripple of laughter.
“And do you, Leonardo, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to live together in matrimony, to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in joy, to have and to hold, from this day forward, as long as you both shall live?”
Amusement plays across Leo’s mouth when I look at him, and a dangerous glint in his eye makes my stomach knot.
“I do,” he says, and warmth floods my body.
“A ring is an unbroken circle, with ends that have been joined together,” the officiant continues. “It represents your union. It is a symbol of infinity and of your infinite love. When you look at these rings on your hands, be reminded of this moment, your commitment, and the love you now feel for each other.” Drawing two delicate bands from his breast pocket, he hands them to us one at a time. “Now, Leonardo, repeat after me as you place this ring on Sora’s finger. ‘With this ring, I thee wed and pledge you my love now and forever.’”
My hand is shaking as I hold it out for him, and Leo’s eyes flick up to meet mine as he gently takes my palm to steady it before sliding the ring on my left ring finger with his other hand.
“With this ring, I thee wed and pledge you my love now and forever,” he says, his deep voice making my heart stutter.
As if the moment weren’t earth-shattering, like it felt to me, the officiant holds Leo’s wedding band out to me. “And, Sora, repeat after me as you place this ring on Leonardo’s finger: ‘With this ring, I thee wed and pledge you my love now and forever.’”
Even with all his resistance to this wedding—and a night of heavy drinking the night before—Leo’s hand is perfectly steady as he holds it out for me.
As I slide the simple platinum band onto his finger, I’m intensely aware of how strong his hands look, the corded tendons and veins that stand out against his tanned skin.
They’re the hands of a killer, a man who has spent his life holding a gun and wielding a knife against the Tanaka-kai.
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I breathe, “With this ring, I thee wed and pledge you my love. Now and forever.”
