"And then he showed us the security arrangements," Lisa added. "Background checks on every guard. Detailed protection protocols. Emergency procedures. The man is thorough."
"He told us about the embezzlement evidence," Imani said. "About how he's going to help you take down your uncle after the honeymoon. He wanted us to know you'd be safe. That we'd be safe."
"And then he said please," Karla finished. "Very sincerely. It was actually kind of adorable watching him ask so nicely. He’s hot by the way."
There was a round of agreement and I giggled. He is… I pressed my hands to my face, overwhelmed by emotion. My husband had done this. Had found my friends, convinced them, and protected them. He’d even brought them here to stand beside me on the most important day of my life. Because he knew I needed them and he understood that protecting me meant more than just keeping me physically safe—it meant surrounding me with love.
"I have to marry him right now," I said. "Like immediately. Can we skip to the part where I say 'I do'?"
"Absolutely not," Gianna said firmly. "You're going to walk down that aisle properly, with all five of your bridesmaids, and make that man wait to claim you as his wife. It's tradition."
"Plus," Maya added, "he's probably dying right now knowing you're about to see this surprise. Let him suffer a little longer."
I laughed, wiping my eyes carefully so I didn't smudge Violet's repair work.
"Okay," I said. "Let's do this. All of us. Together."
My five bridesmaids gathered around me, each one beautiful, strong, and here for my special day. Dez had made it possible. They loved me enough to take the risk. Because of that, my heart was incredibly full right now and I knew without a doubt that Dez was my person, no matter how we’d gotten here.
"Ready?" Gianna asked from the doorway.
I looked at my girls, at the life I'd thought I'd lost and the future I was about to claim.
"Ready," I said.
And I meant it.
The church was stunning. Gianna had transformed it into a fairytale. White flowers were everywhere, candles lining the aisle, soft music playing from a string quartet in the corner. And so many people.
I'd thought we were keeping it small, but the pews were packed. Moretti family members, their allies, their business partners. My team from Castellano & Co. Friends I'd lost touch with over the years who'd somehow been tracked down and invited. And at the front, near the altar was my uncle Vincent. He sat in the third row, his expression carefully neutral, but I could see the tension in his shoulders. The anger simmering beneath the surface. He knew that his time was up.
This wedding was happening. The music changed to “Adore” by Prince and everyone stood. This was it. Maya had already walked down the aisle first, her girlfriend in a tailored suit at her side. Then Charmaine, moving with elegant grace, her locs swaying gently. Lisa followed, her smile radiant. Imani next, walking with confident purpose. And finally Karla, practically floating down the aisle with joy. Each of the four of them with a guard escorting them, and taking them to their place to stand, before moving behind them.
Now it was my turn. I'd thought about this moment—about who would walk me down the aisle. My father was long dead. I had no brothers, no uncles I trusted. In the end, I decided to walk alone. I didn't need someone to give me away. I was giving myself. Choosing him. The doors at the back of the church opened, and I stepped into view.
A collective gasp rippled through the crowd. But I only had eyes for Dez. He stood at the altar in a perfectly tailored black tuxedo, his hair styled but still slightly unruly in that way I loved. His eyes found mine across the distance and I watched him break.
His hand went to his mouth, eyes filled with tears, and he actually took a step toward me before his best man and brother Marco, grabbed his arm and held him back. I walked down that aisle with my heart in my throat, my eyes locked on his, and by the time I reached him we were both crying.
"Hi," I whispered.
"Hi." His voice was just as quiet. "You're so beautiful. I can't breathe."
I said softly. "I need you conscious for this part."
He choked a laugh, and took my hands in his.
“Thank you for my gift.” I whispered to him.
“There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you, sweetheart.”
The priest began speaking, but I barely heard him. All I could focus on was Dez and the way he was looking at me like I was the only person in the world. His thumbs traced circles on the backs of my hands as he mouthed "I love you" when he thought no one was looking.
"The couple has prepared their own vows," the priest announced. "Desmond, if you would begin."
Dez took a breath, steadying himself.
"Angelina," he began, his voice stronger now. "Three months ago, I went to a Valentine's Ball looking for someone practical. Someone who wouldn't ask for things I couldn't give. What I found was you. And you were none of those things." He smiled. "You were complicated and challenging and you made me work for every inch of ground I gained. You asked me to be open to love when I'd spent my whole life avoiding it. You demanded honesty when lying would have been easier. You saw through every wall I'd built and refused to accept anything less than the real me."
