He nodded and walked away, already moving on to the next piece of family business. That was my father. Efficient. Practical. Showing love through protection and strategy rather than words. I'd spent my whole life thinking that was normal. That was enough. Until Angelina had shown me different. I did understand that this was him and how he had to be, but it wasn’t my path, and wouldn’t be when I take over.
“And as for me taking over?” I asked him.
“We both know it was always you. Now, you have something that will give you a reason to live. Softness that will balance out the hardness of what we do. I don’t want you going off the deep end and Angelina is the perfect solution for that.”
For a minute, I wondered if I had it all wrong. He wasn’t being a selfish bastard by forcing my hand. Had he been looking out for me? I sighed and watched as he walked over to my mother. He stood next to her and she looked up at him. I read her lips as she asked if he was okay. My father nodded once, barely, and she stood up, took his hand, and led him out of view. I followed, curious… When I got to the corner they turned, I paused and listened.
“Talk to me, Ivan.” My mother said to him.
“He’s ready.”
“Good, then why do you seem so down?”
“I only hope that she’s half as good for him as you are for me, darling.”
I peeked around to see my mother pulling him in for a kiss. I’d never seen them affectionate like this before. My father pulled her closer and for a minute, I forgot that they were my parents. What I saw was a woman loving on her man in a time of need, and how he went soft for her. Two people in love. A real couple. When he tipped her head higher so he could kiss along her jaw, I stepped away to let them have their moment.
Why had they kept this side of themselves away from us?
"Speech time!" Marco announced, tapping his glass with a fork.
Oh god. I'd forgotten about the speeches. My best man took the microphone with a grin that promised trouble.
"So," Marco began, "I've known Dez my entire life. I’ve watched him be the responsible one, the serious one, the one who never did anything spontaneous or reckless or—" he paused for effect, "—romantic."
Laughter rippled through the crowd.
"And then he met Angelina. And suddenly my brother, the guy who color-codes his closet and schedules his meals a week in advance, met a woman who flipped his entire world around."
More laughter. I felt Angelina squeeze my hand.
"But here's the thing," Marco continued, his expression softening. "I've never seen my brother happier than he's been the last three months. Never seen him smile like that. Never seen him so completely, obviously in love that it actually makes the rest of us look bad."
He raised his glass. "So thank you, Angelina, for making my brother human. For showing him that life is more than duty, responsibility, and maintaining the family name. And thank you, Dez, for proving that even the most uptight asshole can fall ass-over-ankles for the right woman. To the bride and groom!" Marco shouted.
"To the bride and groom!" everyone echoed.
Maya gave the next speech. It was shorter, sweeter, focused on Angelina's strength and how I supported her. Then Gianna, who managed to make everyone laugh and cry in equal measure. And through it all, I kept Angelina's hand in mine and counted down the minutes.
Cake cutting came next. We did the traditional feeding each other small bites, smiling for photos. But when the camerasturned away, I licked a spot of frosting from the corner of her mouth, slow and deliberately.
"Dez," she whispered, her eyes darkening. “Please behave.”
"Twenty minutes," I murmured. "Can you make it?"
"The real question is… can you, Sir?"
I groaned because I was only still here for her. If this was about me, they would have sent out a search party immediately after the door opened for her to walk down the damn aisle.
We danced with family members. I waltzed with my mother while Angelina was spun around by my father. Then with Gianna, with Maya and the rest of her bridesmaids, with various aunts and cousins who all wanted their moment. And every time I caught Angelina's eye across the dance floor, the heat between us ratcheted higher.
Vincent approached the head table while I was temporarily alone, Angelina having been pulled aside by some of her subordinates.
"Congratulations," he said, the word sounding like it cost him physically.
"Thank you." I didn't bother pretending to be friendly.
"She's made her choice clear." He glanced toward Angelina. "Aligning with your family."
