I gape with shock and awe at the black ring that has a huge, blood-red gem in it with two black skulls on either side, both with red gems where the eyes should be. The matching band is also the same black metal with a blood-red, drop-shaped gem in the middle of it. These aren’t off the rack rings, these required forethought and planning. My heart starts to race as the officiant splutters at Xavier’s nontraditional words, but otherwise, he stays quiet.
“Victoria, it’s your turn,” he tells me, and before I can explain that I don’t have a ring, Vienna taps my shoulder. When I turn to look at her, she slips a box into my hand.
Blinking with surprise, I open it and find a matching masculine band to the one he gave me. I pull out the band and pass her the box before facing Xavier again. My mind is a mess, and my heart is practically trying to crawl out of my throat at this point. What do I say? I’m so fucking confused. Everything I thought I knew was wrong. I’m still furious that none of them thought to warn me, but if the house, their vehicles, and their phones are bugged, not to mention their daughter’s well-being is at stake, then can I really hold everything that has happened against them? Hell, I just killed two of my family members to get out of this mess. Are their sins any worse? I glance from my own rings to the one I need to slip onto Xavier’s finger, his words repeating in my head.
The officiant clears his throat awkwardly, and I take a big breath and look into Xavier’s eyes. I see a myriad of emotions there—guilt, worry, but most of all, hope. “I give you this ring as a symbol and a promise that I will—” I pause and turn to look atthe men who are carefully observing our union. I can’t let on that I might be softening toward him and the others. They need to believe that I am still furious so they can’t tattle to Mario. I don’t want him to think that we may be plotting against him. I can’t risk that he will use Addi against them either. “Honor, cherish, and support you through everything, that I will be faithful to our family and protect it in whatever way it needs to be. With this ring, I thee wed.” I slide it onto his ring finger, hoping he can read between the lines, but it’s vague enough so when they report back to Mario, everything will sound like I’m being cooperative.
The officiant heaves out a sigh of relief, but I’m mesmerized by Xavier’s eyes. They brighten and become heated as a small smile kicks up one corner of his lips, and he gives me a small nod of recognition.
“By the power vested in me, and by your clear declaration of intent and commitment, I now pronounce you husband and wife! You may kiss the bride.”
“Gladly,” Xavier rumbles and snags me by the waist and drags me toward him. My hands come up to his chest on reflex. “Hello, wife,” he drawls, his eyes smoldering with lust as he dips me back and presses his mouth to mine in a quick, scorching kiss that has goosebumps breaking out all over my body. I moan softly as his tongue flicks across mine, my hands clenching his lapels to keep myself from running them all over him.
As swiftly as it starts, it stops, and he stands me upright. The room falls into an awkward silence. There’s no cheering or celebration, just stunned silence.
“Ah, yes, well, congratulations! We will now proceed to sign the marriage certificate to formalize this union.” The officiant gestures to a small table to the side where some paperwork sits. Xavier puts his hand on my back and escorts me over to it. Theofficiant says something, but the words seem fuzzy, and I go into automatic mode, signing my name where he tells me to.
“Congratulations, Mrs. Maricuso,” the officiant says, holding out his hand to shake, but as I reach for his hand, Xavier says something that has me freezing.
“Actually, I will be taking her last name. You should be congratulating Mr. and Mrs. Russo.”
Chapter Six
After that world shattering announcement, it doesn’t take long before we return the way we came. The four of us are silent, but I hear the five men muttering behind us.
“Mr. Maricuso is going to lose his shit,” Lance says gleefully.
“I don’t know, man. Isn’t this everything he wanted? To take over the Russo family? What better way than for him to take the name,” I hear one of the others reply, and I look at Xavier sharply. Is this all just a ploy? He shakes his head slightly, giving my hand a squeeze of reassurance.
It isn’t until we’re in the car and halfway home that I finally get my wits about me. I was staring down at the beautiful rings on my finger in wide-eyed awe, running over everything that happened in my head since the moment I first met them over a year and a half ago.
“So what now?” I ask, cognizant of the fact that the car is bugged.
“We go home, have a nice family meal to celebrate, and then you have some announcements to make. In the wake of Gio’s death and our marriage, you are appointing your husband temporary CEO of the Russo empire in your grief,” Xavier tells me flatly. Gone are all of the emotions I thought I saw during thewedding. Fuck, have I been played again, or is this in case we’re being monitored?
Colton scoffs. “I guess Gio’s death is actually working in our favor. If he were still around, making you CEO of the Russo empire would have been a little trickier.”
“Colt!” Vienna snaps. “How can you say that?” She sounds devastated.
“He isn’t wrong.” Xavier gives me a sideways glance. “You really did us a favor.” He doesn’t sound as upset as Vienna is, and I feel a prickle of warning. Why isn’t he as upset as Vienna?
I eye him suspiciously, but he continues. “Don’t defy Mario, Tori. He really will make your life hell. Just be a good little wife and do as I say.”
I sneer at him, and he throws his head back, laughing.
“There she is. I knew that little docile lamb performance was all an act. Glad to see the fire burning inside you again.”
“The only thing burning will be you four when I get my revenge. You will never see it coming,” I threaten, and the amusement turns to a smoldering burn.
“I can’t wait,” he growls, and I squirm in my seat. Fuck my life. My head is a fucking mess. I just need a moment alone to get my thoughts in order and come up with a plan, but I don’t see it happening anytime soon.
The car falls into another awkward silence, and I close my eyes and lean my head back. I’m fucking exhausted, and I doubt I can return to my room to plot. I don’t have the energy for a dinner with my enemies. I can’t believe it was only hours ago that we were lowering Sage’s coffin into the ground. I’m extremely close to tears, and I never cry. I haven’t shed a fucking tear since I thought my father died. Even when Mickey told me about the others, I just raged, but now I’m kind of done. I think I need to let it all out, and maybe a good crying session is just the key, but again, that is going to have to wait.
Xavier pulls the car into the estate. I see two guards look over the vehicle, but I don’t recognize either of them. I guess Mario has already started replacing all my staff. I wonder if he even realizes I sent them all into hiding.
Xavier leaves the vehicle in the same spot it was in previously, and the four of us get out. Colton wraps his arm around Vienna and leads the way. The two of them have their heads together, murmuring about something, but I don’t have the energy to listen in.
The men following us take their vehicle into the underground parking, so Xavier and I are finally unsupervised for the first time since this all occurred. He grabs my arm and stops me as I approach the front steps.
