When I finally come back to myself, he’s watching me with dark, possessive eyes. “Perfect,” he murmurs, slipping his fingers through my folds one last time before bringing them to his mouth. He licks them clean, his gaze holding mine, and heat flares in my belly again at the sight.
“What about you?” I ask, reaching for him again, but he catches my hand, pressing a kiss to my palm.
“I’m not the one who’s nervous,” he says with a predatory grin. “And I want to save every drop of cum to shoot into your virgin pussy tonight.”
The crude words should shock me, but they only send another pulse of desire through me. He leans in, pressing a softer kiss to my lips before straightening my kimono and retying it.
“I’ll see you at the altar, Mrs. Brewer-Russo,” he says, backing toward the door. “Don’t keep me waiting.”
With that, he’s gone, leaving me breathless and trembling on the vanity, wondering how on earth I’m supposed to walk down an aisle when my legs feel like jelly.
Chapter 30
Alina
When Piper and Raven return, I’ve already been to the adjoining bathroom and washed myself as well as re-tied the kimono and put on my wedding panties. Special ones that don’t create any visible line.
Now, the only evidence of how my husband-to-be got rid of my wedding jitters is in my flushed cheeks.
“Well,” Piper says, crossing her arms. “I see Rafe found a way to calm your nerves.”
Raven snorts, waddling over to me. “Your hair survived, thank goodness. I wasn’t looking forward to explaining to Matteo why I had to murder his cousin on his wedding day.”
Heat blooms in my cheeks, and I duck my head. “We just talked,” I lie, the words sounding unconvincing even to my own ears.
“Sure you did,” Raven says, patting my shoulder. “And I’m carrying puppies instead of babies.”
“Leave her alone, Lee,” Piper says, though her eyes dance with amusement. “We need to get moving.”
I touch the diamond choker around my neck, feeling its weight against my skin. My fingers drift down to my mother’s necklace nestled beneath it, the only piece of her I have left. Both pieces mark me as belonging to someone else—one from my past, one from my future.
After Raffaele’s visit, I feel a strange anticipation at the thought of what my—our—future will be like. He promised me I could return to the bakery in time and become a mom. But… when? How quickly will my new life truly begin?
After spending what feels like hours touching up my makeup, Piper moves to the garment bag hanging on the wardrobe door, unzipping it with reverent hands. The dress we found together slips free, ivory lace catching the light.
“Ready?” she asks, and I nod, unable to form words around the lump in my throat.
Although I’m no longer shy in front of them, I don’t love having to remove the kimono either. But after they saw my body when we went to find me a wedding dress, it’s nothing they haven’t seen before.
And since neither of them have said anything about my rolls, I don’t feel like crying as I stand on slightly wobbly legs and let the kimono fall to the floor.
As I lift my arms, Piper helps guide the dress over my head, careful not to disturb my hair. The fabric slides down my body, settling against my skin like a whisper.
Raven moves behind me, working the tiny row of buttons up my spine while Piper kneels to adjust the fall of the skirt. Their hands are gentle, practiced, moving with a synchronicity that speaks of their long friendship.
“There,” Raven announces, stepping back. “Turn around.”
I turn to face the full-length mirror, and my breath catches. The woman staring back at me is someone I barely recognize—someone beautiful, radiant, worthy.
The ivory lace hugs my curves, the deep V-neckline showing just enough cleavage to be alluring without crossing into inappropriate. The blush lining beneath the lace gives the dress a subtle warmth that complements my pale skin.
Long, sheer embroidered sleeves cover my arms, and the flowing A-line skirt moves like water when I shift my weight.
They spend an eternity fussing over my hair again, but the result is worth it. My red hair is styled in one of those styles that’s half up, half down, with delicate flowers woven through it.
“You look incredible,” Raven breathes, her eyes suspiciously bright.
I turn and twist in front of the mirror, checking every angle possible. While I’m busy doing that, Raven and Piper change quickly into matching gray satin dresses that complement their different body types perfectly.
