I wished. “He’s waiting for you with the warmest feet ever.”
Her grin lit her face and darkened my heart. I removed my hands from hers so I wouldn’t squeeze too hard.
“Are the Lanzas anywhere in sight?” she asked.
“Didn’t Leo say he took care of them?”
“Yes. He said Claudia wasn’t upset at all, and that she, too, wanted to marry someone else, but you know… What if she was lying to save face?”
“Probably. That’s why I’ve compensated the Lanzas heavily for my son’s indiscretion. They’d be very stupid to back down on the business agreement we’ve made. Besides, I doubled the hotel security inside and out. You have nothing to worry about.”
“Thank you, Tino. I don’t know what we’d do without you.”
I gave her my arm. “Shall we?” My voice came out thick.
With a nod, she linked arms with mine. I swallowed the pain and rage about to burst in everyone’s face and painted the world red, buried it under years and years of expertise.
The security team surrounded us until we reached the ballroom of my hotel designated for the wedding. The second ballroom had a Halloween party. Some of its guests were scattered outside, ridiculous masks on their faces.
When the bodyguards opened our doors, I didn’t pay attention to the five hundred guests and the camera flashes of the peppered press down the aisle.
I had to silence the demons. One word only could shut them up.
Piccolo.
Leo was grinning from ear to ear as I walked on fire, delivering my Angel to him myself.
He was fucking happy, and so was she. Wasn’t that what I wanted? To see them happy? To give them the best?
Why did it hurt so badly? Why did I feel like I was about to explode and destroy everyone in the way?
At the last step, I took my time, looking at her through the veil. Then I lifted it and leaned forward to inhale her smell for the last time, to kiss her goodbye.
“I love you, Angel,” I murmured too low for her to hear as my lips touched her cheek. I confessed it for the first time to her, to myself.
With a heated breath, I drew back and switched my gaze at Leo.
“Grazie, Papà.” He grinned.
I nodded once and squeezed his shoulder. My legs barely carried me so I took my seat.
The ceremony started. With closed eyes, I listened to the priest mumbling the clichés.
“Do you take Angelina Maria Baldi as your wedded wife?”
I do.
“Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health, and forsaking all others, be faithful only to her, for as long as you both shall live?”
I do.
I put a hand over my squeezing heart to silence the persistent ache. A noise outside the ballroom as Leo finished his vows distracted me for a second. I glanced at the entrance doors. They were closed and the bodyguards were at their places. It must have been coming from the other party.
Shifting back in my seat, I listened to Angel saying her vows as she looked into my son’s eyes with everything a groom may ever want to see in his bride’s gaze.
More noise.
The men began to fluster, pressing their ear buds, mumbling to each other.
