Page 146 of The Strength Of A Woman

It reveals the top of my chest, shoulders, and arms, but the designer is convinced we can fix this by adding a removable voile layer.

The wedding gown comes with a little tiara and a few more layers of tulle and voile that will fall from the top of my head.

Once they fasten the back of my dress, I pick up my skirt, swivel, and move around the screen so he can see me.

He has his eyes tilted down as he’s checking something on his phone when I walk in.

Alerted by my presence, he slides his phone inside his jacket and looks up.

His expression is more than telling.

This is what you want to see on the face of your future husband. That expression of awe and instant adoration.

A smile tugs at his lips as I strut in as if I’m on a runway and do a little twirl for him.

“What do you think?” I ask.

“I think this is it.”

“What about the shoulders? They said they could cover them up with a draped shawl or something.”

“I think it looks good the way it is,” he comments.

“Are you sure?”

He pushes to his feet.

“Absolutely.”

Smoothly, he closes the distance between us, leans closer to me, and whispers in my ear.

“You need to distract them, baby. All eyes need to be on you. A little outrage on their part will work, too.”

He straightens and looks at me, a smile buried in his eyes.

“And other than that?”

“Other than that? This is the dress I want you to wear for our wedding,” he says, and before I could react, he lifts his hand and signals to the designer. “We’ll take this one. And also pack the other two, just in case a spare one is needed.”

He turns to me.

“You never know,” he murmurs, winking at me softly, and I barely suppress my impulse to wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him.

LEILANI

New York

The daybefore the wedding

Our rental ison the North Shore of Long Island.

It’s a large property––he hasn’t spared a dime––and it’s not far from my childhood home.

The wedding will take place in Manhattan, where––he eventually confessed to me––De Rossi’s men will ensure our safety inside the church. At the same time, Killian Diamond brings reinforcements from Chicago, where he reigns like a king, and offers a line of defense outside the church.

I met Rory yesterday.Outside the house.In a nearby town, with Callum waiting in a car in front of the coffee shop where his men sat at a few tables while she and I chatted for a few minutes.

The security was tight, and we couldn’t speak much or truthfully.