Gabe opened his arms. “Is there any other way to do it?”
“You know, I could use a man like you on the team.”
Gabe chuckled. “No, my good friend, I have never been good at taking orders!” They both laughed. Gino put his hand on Gabe’s shoulder.
“What is this I hear about you getting married?”
“What! Did you think you the only one that can tie the knot?” Gino shook his finger at his friend.
“Yeah, but I didn’t think there was a woman alive that could catch and hold a playboy like you. Who is this lucky lady?” It seemed as if everybody in the room turned to look at me.
“Whoa!” Gino whistled as he took me in. Then he nodded before looking back at Gabe. “Now, I see! She is breathtaking.”
“Thank you! Just make sure you stay away from her!” Gino laughed holding up his hands.
“I would never cuckold a man that I love like a brother. Not even if his future wife is the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on.” He clapped Gabe on the back.
“You know, while you’re in Vegas you are my personal guest. Anything you need is yours. Right now as we speak, our chapel is being prepared for you and your lovely bride. I will personally make sure this will be a honeymoon the two of you will never forget. Enjoy my good friend!”
It seemed like from the time he uttered those words till the next morning, time passed in something of a blur. I don’t know at what point I came out of my safe place, but it seemed as if it was all a dream. I blinked, and I found myself standing in front of a man in a shiny black suit with slicked back hair, who pronounced us man and wife.
I remembered Gabe sliding a wedding band on my finger that had little purple diamonds in it to match the engagement ring he had given me earlier. And then someone handed me a bigger more masculine version of the same ring. It even had a couple of little purple diamonds in it. My hand shook as I slid it on Gabe’s finger. I blinked, and somebody was handing me a pen, showing me where to sign.
Miraculously, Gabe’s entourage grew, because when we walked out of the chapel, many people caused rice to rain down over our heads. Outside, a line of black Cadillac trucks waited for us. Gabe lead me to the one marked, ‘Just Married’. Jerome stood holding the door open for us. As soon as I got in, I turned in my seat and saw that all the people who had attended the wedding got in the other trucks.
“Who are all those people?” I asked Gabe. He shrugged.
“Sh*t, hell if I know.”
“Oh, okay!”
We drove for a short distance and pulled up in front of a brown and gold building that was lit up. There was a long line of people waiting to get in. When we stepped out of the car the flashing lights of many cameras greeted us. I covered my face with my hand as Gabe took hold of my other.
Oh God! Although I still haven’t found any news about the Mayor of Sweetwater Texas being found dead, I didn’t want to take the chance of my face appearing in the papers.
“Can you tell us what it was like to be the only son of the notorious gangster, Calhoun?”
“Is it true you just got married?”
“How did you go from being king of the streets, to being king of the corporate world?”
Several of the camera persons asked. Jerome, Mac and Gabe’s other bodyguards came and blocked the way so that we could get in the building. I looked back at the people that were still waiting in line, watching us as we passed by. Now, that didn’t seem fair at all.
However, I didn’t get to address my concerns. Once the host or whoever it was that was escorting us opened the door, that had to be about twenty feet tall, the bass from the music playing inside stole all thought from my mind. I think it was at that point that I could officially say I had come out of my safe place.
The host led us through a crowd of dancing bodies. People stopped and stared at Gabe, and it was then I realized that he was famous; as if the media frenzy outside was not proof enough.
Our group was escorted to a VIP area that was slightly higher than the main floor. A king and queen chair had been set up in the back of the room. Up over it hung a banner that said, ‘Congratulations Newlyweds’.
Along the walls were blue leather bench seats. There were several highboy tables. On one was a beautiful wedding cake, it was white with purple flowers. On the other highboys were bottles and bottles of champagne that was wrapped in gold metallic paper.
Gabe and I were led to the king and queen chair. As soon as we sat, Mac grabbed one of the bottles off the table holding it in the air.
“Fill your glasses!” He yelled over the music. Several waiters came around with the golden bottles and filled the champagne flutes. Mac handed me one filled with champagne and then handed Gabe one filled with orange juice. Once everyone held up their glass, he stood up on one of the benches.
“I just want to give a toast to my brother and his beautiful wife!” He turned to look at me. “Sis, I have never seen him look at anyone the way he looks at you. I know he a little rough around the edges, but I promise it’s nothing the love from a good woman can’t fix!” He held up his glass.
“Toast to you queen, cause you have been chosen to tame The Beast!” A roar went up in the room as everyone cheered. I turned to look at Gabe and was surprised to see him watching
