Romero grinned when he pulled back. We didn’t get up from the floor. As long as I was in Romero’s arms I didn’t care where I was. “I understand if you want to wait a bit before you marry me. You’re probably not in the mood to plan another wedding.”
I shook my head quickly. “This is a wedding I want to plan. This time I will enjoy it. I can take Aria and Gianna wedding dress shopping with me and actually be excited about it.”
He chuckled. “But I want you to meet my family first. That way we can tell them the good news.”
“Oh, sure,” I said slowly. I was excited to meet Romero’s family but I was also worried that they wouldn’t like me, or worse despise me. I could only imagine what was being said about me and what had happened in Chicago.
* * *
The next day Romero took me to his family. His mother lived with her new husband and Romero’s three sisters in a modest apartment not too far from us. I shouldn’t have worried that they wouldn’t like me. They were kind, humble people. I knew his two oldest sisters already from my birthday party many years ago but we’d grown and his oldest sister, Tamara, had already started college. Something I’d never considered because I knew Father wouldn’t approve of it.
Dinner in my family had always been a formal affair, with my father sitting at the end of the table and with everyone on their best behavior, well, except for Gianna perhaps. But this was easygoing and fun. We talked and laughed all evening, and when Romero told them that we were going to marry, they hugged me and were actually happy. Nobody looked at me strangely because I’d married Benito less than a week ago.
I knew right then that I would be happy in this new life, not just because of Romero’s love, but because of my sisters and my new family. That wouldn’t stop me from missing Fabi but I had to trust that he would find his own happiness one day even if we’d never see each other again.
EPILOGUE
Liliana
I’d waited for this moment for a long time, had imagined it so often that it felt almost like a deja vu. A few weeks ago at my wedding to Benito, there had been only anxiety, sadness, and fear. But today I felt like I could fly. Happiness and euphoria buzzed in my body. I couldn’t wait for the party to be over so Romero could undress me and make love to me over and over again. The only thing missing for a perfect day was Fabi. I hadn’t seen him since my wedding night and I wasn’t sure if I ever would. I didn’t even know if he was alright. If he’d gotten in trouble for getting shot and letting us get away.
When the priest declared Romero and me husband and wife, Romero lifted me into his arms under the excited cheers of our guests. I couldn’t help but laugh. I’d never felt lighter, as if any moment I would soar up into the sky. I risked a glance up, wondering if Mother was watching. I’d done what she’d wanted. I’d risked happiness, and it was worth it. Romero kissed my cheek, drawing my attention back to him. Our eyes met and my heart swelled with love. I wanted to spend my life with him, and now I could.
Later at night, after the festivities, when Romero carried me toward our room in Luca’s mansion, my stomach fluttered with butterflies. This time I couldn’t wait to arrive, to be alone with my husband, to have him to myself for the night. This was how it was supposed to be. Every woman should be happy on her wedding day, should feel safe in the arms of her husband, should have the right to marry for love and not because someone decided her match for her.
I pressed my face into the crook of his neck, smiling to myself. From the corner of my eyes, I caught sight of my sisters and their husbands. Aria beamed at me, and Gianna wiggled her eyebrows. I stifled a laugh. Romero brushed his lips across my ear. “I can’t wait to undress you and kiss every inch of your silky skin.”
Desire rushed through me. “Hurry,” I whispered.
Romero chuckled but he did actually speed up. He opened the door to our bedroom with his elbow, then kicked the door shut before crossing the room toward the bed and setting me down.
“God, you’re so damn beautiful. I can’t believe you’re finally mine.”
“I’ve always been yours.”
Romero cupped my cheek and kissed me fiercely before his hands started their work on my dress, slowly uncovering inch by inch of my body. He kissed every new spot, but not the places I wanted him to. When I lay before him in my corset and panties, his eyes traced my body with hunger and reverence. I loved that look. It made me feel like the most beautiful girl in the world. He let his fingers glide over my ankles then up my calves and thighs until he reached my panties. I lifted my hips. Romero let out a low laugh and kissed my hip bone, then licked the spot. “Romero, please.” He hooked his fingers under my panties and slid them down. When he came back up, he parted my legs and closed his mouth over my folds. I exhaled. With slow strokes of his tongue Romero drove me higher and when he slipped a finger into me, pleasure rolled over me. My toes curled and my butt lifted off the bed but Romero kept up his pleasuring until I couldn’t take it anymore and pushed his head away, laughing and gasping.
“Your first orgasm as my wife,” Romero said with a self-satisfied grin as he crawled up until he
