Page 139 of Vicious Intentions
Her fingers slip out of mine instantly.
“Let’s just get this over with, shall we?” she replies, her tone clipped, her gaze already shifting past me to the priest.
Cazzo.
This isn’t how it was supposed to be. This was not the wedding Anna deserved. She should be smiling. Radiant. Happy. Instead, she looks as if she were attending her own execution. It’s only her pride that prevents her from showing my guests how defeated she feels.
I’ll fix this. I’ll make it right.
I swear I will make up for this, vita mia.
I will make it up to you…somehow.
I swallow the bitterness rising in my throat and force myself to stand tall as I redirect my focus away from her and onto Father Benedetto. He begins the ceremony, his voice carrying through the vast space, blending with the distant crackle of candles and the faint rustle of fabric.
I barely hear a word he says because beneath the sacred marriage rites and the watchful eyes of fallen saints, all I canthink is that I’ve stolen something precious from her. That I’m once again the thief of all her joy.
My heart breaks at the way Anna forces herself to stand still, every inch of her body rigid with restraint. Her hands stay clasped in front of her, fingers curling ever so slightly, as if fighting the urge to fidget. She keeps her expression as blank as possible, as if afraid that everything inside her will spill out if even a single crack shows. She doesn’t want anyone to see how vulnerable she is. How powerless she feels. She’ll never give anyone here the satisfaction.
My girl is so strong. So very fucking strong.
I knew she would make the right choice.
Of course she isn’t doing this for me. She’s doing it because I promised her no harm would come to her family. And I fucking meant every word.
Vincent deserves to die by my hand. Marcello even more so. But for Anna, I’ll let them live. Now that I’mCapo dei Capiof theCosa Nostra, no one will dare touch them without my say-so, and anyone who does won’t live long enough to regret it. Her family is under my protection now, whether they know it or not. I know the other heads of the families won’t like this wedding gift to my wife, but they’ll have to bite their tongues regardless. I promised them I’d take back our city, and I will. I never said I’d have to kill Romano to do it.
Father Benedetto’s voice cuts through my thoughts as he asks the question that will finally bind us together.
“Matteo Elia Donato, do you take Annamaria Bianca Romano to be your lawfully wedded wife?”
A slow smile spreads across my face as I turn toward her, ready to make my vow. “I do.”
No hesitation. No doubt. There never was.
Father Benedetto nods, then turns to Anna. “And do you, Annamaria Bianca Romano, take Matteo Elia Donato to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
Unlike me, Anna isn’t as quick with her answer. Her silence stretches as she looks deep into my eyes, as if searching for something. My heartbeat slams against my ribs, loud enough I swear the entire church can hear it. My fingers twitch at my sides as my gaze pleads with her.
You love me, Anna. You do.
You want this just as badly as I do.
Please remember. For both our sakes.
Anna’s lips part, her chest rising with a quiet breath while a flicker of trepidation crawls up my spine. “I do.”
With those two beautiful words, air rushes back into my lungs so fast it almost hurts.
Father Benedetto smiles faintly as he turns back to me and asks, “Do you have the rings?”
I reach into my pocket and pull out the small velvet box. The priest gives a pleased nod before instructing Anna to repeat after him. She swallows, her fingers trembling a little as she takes the ring from the box and begins to recite her vows.
“I, Annamaria, take you, Matteo, to be my husband. I promise to be faithful to you, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life,” she says as she slides my wedding band onto my finger. “With this ring, I thee wed.”
Her voice is soft, but it doesn’t break. Not once. And it fills my heart with hope. Hope that one day these won’t be hollow words, but vows she will wholeheartedly keep—promises she truly believes in.
“Matteo, repeat after me,” Father Benedetto says, indicating my turn.
