Page 80 of Beautiful Sinner

I shiver at the thought. “Promise me you’ll always try to stay alive. I’m not worried about me. Viktor will never try to kill me. But you? You’re more at risk of dying. Don’t die and then make me have to stab myself because I can’t live without you.”

“We’re not a story written centuries ago, Julia. We’re not destined for tragedy. We can have happiness. I believe it.”

“But how? We’re hiding out in this house. We can’t hide forever and I don’t want to anyway. I’m tired of sneaking around and hiding in the shadows with you. I want to be out in the open with you.”

His eyes turn soft and make my stomach flutter. He’s always good at that. “I want that too. But we have to be smart about this. Tensions are high right now. We can’t go public until things calm down.”

“They’ll never calm down and you know it. Viktor will never rest until he has me back home. So, why hide? I don’t want to go to a court house and rush through a wedding ceremony with you. I want to marry you in a church with my wedding dress on. That’s what I want. Can you give me that?”

“It’s risky, baby.”

“I don’t care. Who will find us anyway? If no one else knows…”

He sighs deeply. “If you want to get married in a church, then I want to give you that. And you already have a wedding dress.”

It’s lying on the floor in a crumpled mess.

“I chose that dress with you in mind but it’s been tainted by Connor.”

“Did he touch you?”

“No. I just mean that when I look at that dress, all I can see is the wedding I was forced to attend with him. I want a fresh start for us. A new dress. Can I have that?”

“I want to give you everything in this world. If you want a new dress to marry me, then get a new dress.”

“Dante won’t want us to leave.”

“I know,” he says. “But Dante can fucking deal. This is our chance at happiness. Let’s take it. No matter the consequences.”

No matter the consequences.

We wait until the morning to leave the house. The closest bridal boutique opens at eight. Hopefully no one will see us an hour outside the city. I want to have the most perfect wedding with Matteo. I can’t even think about what else could happen.

Matteo agrees to not look at the dress I choose but he does remain in the story for safety reasons.

I manage to make do with Matteo’s clothes since I don’t have any of my own. I wear one of his shirts as a dress and hope no one thinks it’s strange.

It’s like déjà vu, trying on dresses again so close to when I first did it for Connor just a week ago. But now I’m actually excited. I’m actually getting to marry Matteo and what could be better than that?

After trying on dress after dress, I settle on the perfect one. It’s similar to my first dress but even better because this is the one I’m going to marry the man I love in.

I don’t leave the changing room because I don’t want Matteo to see it. I want it to be a surprise.

“I want to purchase this dress today,” I tell the sales lady who helped me get into it.

“Today? Normally it takes a while to process the dress and fit it to your exact measurements.”

“This dress fits me perfectly. I’ll take it today.”

Nothing and no one is going to get in my way today. I’m having the wedding of my dreams with Matteo.

Matteo doesn’t look at the dress but he does buy it without any hesitation.

“It’s not too expensive, is it?” I ask.

“I can afford to take care of you. I might not be as rich as your brother but I do very well for myself. Don’t worry.” He gives me a gentle kiss.

The sale’s associate behind the counter gives us a deep smile as she rings the dress up. It’s in a garment bag so Matteo can’t see. I want it to be a surprise. “You two are very cute, I have to say.”