Page 163

Every parent loves hearing that.

He’d told me and Damien that, someday, we’d find a woman we loved as much as he loved my mother. He swore, one day, a woman would bring us to our knees and she’d become the reason we stayed alive.

Sometimes, in the back of my mind, I wonder if he ever saw Genesis as that woman for me. If he already knew.

I’d sworn to him, there was no heart for me to give to a woman. Genesis proved that wrong. She pushed her manicured hand into my chest, planting roots and helping my heart to grow large enough to fit room for herself there.

For our growing family.

The music starts, and everyone in the pews turns quiet. The cathedral is full of guests. All attention turns to Genesis as she struts down the aisle with Uncle Mick by her side.

We take regular date nights to the pizzeria. At first, and even though they didn’t voice it, I could tell they were concerned about my affiliation with the Lombardi family, as they had been with my father. But after so many years after losing my mother,they said they regretted ending their relationship with her. Time is too short, and it was one of their biggest regrets. I’m also extremely careful with them. Other than today, we only see them during date nights at the pizzeria.

My lips twitch into a smile as my eyes are glued to her. She’s headed straight to me, her baby bump on display in her white dress.

Her eyes aren’t on anyone but me.

I mouth, “So fucking stunning,” to her, and she blows me a kiss.

She’s made me the luckiest man alive.

As she grows closer, I hear a slight squeal from Darcy.

Even though this is her second time as the maid of honor, she took the duty very seriously. Amara is our flower girl, and she made a show of stopping to show her ballerina moves each time she dropped a flower.

Genesis’s bridesmaids—Pippa, Gigi, Neomi, and her sisters—are behind Darcy. Her choosing them as bridesmaids became a problem.

Cristian and Benny wouldn’t allow another man—one of my groomsmen—to walk them down the aisle. That resulted in them becoming part of my wedding party.

Who’d have thought my groomsmen would consist of Lombardis and Marchettis?

It’s fucking comical.

The closer Genesis gets to me, the more she takes my breath away.

When they reach me, Uncle Mick hugs her, then me, before taking his seat between Aunt Belinda and Betty. Betty gives me a thumbs-up, and I shake my head.

My smile meets Genesis’s as she stands before me. I grab her hand in mine, pulling her closer until we’re only inches apart. I inhale her sweet scent.

Father Jerome steps before us to start the ceremony. He almost bowed out when he saw Antonio during the wedding rehearsal two nights ago. In order to attend the wedding, Antonio had to take a trip to the confessional and then recite a shit ton of Hail Marys.

Happiness seeps into my cruel bones, into my hardened heart, as I repeat my vows to Genesis.

“You may kiss the bride,” Father Jerome finally says.

I wrap my arms around her waist and kiss her hard and deep.

Like it’s been killing me, standing here, waiting to have my lips against hers again. Like I’m not a man who kisses her nearly a hundred times a day.

A simple contract led us to this.

No,my familyled me to this.

Deep down, I know they accepted Genesis into their lives because they knew she’d be good for me. They saw the good in her heart and how trustworthy she is. I’ll never take her for granted.

We don’t flyout for our honeymoon until tomorrow morning, but we’re starting it tonight at a suite at the Park Hyatt hotel.

It’s after midnight when we finally arrive at the hotel. Pippa and Antonio threw us a long but extremely generous reception dinner. For so long, I’d thought I didn’t have family, but I’m learning you don’t have to share blood to be family.