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CHAPTER THIRTEEN

I stood in front of the full-length mirror and barely recognized the woman staring back at me. My hair looked soft and cute, and Fee even managed to cover the tiny scar from where the bullet grazed me so it wasn’t visible at all. The white dress hugged my curves, its intricate lace softening my usually bony figure. My hands trembled as I smoothed down the fabric, trying to calm my racing heart.

“You look beautiful,” Matt’s voice came from behind me.

I focused on Vince’s brothers gathered behind me, their usually stern faces of the last couple of days softened with genuine smiles. Dante crouched down and rubbed Picca’s belly, then looked up and smiled.

They all treated Picca like a princess—the same as they treated me.

“Thanks,” I managed, my voice barely above a whisper. Not that how I looked mattered—or at least, it shouldn’t.

I took in a shaky breath, feeling the increased pressure and underlying tension impacting my completely shot nerves .

This wasn’t just a wedding; it was a power play, a ploy to get all the high-ups in the Salvini Organization to gather at La Dimora—and based on the commotion all day, Vince’s plan had worked.

A Mafia wedding, especially one between the Donnellys and the Salvinis would’ve been tense and dangerous enough. But who knew what Vince’s father had set up for us?

“I might’ve made a mistake,” Matt said.

I turned to him, raising an eyebrow. “A mistake? Don’t tell me you’ve done something to sabotage today.”

Matt chuckled and raised his left eyebrow. “No. I mean, maybe I made a mistake in not fighting harder to keep you for myself. I was this close to snatching you.” His eyes twinkled with mischief.

I played along, batting my eyelashes dramatically. “Oh, Matt! Are you saying you’ve fallen for me after pushing me away all this time?” I pressed a hand to my chest in mock surprise. Maybe some easy banter would help with the nervousness.

“What can I say? You clean up nice, Donnelly,” Matt teased, giving me an exaggerated once-over.

We both burst out laughing, and the tension inside of me eased slightly. It felt good to joke around even if it was just for a moment.

“You two are hilarious,” Hero chimed in, shaking his head but smiling. “Just don’t let Vince know there’s still lingering feelings or he might challenge you to a duel, and we all know he doesn’t know how to yield his sword.” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

I snorted with laughter .

Bella handed me a tissue and shot Hero a look that would kill a lesser man. “If you ruin her makeup, I’m gonna make it that you can’t yield your sword.”

“Well, if any of you’re having second thoughts, there’s still time. We could cover for you, and you could make a run for it,” Dante said, offering his arm.

Matt tapped his chin thoughtfully. “Tempting, but I think I like my limbs—and my sword—where they are. Vince would probably rip me apart.”

“Probably?” Dante snorted. “He’d definitely rip you apart. The ability to yield your sword would be the least of your problems.”

We all laughed again, but I felt a flutter in my stomach at the mention of Vince. Despite everything, despite the danger and the complications, I couldn’t deny I had fallen for him…hard.

Dante’s eyes twinkled with mischief as he leaned in close. “You know, Vince has been going absolutely batshit all night.”

“Really?” I asked, trying to keep my voice casual. But I couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at my lips. Served him right. In keeping with tradition, we’d spent the last night apart—me in his room, and he stayed with Dante.

“Oh yeah,” Dante continued, grinning. “He’s been pacing like a caged animal. I think he’s worn a path in my carpet.”

I shook my head, a mix of amusement and exasperation washing over me. “Maybe it was pre-wedding jitters. Are you sure he’s waiting out there and not already halfway to Maui?”

Hero smiled. “He’s out there and sent us in with strict orders to keep you in our sight at all times.”

It was so typical of Vince—this intense, all-or-nothing approach to everything, including me .

My mind drifted back to the last two days. Following the shooting, Vince had been relentless in his protectiveness, barely letting me out of his sight, his eyes constantly scanning for potential threats.

It was sweet, in a way, but also incredibly suffocating. It was such a contrast to before when he was so distant and aloof. When he was focused completely on his plans and barely spared me a glance.

It was like living with two different men—one who couldn’t bear to be apart from me and another who seemed to forget I existed. “He’s either all over me or completely distant. There’s no in-between with him, is there?”

Dante chuckled. “Welcome to the Vince Salvini experience. It’s picture-book duality. He’s always been like that—all in or all out. But I’ve never seen him quite this…intense about anyone before…you.”

I felt a warmth spread through my chest at his words. There was something undeniably thrilling about being the focus of Vince’s intensity.

“In all seriousness,” Matt said, his tone softening, “Vince is a lucky bastard to have you by his side.”

I swallowed hard, touched by his sincerity. “Thanks, Matt. That means a lot.”

My dad approached our little group, and Vince’s brothers stepped aside to give us some space.

“Ready to face the wolves?” Dad asked, his attempt at humor not quite masking the tension in his voice. He had been hovering, as well, though he clearly accepted Vince’s new role as my number-one protector. It was as if his beating up Vince was enough. Or maybe it was that he just accepted my choice like he’d accepted Sophie’s choice in the end .

I swallowed around the huge lump in my throat and nodded, not trusting myself to speak.

“Just say the word, and we’re out of here, Button,” Dad said, which earned him stern glances from Dante and Hero—which he completely ignored.

I nodded and walked into his hug.

Just two weeks ago, I would’ve given anything to hear those words from my father.

But that was before.

Before I realized I could find joy and happiness without changing my whole life.

I thought I needed everything to change, needed to forge my own way.

And maybe this was it. I was forging my own way, but I was strangely content being on Vince’s side. Maybe I just needed the right man who wanted and accepted me for me.

Who was there when I was weak, who got turned on by just looking at me, who thought my sassiness was endearing and sexy, and who needed a woman who was strong enough to call him out, just as much as I sometimes needed someone to lean on.

I was basically made for him, and he was perfect for me.

A match made in Heaven; wasn’t that how the saying went?

We just needed to survive today.

“Let’s go,” Fee said, handed me my bridal bouquet, and fixed my veil. I took the arm my father offered, and together, we stepped out of the room and into the hallway .

I could feel the eyes of Vince’s staff on me. Some smiled encouragingly; others watched with thinly veiled skepticism.

Would that change over time?

The walk to the small chapel at the far end of the property felt endless, and freezing.

I stared and nodded at the higher-ups of the Salvini Organization who were gathered to witness this union, basically forming a path for us. I greeted the unfamiliar faces, a polite smile firmly in place, but with each step, my anxiety grew.

What if this plan backfired? What if Vince’s father made a move today? What if all those men turned on Vince? And even, if not, there was still one group out there. What if it happened today? The what-ifs threatened to overwhelm me, and I stumbled over a rock.

Numerous hands grabbed me and helped me stabilize myself while my father’s strong arm tightened.

I wasn’t alone. Everything was under control. Everything would work out just fine. But that damn veil was not helping. I lifted it out of the way, would’ve removed it completely, if I didn’t know Fee and Mira would kill me.

As we approached the chapel, I could hear the murmur of voices inside. My steps faltered for a moment, the reality of what I was walking into hitting me in full force.

I was getting married to Vincenzo Salvini, the infamous dark hero of New York’s Italian Mafia and shadow king of the Salvini family.

For some reason, I took a glance farther back to the edge of the small forest—which was part of the fenced-in property, and my eyes met Zotov’s gaze .

I sucked in air through my teeth. How was he out here again, roaming around completely alone?

Zotov nodded at me once, a fond smile on his face, then turned around and disappeared before I could even react or alert anyone.

I turned around, looking for Vince’s brothers, but before I could say a word, Matt squeezed my upper arm. “Remember, this is important. No weakness, no hesitation. We’ve got your back. You’re one of us now.”

He thought I was hesitating?

I looked back to where Zotov had disappeared.

If he wanted to sabotage this wedding, he wouldn’t have smiled at me, right?

If I blew up the ceremony now, would Vince’s plan fail? And if I didn’t, would Zotov do something to harm us?

Until now, he never had. Even though he’d had several chances, he never outright harmed us—the opposite, really.

Fee stepped up to me, gave me a soft smile, then lowered my veil again.

I couldn’t stop now.

I took a deep breath and squared my shoulders.

This was important. There was no turning back now. We needed Vince’s plan to succeed.

So I sent a prayer that Vince, our families, and I would make it through this day alive and stepped inside the small chapel.