Page 172 of Niccolo (Mafia Kings #7)

Sofia

We got married on Niccolo’s family’s estate just a few days after we got back from Rome.

By then, it was common knowledge in the Cosa Nostra that Fausto was dead, even though the police never found a body – which had taken up permanent residence in Tuscany out in the olive groves.

Don Severino also made it known that I had turned on my former employer.

It didn’t matter that I did it out of love. Not to the rest of the Cosa Nostra.

Something else that didn’t matter to the macho assholes who ran the mafia? Fausto’s treachery towards his own brother and nephews. It had never been ‘proven,’ so they could overlook it.

Guess what did matter to them?

The fact that a woman had been appointed as consigliere and then betrayed her boss.

It was an infamia!

You would think the world would end because of it, judging from some of the texts Niccolo got.

It didn’t matter to me. I had a long history of men who looked down on me.

Thank God I’d found a whole family of them who respected me instead.

Anyway, the only families in the Cosa Nostra who attended the wedding were the Widow of Venice – and Alessandra’s grandmother from Genoa.

Two women, I might point out.

I was still no-contact with my own parents, and I had no close friends, so it was just me.

Overall, it was a very small wedding:

Dario, Alessandra, and Alessandra’s grandmother…

Adriano and Bianca…

Massimo, Lucia, and the Widow…

Lars and Rachel…

Roberto and Mei-ling…

Valentino and Cat…

And Niccolo and me.

It was perfect.

I’d never dreamt about some over-the-top production when I was younger. As long as I was happy, that was all I wanted.

I got an off-the-rack wedding dress in Florence that Bianca altered for me. She added a few simple yet stylistic flourishes of her own, like a silk sash around my waist, that made the dress look more elegant.

Roberto obtained a license online and officiated for us.

We wrote our own vows. Mine were simple and to the point, like me.

Niccolo’s were a bit more showy.

But I absolutely loved them.

“My darling… my rival… my greatest ally…

“I swear an oath on my mother’s soul that I will cherish you my entire life.

“I will love you in prosperity or poverty… in sickness and in health…

“I will always be faithful, both in body and mind…

“For I have never met another woman like you, my gentildonna…

“Someone I not only can live with …

“But whom I cannot live without.”

I could barely wait until Roberto got to the part where I could say I do and kiss my new husband.

After the wedding, we had a magnificent feast prepared by the staff but overseen by Caterina, Valentino’s wife. Even though she no longer worked in the kitchen, she absolutely insisted on making sure every dish was perfect – which it was. I’d never eaten a better meal in my life.

“It’s my way of welcoming you to the family,” she said with a smile.

All of us ate and drank and laughed long into the night.

“What are we going to do with TWO consiglieres in the house?” Massimo joked at one point.

“I’m still looking for one,” the Widow said pointedly.

I laughed and shook my head. “No, I’m retired from the consigliere game.”

Niccolo looked at me in shock. “What?! You can’t!”

“Yeah,” Adriano said sarcastically to his brother, “‘cause I’m so sure you’d be willing to share the job with somebody else.”

“Why are you making trouble on my wedding day?” Niccolo asked, annoyed.

“Just telling the truth,” Adriano said with a grin.

“I was thinking more of being a consultant ,” I said. “Whenever I was needed.”

Niccolo reached out to grab my hand under the table. “Then you’re going to be working every day.”

“Awwwww,” all the young women at the table said at the same time, while most of the men grinned.

One exception was the Widow.

“Come see me after the honeymoon wears off,” she joked.

At least, I think it was a joke.

All the brothers got up and gave a toast – very nice ones. Even Valentino was kind, although he kidded Niccolo relentlessly.

“Here’s my wedding gift to you, Nic: I promise I’ll stop giving you shit about Sicily for a month.”

“For a whole month,” Niccolo said, feigning being impressed.

“I’m a generous guy,” Valentino grinned.

“If you can actually pull it off, that’ll be the nicest thing you ever did for me,” Niccolo deadpanned.

Valentino winced like he was in pain. “Oh, man…”

“You thought of something really good to say, didn’t you?” Niccolo asked, nodding.

“Yeah,” Valentino grinned. “Can I say it and then we start?”

“No, fucker – you already promised!” Niccolo shouted, and all the brothers laughed and shouted at Valentino to sit down.

Niccolo looked over at Dario and said, “Actually, I’d like to ask for a special gift from our Don… and from all of my brothers.”

“Uh-oh,” Roberto said.

“He wants to be dictator for a day,” Adriano laughed.

“No, I’m very happy as consigliere,” Niccolo said. “But I would like you to take my request seriously.”

“What is it?” Dario asked with a smile.

“I’ve had a bit of friction with most of you at one point or another over the last six months,” Niccolo began, to some playful jeering.

NO!

Really?!

“Some more than others,” Niccolo said as he glanced over at Valentino. “Got anything to say, Val?”

“You’re killin’ me here, Nic,” Valentino said as the other brothers laughed.

“Best wedding present ever,” Niccolo grinned, then went back to talking.

“We all fought hard these last few months, and we all risked our lives in one way or another, but there’s one person sitting at this table we couldn’t have won without.

Not just because of the training he gave our men that allowed them to hold their own against Russian mercenaries…

and not just the bravery he showed on the Isle of San Michele…

but also because he saved the life of our oldest brother when they were in prison together.

Literally, none of us would be here right now if he hadn’t done that.

“I would like to propose that Lars be made a full member of the family – that he formally be given an equal vote whenever one is taken – and that he share equally in the family’s profits like the rest of us.

Seven shares split equally amongst the seven of us and our wives.

He can keep the agreement he made with you about refusing an order if it goes against his beliefs…

but in all other ways, he would be the same as us.

That is what I would like for my wedding gift, Don Rosolini. ”

Lars looked shocked – and then he visibly choked up. His face reddened, his eyes got a little misty, and he looked down at the table as Niccolo finished speaking.

Rachel, who sat next to him, was delighted. She hugged her husband and kissed him on the cheek.

“Holy shit!” Adriano said with a laugh. “You got Lars all weepy, Nic!”

“I just got something in my eye,” Lars said.

“Yeah, RIGHT!”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen Lars get choked up before!” Alessandra said in amazement.

“Well, enjoy it because this is the last time,” Lars joked.

The entire table laughed.

Then we all turned to Dario…

Who was grinning from ear to ear. “I wholeheartedly agree, consigliere. I have the authority to do everything you just said on my own – but on this topic, I would like a vote from the rest of you to confirm my decision: to make Lars our brother, one and the same as us.”

“HEAR, HEAR!” all my brothers roared.

Niccolo got up and walked over to Lars, who stood up and hugged him tight.

He whispered something in Niccolo’s ear – I think it was Thank you – and Niccolo pulled back and beamed. “Thank YOU. For everything.”

Then Niccolo walked over, grabbed a champagne glass, and lifted me from my seat by my hand.

“Thank you, Don Rosolini,” Niccolo said. “In addition, I would like to make a toast.”

“Is it gonna be as long as your wedding vows?” Valentino asked. “Cuz, dude, we don’t got all night.”

Niccolo shot him a look.

“Wasn’t about Sicily,” Val pointed out.

“…true,” Niccolo agreed with a grudging smile. “No, this one will be much shorter – I promise.”

Everyone raised their champagne flutes as they waited for him to speak.

“I want to make a toast to my beautiful bride, the most extraordinary woman I’ve ever met. Thank you, Sofia, for bestowing on me the greatest honor of my life: you marrying me.”

My heart soared, and I grinned as he kissed me gently on the lips before returning to his speech.

“I’d also like to toast everyone here at this table and thank them for welcoming Sofia. It means more to me than you can possibly know.

“And finally, a toast to the most important thing of all –

“The thing that you’ve welcomed her into:

“Family.”

He lifted his glass. “To family.”

Speaking as someone who had lost her own family –

And maybe never even had a real one to begin with –

Niccolo’s words brought tears to my eyes.

Everyone murmured their agreement and clinked their glasses as we all spoke as one:

“To family.”

Thank you so much for joining me on this journey!