Page 143 of Vows of a Mobster

Emma giggled and went to him to twirl around.

Marissa came to me and took my hand. “I would never,” she said, “never miss your wedding. Your wedding to Mateo, I’d crawl on my knees to make sure I was here.”

I squeezed her hand. “I’m so damn nervous. And scared.” I took a deep breath. “I think I might trip.”

“You are going to be fine, sorella,” she murmured softly. She called me sister.

“Mari-”

She pressed my hand tightly. “We’re family. We’ll always be here for each other.” My eyes burned, threatening tears ready to get loose. I swallowed hard.Not now.

“Shit, I hope this makeup is waterproof,” I muttered. “Your aunts didn’t really say. Not that I could follow.”

“Do you want me to give you two some privacy?” Declan offered.

I shook my head. “No, you better stay with us,” I told him. “I don’t want anything happening to you or my soon-to-be husband.”

“Thank you for the invite, Brianna.” The taunting and teasing Declan was gone. His eyes shifted to Marissa and they softened.

“No problem. Just please don’t get shot and don’t shoot anyone,” I mumbled. “Especially Mateo.”

He threw his head back and laughed. “You have my word.”

Daphne barged into the room. “You are the worst bride, Brie,” she exclaimed. “You forgot your bouquet. I went back and got it.”

“I didn’t even notice.”

Daphne’s step faltered when she noticed Declan, then she resumed quickly to me. “Oh my gosh, today will be explosive. I can tell already.”

She handed me the bouquet, the sweet floral smell enveloping me. Emma came over to me and gripped my dress. “Would you like to smell the flowers?” I offered.

She nodded and I lowered the bouquet and she buried her face into it, making us all chuckle.

I turned back to Daphne, Marissa, and Declan. “It will be fine,” I assured them all. “Daphne, you keep Antonio with you the entire time, I’ll keep Mateo, and Mari will keep Declan.” I turned my eyes to the only Irishman in the entire church. “We will keep all three of you on a short leash. It can’t be worse than a damn state event. Right? I hope.”

Declan grinned. “You three have trouble written all over you.”

I kissed my two best girlfriends. “Now, go take your seat. I think the ceremony is about to start.”

I lowered myself again, to be on the eye level with my daughter. “Want to go with Aunt Mari? Or Aunt Daphne?”

She eyed both of them, and then grinned. “Aunt Marissa.” She took her extended hand.

“Ugh, traitor,” Daphne complained with a wide smile. “You sure you don’t want my dad to walk you down the aisle?” Her dad offered to walk me down the aisle, since I didn’t have anyone. But I refused. It seemed like an insult to my dad and stepdad’s memory.

“Yes, I’m sure.”

The music in the church started, signaling it was time. “Okay, go now,” I urged them. “I’ll be right behind you.”

They disappeared and I took a deep breath in and shakily exhaled. Then repeated. With shaky fingers, I lowered my veil and prayed to God I made it to Mateo without tripping over this beautiful dress.

I exited the room, and the doors of the church opened. Every single seat, all two thousand of them, was occupied. All eyes turned on me.

“I can do this,” I whispered low, under the veil. “I can do this.”

I took a step forward, and a murmur of soft gasps filled the air. I danced my whole life, performed in front of thousands, millions on television. But none of it ever compared to this.

In a daze, I took each step, one foot after the other. My eyes searched out the man, the only one that mattered next to my daughter. I locked on his image, feeding off his strength with each step I took. His eyes were pulling me, everyone else forgotten.