Chapter 11 - FOREVER THE DON'S WIFE
The wedding was nothing like the fragile, pretentious affair at the Halston Hotel. It was held in a private, ancient cathedral on the Amalfi Coast of Italy, surrounded only by the people who had bled for us and stood by us. There were no reporters, no fake smiles, and absolutely no blood relatives to whisper toxic poison in my ear.
I wore a gown of rich, imported silk that clung to my curves, dramatic and sweeping, fit for a queen of the underworld. Penny stood by my side as my maid of honor, weeping tears of joy. As the massive wooden doors opened, I walked down the aisle to the man who had seen me at my lowest and built an empire just to place me on a throne.
Nikolai looked devastatingly handsome in his dark tuxedo, his eyes locked on mine with a fierce, unwavering devotion. When my hand slipped into his, his grip was a promise of eternity. We spoke our vows in Italian and English, promises of loyalty, protection, and a love forged in the fires of betrayal.
“I pronounce you husband and wife,” the priest declared.
Nikolai didn't wait for permission. He pulled me against his chest and kissed me with a consuming, fiery passion that drew cheers from the hardened men in the pews. Later, as we stood on the terrace of our villa, the Mediterranean Sea glittering under the moonlight, Nikolai wrapped his arms around me from behind, resting his chin on my shoulder.
“Are you happy, Mrs. Moretti?” he whispered into the night breeze.
May you like
I leaned back into his solid warmth, looking at the ring on my finger—a ring that belonged only to me, given by a man who chose me over everything else in the world. I had lost a pathetic boy and a toxic family, but I had gained a king, an empire, and a love that was absolute.
“I have everything I ever wanted,” I smiled, turning my head to capture his lips once more. “And God help anyone who tries to take it.”
