Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 79833 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 399(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79833 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 399(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
Suppressing the urge to brush the hair back from his forehead, I turn away and follow Livy’s example by staring through the window.
My heart trips over a beat when the car pulls to a stop. My belly does that funny backflip again.
God, I hope I’m strong enough to do this.
I hope I’m strong enough to keep him at arm’s length even when he’s my husband.
Especially when he’s my husband.
Kevin opens the door.
Livy gets out.
Saverio is next. He offers me a hand.
I want to hang back, but it’s too late to be a coward. No matter how scared I am, I don’t have a choice but to put my fingers in his and to go into this battle.
The stone church looms in front of us, its bell tower reaching up into the clear sky. A few birds draw black lines in the blue, their chirping loud as they flock toward the snow-capped trees of the churchyard. I count them as they circle us—thirteen—and divide that by the number of trees. I wish I knew how many feathers a bird has. I could’ve multiplied that by thirteen. It would’ve given me a more challenging calculation to help calm my nerves.
Saverio puts my hand on his arm, lending me his strength.
My step falters.
I don’t want to do this. I don’t want to go into this war because even as I try to be strong, I know my chances of survival are slim. My chance of winning is one in a million. There’s a good possibility that Saverio will slay me and that my heart will end up trampled at his feet.
He gives a gentle tug, forcing me to walk.
I already lose a part of the fight when I lean against him, letting him carry my weight.
Livy goes ahead. She opens the doors. Music spills out from the church, the soft notes of an organ escaping into the air and drifting to the clouds where they pop like balloons.
We stop on the threshold. Livy takes my coat.
The church is packed. People turn on the benches and twist their necks to stare at us. Luigi and Giorgio sit in the front pew on the left. The men behind them wear dark suits. I recognize them from the club. Everyone who works for Luigi are present plus a lot of people I don’t know. Tersia and Richard are on their own in the back. Livy scurries inside to find a place next to them when the organ music dies off-key.
A few people cough. Some clear their throats. A rustling of clothes sounds as they shift on their hard seats while a priest exits the vestry and walks to the altar.
Saverio pulls me tighter against him and smiles down at me. “Okay?”
“Where’s Raphael?”
“He sent a message to say they couldn’t make it. Elena is pregnant.”
“Oh.” I shift my weight. “That’s good news. How far is she?”
“Three months. They haven’t announced it yet. She’s been very sick. The first few weeks have been rough on her.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
Come to think of it, she never did return my wrap. I won’t be surprised if she burned it. Saverio and I behaved disrespectfully at her wedding. I wonder if she’s disappointed that she can’t be here to take revenge. Maybe she would’ve enjoyed sabotaging a part of the ceremony.
The priest looks up at the gallery and nods. The wedding march starts to play.
“That’s our cue,” Saverio says, sounding proud and victorious.
I square my shoulders and lift my chin. When Saverio leads me inside, all eyes turn to my stomach. Everyone knows this baby isn’t his. Everyone here knows this is his shot at having a child. They all know why he’s marrying me. I try to ignore their whispers and stares as I walk down the aisle between cascades of roses and lilies, their sweet perfume mixing with the scent of the candles that burn in the alcoves.
The music stops when we reach the priest. Saverio turns to face me. The priest says something, but I can only focus on Saverio’s face. It’s my solace as well as my torment. I keep my spine straight even though I don’t hear a word. I refuse to show these people my turmoil. I won’t allow them to gloat at my weakness.
Saverio says, “I do.”
He takes both my hands and squeezes my fingers.
My signal.
My voice is clear, but my mind is fuzzy. “I do.”
Dante steps forward. He gives Saverio a ring, a simple white gold band that he pushes over my finger to fit against my engagement ring. Then Dante gives me another ring, a similar but broader one. I do the same, wiggling it over Saverio’s finger.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
The words are distorted. They reach me through a ringing in my ears.
Saverio cups my face and pulls me closer. He lowers his head, watching me with unspoken promises and frightening intentions burning in his eyes as his soft, warm, minty exhale feathers over my mouth. I hold my breath, my heart stuttering in my chest, but before he closes the last hairbreadth of distance and touches his lips to mine, a boom resonates through the space.