Page 51 of Saint Valentine

She frowned as I led her out of the bathroom, her bare feet padding softly against the floor. Her eyes landed on the wedding dress hanging in the corner of the room, and she froze. Her expression was unreadable, but I saw the way her fingers twitched at her sides, the way her breath hitched just slightly.

“Why is that here?” she asked, her voice quiet, almost fragile.

“You chose it,” I said, stepping closer. “It’s yours. Put it on,” I commanded, my voice soft but firm, leaving no room for argument.

Her eyes flicked to mine, sharp and questioning. “Why? What did you do, Saint?”

“We’re getting married today.”

She didn’t say anything, but I saw the flicker of emotion in her eyes—anger, fear, something else I couldn’t name—before she turned away and did as I said. Her obedience should have been alarming, but I dismissed it.

Chapter Twenty Seven

Saint

I dressed in the same suit I’d worn the night I took her. It felt fitting, like closing a circle. When I turned to her, she was dressed, and she looked better than I could have imagined. I didn’t think we would get to this day.

It was hard not just to stand there and stare at her.

I had the SUV we’d arrived at my mother’s in switched out for a Mercedes-Benz with butter-soft leather seats.

The park was quiet when we arrived, eerily so. I was sure Luciano had something to do with that. He stood in the distance, a shadow among shadows, his presence a silent reminder of the world we lived in. Isabella and Jason were already there, standing awkwardly near the gazebo. Isabella’s eyes lit up when she saw Aria, and she rushed forward, pulling her into a hug.

“Thank you for doing this,” Isabella whispered, loud enough for me to hear. “He’s letting us go. He’s giving us money—enough to start over.”

Aria’s eyes met mine, and for a moment, I thought she might argue. But she didn’t. She just nodded, her expression unreadable.

“That’s good, Isabella,” she said softly. “You know how to reach me when you’re settled.”

The priest cleared his throat, his voice echoing through the quiet park. “We are gathered here today to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony. Though the circumstances may be unexpected, marriage is a sacred bond, one built on trust, commitment, and—”

I barely heard the rest. The air smelled like fresh earth and dying roses, the scent of something beautiful and fleeting. The trees rustled overhead, their branches casting shifting shadows across the gazebo. Aria stood beside me, her body still, her fingers twitching at her sides. Jason and Isabella stood nearby, their presence a reminder of the stakes.

“Do you, Saint, take Aria to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?”

“I do.” My voice was firm, unwavering. I had never been so sure of anything in my life.

The priest turned to her. “And do you, Aria, take Saint—”

Her lips parted, but for a heartbeat, she didn’t speak.

My chest tightened, my fingers twitching at my sides.

Then finally she said it. “I do.” But she wouldn’t look at me. Her eyes stayed fixed on the priest, her expression unreadable.

“By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife.”

I didn’t wait for him to give me permission to kiss my wife. I took her face in my hands, my fingers pressing into her skin. Something had me feeling like she might slip away if I didn’t hold tight enough. Then, I kissed her. And she kissed me back because she wanted to. Her lips moved against mine, slowat first, soft, testing. Then, something deeper, something that made my chest ache. I tried to put all the feelings that I couldn’t say in that kiss.I love you, I’m sorry. I need you. Please don’t go. Stay.

Her fingers curled into the lapels of my jacket, her body pressing into mine like she needed me as much as I needed her.

When she finally pulled away, her breaths were uneven, her gaze searching mine. My thumb brushed over her lower lip, and for a moment, I forgot where we were.

Isabella grabbed Aria’s hands, her voice soft but laced with warning. “Be careful.”

Aria squeezed her hand before pulling away. “I’ll be fine.”

Jason muttered something under his breath as he walked away, but we both ignored it. He was lucky he was even alive.

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