Page 135 of Mafia and Gold Digger

Christian checks a message on his phone. “Leoluca just texted to say Emerald’s nearly here.”

“Good.” I give a satisfied smile.

“All okay?” I ask Jaspar where he sits on the front pew in his small suit, coloring in some superhero coloring book.

He gives me a scrutinizing look before just glaring at me.

Great. He’s in a bad mood after I forgot to get Lucky Charms from the store. All the last-minute wedding stuff made it slip my mind, but he seems to be convinced that I must be hiding the cereal and keeping it all for myself. Sometimes, I don’t understand where this six-year-old kid gets his ideas from. Despite the progress we’ve made over the past few months, I swear things with this kid are always two steps forward and one step back.

What with Jaspar’s grumpiness plus Milena’s continued iciness toward me and Emerald after we grounded her, it’s a wonder that we even managed to get them to the church today. Only Giulietta seemed excited about coming today, although I did have to suggest to her that her teddy bears would probably prefer to have a Kool-Aid tea party at home instead of all coming to the wedding reception after she got them dressed up in ballerina tutus she’d outgrown.

A nagging feeling in the back of my head, the one that’s telling me something is wrong, is blaring in my gut now. The alarm bells are ringing on full blast. I’ve missed something important, and I don’t know what.

“You good?” Christian asks.

“Fine.” I remark, tugging on the sleeve of my suit jacket once more.

“Yeah, you look really thrilled to be here.”

“Shouldn’t you be, I don’t know, somewhere else?” I ask, brow arched. “Like greeting the underbosses or something?”

“Nah. I’d much rather be here, bugging you. You smell like smoke.”

“I wonder why.”

“Real romantic.”

“If that’s all you have to offer, Christian, your seat’s waiting.”

“This is more entertaining.”

“Of course it is.” I roll my eyes at him before sighing. “Something’s off.”

“You got cold feet?” he asks.

My eyes snap up to him, and I glare. “No. But it feels…off.”

“I think those are called pre-wedding jitters. Your robotic heart is probably confused.”

I scowl at him. “Okay, asshole. Thanks for the input. But I don’t mean that.”

“You think Carmine’s going to retaliate here?”

“Not sure... Either way, everyone should be on high alert just in case.”

Christian nods as I get in place in front of the altar. I don’t miss the way people look at me—all the Imperiosi families that had to be invited to keep up good relations.

Christian takes his seat in the front pew as I let out a breath. My eyes track the entrance, the guards posted periodically in the alcoves, and the men who are carrying beneath their suit jackets. Carmine would be fucking stupid to try interfering with this. I know I’m preparing for something that probably won’t happen, but that’s who I am. Ten steps ahead. Always thinking of the next move.

My gaze moves to the aisle where Giulietta stands in her pale pink dress—the very dress she picked out weeks ago and hasn’t stopped talking about the entire time. Behind her stands Milena, Jacquetta, and Nicki, their dresses in a coordinating shade.

Giulietta waves to me enthusiastically and twirls, showing off her dress. My lip twitches. At least someone seems excited about the ceremony.

The music starts, and the guests rise, and I watch Giulietta sprinkle petals on the ground before moving to sit next to Jaspar in the pew. Next, Milena, Jacquetta, and Nicki come walking down the aisle. Then the music changes, and my gaze attaches to the doorway.

Emerald steps out.

And I take her in. The white dress that hugs her like a glove. The inky curls of her hair that spill down her back from some intricate style that Jacquetta no doubt helped with. The way her green eyes are lined in some shimmery bronze color. It knocks the air from my lungs.

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