I wanted the fairy tale…and I got it.
Dress and all.
Lorenzo holds his arm out and I link mine through it, with my nerves thumping hard in my chest, we take the steps and wait in the reception area of the church.
The traditional bridal song begins and Anna kisses my cheek with a big smile. “Ready to get married?”
I giggle. “Uh-huh.”
She walks through the double doors and now it’s Olivia’s turn. She turns to me. “You look so beautiful, Chesk.”
“Thanks.”
She kisses my cheek and disappears too.
The double doors open, and I look up the aisle to see Giuliano standing at the end waiting for me.
He’s wearing a black dinner suit and a white vest and cravat. His dark hair is just messed perfection.
He’s breathtakingly handsome, Valentino and Alex, his groomsmen are by his side.
He turns toward me and our eyes meet, he gives me a slow sexy smile.
My world stops.
His eyes well with tears and with my love about to explode in my chest I want to run down the aisle to him as fast as I can.
This is it, the moment in time where we become one.
We walk down to the beat and with every step closer to him, I feel braver.
More myself.
Lorenzo kisses my cheek and turns and shakes Giuliano’s hand and then places my hands in his.
“Thank you,” Giuliano whispers.
Lorenzo breaks tradition and leans in and kisses him on each cheek too, the crowd give a little chuckle.
Giuliano turns and smiles over at me, the look in his eye could start a fire.
I know that look…I live for that look.
“We are gathered here today.” The priest begins his sermon.
Giuliano’s eyes darken.
I can hardly hear the words, they all sound jumbled. I’m too enamored with the beautiful man in front of me. Wearing his black suit and looking like he’s about to bend me over the church pew in front of everyone.
“Repeat after me,” the priest says.
Giuliano slides the gold band onto my finger. “With this ring, I thee wed.”
I slide the gold band onto Giuliano’s finger.
“Do you take this woman, to have and to hold, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health for as long as you both shall live?”
“I do.” His eyes hold mine and he raises an eyebrow playfully.
I giggle.
“Do you take this man, to have and to hold, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health for as long as you both shall live?”
“I do.”
A million memories from over the last ten years flash before my eyes. But most of all, the beautiful love between us.
I’d climb any mountain, fight any battle, do it all over again in an instant.
To get to this precise moment in time.
“I now pronounce you man and wife, you may kiss your bride.”
Giuliano takes my face in his two hands and kisses me tenderly, his eyes close and he’s completely lost in the moment as if we have all the time in the world.
And now we do.
THE END
Read on for an excerpt of Valentino and also for the first chapter of another amazing TL Swan book; Play Along
EXCERPT - VALENTINO
Anna
The rain pours down and I peer through the glass door at my office block.
I can see out on the road my car is waiting, along with the two bodyguards that accompany me everywhere now.
Francesca and Giuliano are on their honeymoon aboard a luxury superyacht. They’ve been gone for four weeks and boy, do I miss them.
My phone beeps a text and I frown when I see the name light up the screen.
Carlo
Can you talk?
Good God.
My heart speeds up, it’s been eight weeks since everything happened and I haven’t heard from him once. I want to hear what he has to say.
Without hesitation, I walk back into my office and take the elevator back up to my floor and text back.
Yes
I’m alone.
My phone rings and with my heart in my throat I answer, “Hello.”
“Anna,” he whispers.
Emotion overwhelms me at the sound of his voice and I screw up my face in tears.
“What do you want?” I whisper.
“Don’t cry.”
Damn it, I hate that he can tell that he’s upset me. I get a lump in my throat as I try to stay silent.
“I miss you.” His voice is deep and hushed.
“Don’t lie,” I stammer.
“I’m telling you the truth. By the time we fell in love I was already too far in, I had to go through with it.”
“No. You didn’t,” I cry as I lose control. “You should have walked away…for me. How could you kill Giovanna? How could you?”
“I didn’t kill Giovanna,” he snaps.
“Yes. you did.”
“No. I didn’t. I didn’t kill anyone, I promise you. I held my gun up at them but someone else shot them from afar. I swear to you it wasn’t me.”
We fall silent.
“I never meant to hurt you.”
“Well you did,” I sob.
So fucking much.
“I do the same job as Giuliano, he’s no angel, Anna. Don’t be fooled into thinking I’m the only bad guy in this picture. Trust me, if you knew what he was capable of.”
I stay silent.
“You accept him, but you won’t accept me?”
“You betrayed us,” I cry.
“I never betrayed you. I love you.”
I screw up my face, pain searing through my heart, I so badly want to believe him.
“Where are you?” I ask.
He stays silent this time.
“Are you hurt?”
“I’m okay.”
“They’re going to find you, Carlo. What then?”
“It was worth the risk…. I had to hear your voice.”
I close my eyes, my attachment to him runs way deeper than I thought.
“I miss you,” he whispers.
“Don’t.”
“Come with me.”
“What?”
“I’ll send for you.”
“Come where, Carlo?” I whisper angrily. “To a life on the run? I have to go.”
“Don’t go,” he stammers, almost panicked.
“Carlo.”
“Anna…what happened with Giuliano is business. It has nothing to do with the way I feel about you.”
“I can’t….” I cut myself off.
“I’ll call you tonight?” he says softly.
I stay silent, unable to push the word no past my lips.
“Carlo, if they find out where you are….” I throw my hands up in despair. “You need to tell them that you didn’t kill anyone. They think you shot Giovanna.”
“I would never kill a woman, you know that.”
“I’m going.”
“I’ll call you tonight.”
I don’t answer.
“I love you.”
“Don’t.” I hang up, disgusted with myself for even taking the call.