Page 108 of Born into Sin

I stand next to the priest, the one my uncle insisted we fly in because he’s performed every ceremony for the Alessi family that I can remember, with a cold sweat breaking out beneath my tux as I watch the bridesmaids and groomsmen make their way down the aisle. Hundreds of people are in attendance, and the yard looks like it’s a fairytale wedding with all the pink roses I ordered, but I barely pay attention to anything. All my focus is on trying to get a glimpse of my bride-to-be.

When the music changes and I see Lev step out with Natalya on his arm, my heart starts to race and all the air leaves my body on a heavy sigh.

“You all right, boss?” Dario asks from behind me while Sandro gives a soft laugh that I ignore.

I nod and keep my eyes locked on the woman I love. She’s beautiful, absolutely stunning in her white, lacy dress. The bouquet of pink and white roses are held in one hand while her other one is gripping her dad’s arm like it’s her lifeline. Her blue eyes look glassy when I meet them, and she gives me the sweetest smile when they’re both standing in front of me. With what must be taking all of Lev’s willpower, he takes her hand and kisses it before placing it in mine. He kisses her cheek and then pulls me in for a quick hug. To everyone else, it looks like a sweet moment between father and son-in-law, but I know better, so I’m not at all surprised when he takes the opportunity to whisper in my ear, “If you hurt her, I will fucking kill you.”

I smile and hug him back. “I’ll help you load the gun myself,” I tell him.

He nods and smacks my back before giving his daughter one last look and then going to sit beside a beaming Jolene.

I’m sure the ceremony is a beautiful one, but I’ll be damned if I can remember any of it. What I can remember is every detail of Natalya’s face and exactly how she sounded when she said, “I do” and became my wife.

When I’m finally told I can kiss my bride, I cup her face and smile down at her. I should probably do a chaste kiss, but fuck that. She’s my wife, and I can kiss her any damn way I want. I don’t have to lower down as much as I usually do, so I know she’s wearing heels under that dress, and when I press my lips to hers, she lets out a soft moan. I give her a soft flick with my tongue, asking for permission for more, because as much as I want to kiss her deeply, I don’t want to push it further than she wants to go. She immediately opens for me, letting me in as someone whistles loudly and a few others cheer. I don’t have to open my eyes to know it’s not my family doing it.

“Jesus Christ,” I hear Lev groan before I finally pull back with a laugh. His daughter is blushing to the roots of her hair, lips wet and swollen, so angelic in her white dress, but she’s not fooling me. I know my principessa, and there’s no way in hell her panties aren’t soaked right now.

I give her a wink and pull her close as we turn to face the crowd of smiling faces. Everyone cheers as we walk back down the aisle, and I can’t stop smiling. I had no idea your face could actually ache from smiling too much, but my wife is constantly teaching me new things. She’s opened up an entirely new world to me and taken my dreary life and made it fucking shine.

“That was so beautiful,” Svetlana says, turning around to pull Natalya into another hug. Yelena quickly joins them, and I smile at them while one of the photographers I hired snaps a ton of photos. I’d hired three because I want to document every second of this day. I want our house filled with photos, and I never want to forget how beautiful my pregnant bride looked on the day I married her.

Soon we’re surrounded by her rowdy family as the other guests slowly make their way to the large, white tent that’s set up. The caterers have been busy all day, and the tables are already laid out with lit candles and more flowers. Fairy lights decorate the tent, and with the sun setting, the place looks downright magical.

“It’s so beautiful,” Natalya tells me once her family finally lets her go.

“You’re what’s beautiful, principessa.”

She smiles up at me and rests her hands on my chest. “I can’t believe we’re married.”

I smile and pick her up, while she throws her arms around my shoulders and laughs at the cheers coming from the crowd.

“I think you’re supposed to carry me over the threshold, not carry me to the reception tent.”

I kiss her and hold her tighter. “I think you’re my wife now, and I can carry you any damn place I want.”

“You’re going to be unbearably bossy now, aren’t you?”

I give her a wink before walking her to the tent. “Principessa, you have no idea.”

She laughs and doesn’t argue when I carry her to her seat or when I scoot it closer so our legs are touching, and not even when she finishes supper and I put her on my lap. My little wife is learning.

After cutting the cake and mingling with the crowd, I grab a glass of wine and go to stand by my uncle, watching Natalya get whisked away to the dance floor by Svetlana and Yelena. She turns back to give me a smile and wave before joining the crowd and shaking her sweet ass to the beat of the music.

“You did good, Dominic,” Uncle Salvatore says, eyeing my wife with a drink in hand. “She’s not Italian,” he adds with a small shrug, “but she’s a good match for you.”

“She is,” I agree. “Much better than all the women you’ve tried to throw at me over the years.”

“All the women you swore were too young? Yes, nephew, you’ve clearly proven me wrong. Need I remind you that your little wife can’t even legally drink in her own country?”

I laugh and shake my head. “You do not, no.”

My uncle laughs when he sees Dario and Sandro being pulled into the crowd of dancing bodies by Jolene, Simona, and Katya. Alina and Emily are already dancing, and when I look around, I see all their husbands watching them.

“If you insist on keeping my sons out here, at least make sure they get married at some point. I’d like to see some grandkids before I die.”

“My cousins take orders without question when it comes to the family business, Uncle, but that doesn’t mean I can snap my fingers and get them to walk down the aisle.”

He raises a bushy brow at me. “You could actually order it. How do you think your aunt and I ended up together? Don’t get me wrong, I love the woman and we make a good team, but I didn’t pick her. Your grandfather wanted her family’s resources.” He shrugs his broad shoulders, one arthritic hand still gripping the wine glass. “It turned out well, though, and we secured her family’s commercial fishing business, which has helped us ship product all over the world, Dominic.”

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