Page 46 of Dangerous Devotion

“That’s what I’m hoping you’ll say but hear me out first.” I take the ring from my pocket and hold it up for her to see. A perfect diamond surrounded by rubies. “I had to get some red in there because of that dress you had on the night I met you at Bettino’s—when you were gonna wait tables, pour drinks, strip, whatever you had to do to help your dad. I wanted somebody to love me with that kind of fierce loyalty, and I couldn’t get you out of my head. It didn’t take long before you had my whole heart, Serena, and you always will. I love you, and I want to help make your dreams come true, raise this baby together. If you let me regain your trust, in time, I hope you’ll trust me again. I love you and I’ll make you happy, I’ll keep our child safe and make sure you have a beautiful life. Will you marry me?”

She sits in stunned silence, and I sweat it—she could say no. It’s been intense, and I’ve put her through a lot. I wait, and when she speaks, a laugh comes out instead of words.

“Jack! You idiot—did you really think I don’t love you anymore? I love you like crazy. I’ve moped around and cried and gone over and over everything I said to you and how I’d take it all back if you’d let me. I want to be with you, that’s all I care about. Us and this baby we’re expecting. If you want to make it official, that ring is gorgeous, but you don’t have to marry me just because I’m pregnant.”

“Now who’s the idiot,” I chuckle. “I have to marry you so I can lock you down before someone else steals your heart. I want to be your husband, Serena Mayfield. Will you have me?”

“Always,” she says, her brilliant smile almost rocking me back with the force of her joy.

“How about tomorrow? Are you busy? Because we could get married tomorrow,” I offer, thinking she’ll resist.

“Why not today?” she asks mischievously.

“Today is even better. I’ll make a call. But right now, I have something to show you. Let’s call it an engagement gift.”

“Uh, you got me a ring the size of Manhattan, Jack.”

She admires it on her finger, and I steal a kiss. “This is bigger than the ring,” I say, excited.

27

SERENA

When I step out of the car, it’s in front of a house. Huge and beautiful, a brick two-story that looks like it has more rooms than I know what to do with. I look at Jack in disbelief.

“Did you buy a house?”

“No, I bought us a home in a very safe gated community. This house has top security features, and there’s a room upstairs that’s perfect for a nursery. It looks out over the pool—which has a safety gate of course—and it’s right beside the master bedroom.”

“We’re going to live here?” I say, as he keeps talking about safety features and I’m overwhelmed. “Stop!” I finally say. He trails off and I lift on tiptoe to kiss him. “Show it to me!”

When I grin, he scoops me up in his arms and kisses me back, carries me to the door and over the threshold. It’s spacious and gorgeous of course, but what I love most is being in his strong arms, being in our new home as we plan a life together. I’m overjoyed and all I can do is kiss him and kiss him because no words could ever capture how happy I am with him in this moment.

“What do you want to see first?”

“Hmmm…” I say, “The pool sounds nice, and I’ll definitely want to fix up the nursery, but for right now, maybe check out the view from the master bedroom?” His eyes darken and he growls deep in his chest. He takes the stairs two at a time and carries me to a sundrenched room.

“There’s no bed yet, so we’ll have to make do.”

“That’s not a problem. You told me I always have a place to sit, right? Your lap, your face, anywhere I want?” My cheeks heat as I say the words. He lowers me to my feet with a wolfish grin.

“Mine,” he says and fastens his mouth to my throat, sucking and licking. I lift on my toes and drag my fingers through his hair, frenzied.

It’s wild and desperate—making love with this intensity, the intimacy of knowing we’re about to be married, we have a baby on the way. I feel like I’m completely his for the first time.

The rest of my day is a whirlwind. Three people arrive speaking French rapidly. They set up a mirror and fitting block in a bedroom and tailor a wedding gown right then and there. The one I choose is a soft ivory made of silk chiffon that skims over my baby bump. I’m not sure if it’s the dress, the flowers in my hair or the man waiting for me that makes me feel like I’m floating.

My dad is there in a nice suit, opening the door to say how beautiful I am, how pleased he is for me. A photographer snaps a picture as I take his arm. Someone is playing the harp as I walk down the stairs to my handsome groom. Jack looks like James Bond’s wicked brother in a tux as he holds out his hand for mine.

At sunset, we marry in a tiny ceremony in our new home, with Lynette and Louie standing as our witnesses. It’s a sweet blur of flowers, vows, kisses. “I, Giancarlo Marcello Marino take you, Serena Lynn Mayfield to be my wife.” That was the most beautiful thing I ever heard.

We kiss in the back of the car all the way to a fancy hotel where our reception is waiting, which is the biggest party I’ve ever seen. I can’t imagine how Jack’s assistant put it together so fast, but it looks like the entire Marino organization is there.

It’s the warmest welcome anyone ever had into a big family, and the food is amazing. Jack keeps checking in—am I cold? Do my feet hurt? Should I sit down? I laugh at him because I could dance until dawn, I’m so happy.

It’s probably four in the morning when the food trucks pull up out front. The guests stream out into the street which is blocked off for us. There’s cotton candy, a cupcake truck, and a van from my favorite bodega sets up a table with sandwiches, chips and orange soda. I clap my hands in delight and head straight for the turkey sandwiches. A mariachi band starts up—like where did they even come from? And I laugh because my life feels like a movie right now. Like everything has a happy ending full of fabulous surprises.

I grab Jack’s hand and place it on my belly so he can feel the funny gurgle of our baby moving. “He wants to dance too, I think he likes the mariachi band,” I tell Jack. He beams, kisses me.

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