Page 53 of Dangerous Devotion

I shook my head. I knew Sal had been with the family his entire life, so since he was older than my father, it was most likely it was Nonno who gave him that first assignment.

“It was to take care of your father,” he said.

Huh. Was he telling me this to show me his true loyalty? Then why was he here?

“Your nonno would be furious to hear what Alfredo did, and in such amodo così ostentato.”

I nodded. So that was why he was here? Because my father tried to get rid of me in such an ostentatious way?

Drawing attention to the family was more of a sin than killing one of yours—a gross miscalculation on my father’s side.

Sal put his hand on my shoulder, squeezed, and looked me deep in the eyes. Then he turned and walked toward a group of other old-timers.

I turned back to my wife, but as much as I wanted to keep staring at her, I had a job to do. I needed to work the room. This wedding wasn’t about us—it was about securing my position and ensuring our safety.

I made my way through the crowd, shook hands, and engaged in careful conversation. All the while, I kept one eyeon Jemma and watched as she effortlessly won over even the most skeptical of my father’s old guard.

“She’s a natural,” Alex murmured, appearing at my side. “The men are eating out of her hand.”

I grunted in agreement, torn between pride and frustration. “Keep an eye on her,” I instructed before I moved toward Antonio Russo, who was standing with a group of capos I needed to speak with.

As I approached, I overheard one of them commenting on Jemma. “If she’s half as smart as she’s charming, Vince has made a hell of a match.”

I cleared my throat, and they turned to me. “Gentlemen,” I said, my voice low and serious. “We have matters to discuss.”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Ihesitated at the heavy oak door, my hand poised to knock. The low murmur of voices from inside made my stomach churn with uncertainty.

Was I overstepping?

We’d survived the reception, at least the official part, because Vince and the majority of the Salvini men had been in there for hours, and Marianna’s worried face when she told me he hadn’t eaten all day kept flashing through my mind.

I took a deep breath, straightened, then knocked softly.

I pressed my eyes closed and tried to calm my thundering heartbeat. I was just being a good hostess, making sure everyone was taken care of.

This whirlwind of a day had gone over reasonably well. Better than I’d expected, given the circumstances.

The ceremony itself had been intimate and beautiful, even if my heart had been racing the whole time. But it was the reception that had truly surprised me.

Every guest, from the gruff old capos to the younger up-and-comers in the organization, had been unfailingly polite. More than that, they’d been genuinely friendly. I’d been prepared for cold shoulders or thinly veiled hostility, but instead, I’d been met with warm smiles and congratulations that at least seemed sincere.

I thought back to the countless introductions, the way Vince had kept me close, whenever he could, his hand a constant reassuring presence at the small of my back.

And if Vince hadn’t been by my side, his brothers would have taken over. Matt, Hero, Dante, and even Dom had never been far away, their protective presence both comforting and slightly overwhelming.

The women, wives, and daughters of the Salvini men had welcomed me into their circle with an ease and warmth I hadn’t anticipated either. They’d shared stories, offered advice (some more welcome than others), and made me feel like I belonged to the family.

It was everything I didn’t expect from a mob wedding. And especially not from ours, given the circumstances.

Even my father, whom I’d expected would be a stormcloud over the entire affair, had managed to be cautious but civil. I caught him more than once in deep conversation with some of the older gentlemen, looking more at ease than I’d ever dreamed possible.

Either everyone was a better actor than I would’ve given them credit for, or my doom-mongering thoughts had set me up for a pleasant surprise.

As the day wore on, I found myself relaxing, letting go of some of the tension I’d been carrying. The smiles cameeasier, the laughter more genuine. For a few hours, I could almost forget the real reason for this hasty wedding.

“Come in.”

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