Page 107 of His Two Hidden Masks

“Do you have a crush?” I said, leaning into him.

“Of course, I do,” Leo said. “That man is gorgeous, but for the next twenty-four hours I am all Man of Honor, all the time.”

“You know you can go back and flirt with him some more.”

“Some more, I never.” He paused. “I was flirting. He was into me, right? I was getting a vibe. Did you feel the vibe?”

“I felt the vibe. You two vibed so hard.”

“I knew it.” Leo looked so satisfied. He took a breath and squeezed my hand. “And now, you are Cinderella and I am your fairy Godmother. Your mother took all the fun out of your last wedding, and if you are going to marry the wrong man, you are going to look hot-as-fuck doing it.”

24

The day of the ball at Doge's Palace, Roberto and I agreed to stay in contact via text. He and Lissa made sure the license and paperwork were ready to file to block the acquisition.

At my request, Roberto sent me screenshots of all the documents. I reviewed our marriage license and the stop-sale order. We needed to sign one document before the ceremony and one after, and it was done. Lissa was on-point to scan and send everything to the legal team.

Roberto was also on the hook for wining and dining the Street team before the secret wedding. Paolo and the staff set up the ballroom as an acquisition war room. The team was on the property and ready to celebrate at one minute past midnight.

As the four of us texted throughout the day, I never once asked Roberto about Dylan, although I was dying to. Every time Leo and I walked through the hotel, I searched for Dylan in the sitting room, on the stairs.

Curiosity finally got the better of me. I went to the front desk and looked up his room. My heart stopped, as the cursor blinked next to his room number.

Vacant. Dylan checked out of the Mia Sorella the day we argued.

As I walked back to my bedroom, preparing to dress for the ball, I told myself that it was for the best. My face must have said otherwise. Already inside, Leo was finishing some updates to my gown.

“What’s wrong with you? Who died?” he said, clutching his throat when he saw me.

“Nobody died. Nothing is wrong.” I sighed and lay on my bed. Overhead, those persistently cheerful cherubs danced. After tonight, I would be moving into Roberto’s palazzo. He confirmed his offer to give me an entire floor. Today was my last day in my childhood home.

“Bella, if you are going to fool everyone into thinking you are just a happy-go-lucky party girl on your way to the ball, you are going to have to do better.” Leo stood with pins in his teeth.

“When did you get so good at sewing?” I said, sitting up.

“I am a man of many talents,” he said. “I transform things, left over pieces of glass become my art. Half-off designer gowns need a little bling. I am almost done.” He blocked the view of my work-in-progress dress, forbidding me to look at it until he finished.

“Can I just see it, already?”

“It’s bad luck for the bride to see the dress.”

“That’s not a thing. Nobody says that.”

“Well, nobody marries someone to stop a corporate takeover either.” Not missing a beat, he took a step back from the dress form. “She’s ready, close your eyes.”

I stripped down to my lacy underwear and bra. Leo guided me with my eyes closed through the process of stepping into my dress.

“Turn away from the mirror,” he said, his hands fastening the back. “I’m going to fix it, so instead of tiny buttons, you can just pull on a ribbon to undo the whole thing.”

“Like a present?”

“Exactly.”

I wished Dylan was the one unwrapping me tonight.

“All right, another flower here,” Leo said. His fingers moved across the bodice of my dress. “Open your eyes.”

I gasped. This was no cream puff pastry explosion of tule and lace. Leo gave me the wedding dress of my dreams.

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