Page 303 of Mafia Kings: Valentino

Everyone filed inside the church – Dario and Alessandra, Adriano and Bianca, Lucia, Roberto and Mei-ling, Lars and Rachel, and Niccolo.

Not to mention a dozen of Don Vicari’s foot soldiers.

As Massimo began to limp inside with his cane, I paused at the doorway and thought of Cat.

Of everything we’d done in the chapel yesterday –

And what she’d said right before she walked out.

I’ve always been your dirty little secret.

The servant girl you fucked in the pantry.

The one you wouldn’t admit to your family you were sleeping with.

The one you didn’t want to marry.

I must have been staring off into space, because Massimo turned and looked back at me.

“You ready?” he asked gently.

I took a long moment to answer.

“No,” I finally muttered. “But let’s fuckin’ get it over with.”

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The walk down the aisle was the longest of my entire life.

Like I was heading to my own execution.

But still, I took my place at the altar with Massimo.

The priest was there. So was Ludavica. I knew she was miserable inside, but she had a good poker face.

I looked out at the pews.

My brothers, Lars, and their wives and fiancées were sitting on my side of the aisle…

While Don Vicari’s grandmother, his sons and daughters and their families, and his foot soldiers sat on the other.

There wasn’t any music. No organ or piano – not even a recording.

It was just as well.

I was miserable, Ludavica was miserable, and I was pretty sure Isabella wasn’t that happy, either.

Then I heard floorboards creaking.

Don Vicari was at the end of the aisle, walking arm-in-arm with Isabella.

She wore an old-fashioned but pretty white dress and a veil that covered her face.

In her hand was a bouquet of wildflowers.

I was pretty sure Ludavica had picked them.

The last gift she could give the woman she loved…

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