Page 61 of Third Degree

It would be the last secret I ever held from her. From today onward, there was nothing more.

I shoved the phone in my pocket and strode forward with purpose, ready for the ceremony to conclude successfully. Knowing that this was the last time I would ever have to lie to her. That I was going to be single. That we would ever have to be apart. It all ended today.

This had been twelve years in the making, and it had all culminated to this day, at this very moment.

22

Daphne

“You look ravishing, cara mia,” my father said from just inside the house, linking his arm with mine.

“Thank you,” I responded coolly.

“I know this isn’t what you wanted, but thank you for making this possible for the family. This was a sacrifice. I understand that.”

My face twisted in disgust. I looked over into his dark eyes.

“No.” I shook my head and started to laugh at the irony of all of this.

My father wanted to believe that he understood the sacrifice I had to make? The sacrifice of marrying someone I didn’t love? For what, a business deal?

“This is more than a sacrifice, Father. This is my life you are playing with as if I am a mere pawn in your business dealings.”

I shook my head at him again in disbelief.

“I love you, cara mia. It may not look like it now, but later in life, I hope you understand. As a capo of a large, influential family, I have no choice.”

“You always have a choice.” He started to speak again, but I quickly interrupted him. “And I have a choice, too. I am doing this for you. I am doing this for Mama and for the family. So, please, let’s finish this conversation because I am done with it.”

He didn’t say anything else outside of that. As the music started, making our presence known, I gripped his arm and took a grounding breath. It was now or never.

The French doors at the back swung open, and the crowd rose to their feet, their gazes fixed on the distant end of the aisle. As I stepped forward, the blinding sunlight momentarily overwhelmed my vision. Instinctively, I continued down the aisle, squinting in an attempt to catch a glimpse of the figure waiting at the front. Yet my view was obscured by a sea of distant relatives whose excitement for this day surpassed any care for my well-being. All I could make out was a dark tuxedo and a looming presence that sent chills down my spine.

If this man was as terrifying as he appeared, I was in deep trouble. But I refused to let his intimidating aura extinguish my fiery spirit.

With each step, my eyes gradually adjusted to the lighting, allowing me to focus on the front of the aisle. And there, to my astonishment, stood Julian Marchetti, positioned to the right of the groom, whose back was still turned away from me.

I locked my gaze on Julian, my eyes narrowing in an unspoken demand for answers.

Why the hell was he here? Did he know that I was not Daphne? Had he known my name all along? Perhaps this was the reason Tatum had been calling me earlier. My mind swirled with countless questions, yet amidst the confusion, I couldn’t spot Alex or Elio anywhere. It was all so bewildering, to say the least.

We finally stopped where my dad was to give me away to the groom. I was standing on a white aisle runner in the middle of my parents’ backyard. Surrounded by an entire botanical garden and a massive arch in front of me, I still had no idea who my future husband was. Although, with Julian here, it felt like there was an air of familiarity.

My cousin Rina bustled my dress behind me, ensuring it cascaded elegantly. A gauzy white veil obscured my vision, adding an ethereal touch that did little to alleviate my confusion.

“Who gives this woman up for marriage?” the officiant said.

The one thing I was grateful for was that I insisted we wouldn’t need to get married in a big Catholic church wedding as most Italians did. I hadn’t been to church in nearly a decade, and my parents agreed that it was likely not the best idea.

I guess the groom picked this guy to officiate the wedding. He was another capo to another family.

“Her mother and I do.”

I looked over at my mom, who was beaming, yet I couldn’t get over the fact that Julian fucking Marchetti was here.

Somehow, he had to know the groom. The way he wasn’t looking all that surprised, I figured he knew what was going on. Although, I guess he could be the stoic type and quite unreadable most of the time, which was why I had no idea how Tatum ended up with him.

The officiant exchanged a glance with the groom, indicating that it was time for him to turn around. A wave of nausea surged within me, threatening to overcome my composure. I had to hold it together for just a few more moments, long enough to formulate a plan to escape this wretched mess I’d found myself in.

---