Page 63 of Third Degree

The officiant came forward, pushing Elio aside, who was clearly fuming.

“We made a deal, Angelo.” The man turned to the other wedding guests, who were all standing up with their own weapons pointed in various directions, depending on whose side they were sitting with. “The deal has been made,” he told everyone.

Elio added, “There was no need to specify which Marchetti you were getting. We set you up with the eligible one.”

My dad pointed at Alex, who looked bored at this point, and screamed, “He is the eligible bachelor.”

I cleared my throat and spoke up. “Actually, Papa, he is in a relationship with a friend of mine, so technically, he isn’t eligible or a bachelor.” My voice, although quiet, carried a confidence that I wasn’t even sure I knew I had. Technically, Alex wasn’t dating Chelsea, but they were… complicated.

“She’s right,” Alex chimed in, pursing his lips as he glanced in my direction.

“Which leaves the eligible Marchetti male… me,” Elio interjected, looking as if he had just won the lottery.

But I was still seething with anger toward him. There were countless unanswered questions, and he needed to be held accountable for the pain he had caused me. I had even texted him just minutes ago, hoping for some answers.

“You’re a man of your word, Angelo,” the officiant reassured, urging everyone in the front to lower their weapons.

However, Elio still had his guns pointed directly at my father’s head. His jaw clenched tightly, and I could see his intense gaze piercing through my father’s shoulders, fixated on me.

Papa seethed, “You defiled my daughter when she was just a young woman. Now you think you can just have her again?”

This time, Elio holstered one of his weapons in the waistband of his tuxedo. His eyes, those piercing green eyes, locked onto mine as he spoke. “I never lost her. She was always mine. She was always going to be mine, regardless. This sham of a wedding would never have happened.” He then ordered, turning to the officiant, “Ricardo.”

At that cue, the man I now knew to be Ricardo began advancing toward Angelo.

As our officiant moved forward, Elio shouted, “You need the clubs, Angelo.”

Ricardo firmly grabbed the gun from my father’s trembling hand and tucked it into the back of his suit pants.

“No,” he stated, his voice low and resolute. “You know that your family are all felons. None of them can operate a legitimate business without the government scrutinizing them. You need the Marchettis, especially with Alex about to become a governor. This marriage would solidify a deal between our families for centuries to come.”

My father glanced at me, then back at Elio, suspicion emanating from his gaze. “Did you set this up?” he practically hissed at me.

“I had no idea who I was to marry or that this was about to happen,” I replied, my voice tinged with frustration.

“Bullshit,” Papa spat. “How could you not know?”

“Angelo,” my mother warned. “She couldn’t have faked her annoyance about this wedding this last month. There was no way she could have known.”

“Shut up,” my dad barked at her, and she turned to sit down in her seat as if she had given up completely on trying to fight for me.

“She had no idea,” Julian spoke up, now standing in the aisle.

It was an extraordinary sight, like a scene from a film. Elio and his son stood at the front of the aisle, my father acting as a barrier and me standing behind him, trailing a poofy dress.

“How could she not know? Do I look like a fucking idiot to all of you?” my father fumed.

“She didn’t know.” Elio stepped forward, attempting to defuse the tension. “I had to protect her, kept her from knowing so you wouldn’t retaliate against her if you found out.” He shot me an empathetic look.

“And I assume you want this?” My dad looked at me, his face furrowed in question although I could tell he was trying to remain stoic.

“I mean—” I struggled to find my voice, my words caught in my throat. I needed to summon up the courage and confidence once again. “Of course I do, Papa. I’m furious with him for not telling me what was happening, but if I truly have a choice now, I’d rather marry someone I deeply care about rather than a complete stranger.”

I could have sworn I heard Elio whisper something like “the person you love,” but I wasn’t entirely certain.

“And the deal will be upheld if I agree to this?”

Ricardo, Julian, Alex, and Elio all nodded in agreement.

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