Page 68 of Anastasia

“Goodbye, Alex. I love you,” I whispered softly.

Valerio looked at me with a small smile just as the doors opened. My eyes were quick to look at Valentino, who seemed just as nervous as me. Valerio and I walked in slow strides toward the altar with my smile never leaving my face. As we were walking, my eyes were brimming with tears of joy.

We continued down the aisle until we finally made it to the altar, where Valerio kissed my cheek.

“Who gives this woman to this man in marriage?” the priest asked.

Valerio glanced at me before taking my right hand and placing it into Valentino’s.

“I do,” he answered.

I smiled at him once more, feeling so thankful to have met him. He then took my left hand and placed it in Valentino’s as well after I had passed my bouquet to my maid of honor—Orabella.

Valerio then turned and walked over to sit at the front, leaving me to gaze into the beautiful eyes of Valentino. He smiled at me and I happily returned it.

“You are so damn gorgeous,” he mouthed.

“Welcome, everyone. Valentino Romano and Anastasia Smith have chosen you, those special and important to them, to witness and celebrate the beginning of their life together. Today, as they join in marriage, they also create a new bond and new sense of family?one that will undoubtedly include all who are present here today,” the priest began.

My heart was thumping wildly in my chest and all I could think about was how badly I wanted to have sex with Valentino at that moment.Bloody pregnancy hormones.

“May you always need one another; not to fill an emptiness, but to help each other know your fullness. May you want one another; not out of lack, but to feel the warmth of their touch. May you embrace one another; not to encircle one another, but to give comfort. May you succeed in all important ways with each other, and not fail in the little graces. May you have happiness, and may you find it in making one another happy. May you have love, and always find love, in the pursuit of loving one another,” the priest stated. His words meant a lot more to me than I thought they would, it described our entire journey.

“You may begin your vows,” the priest told Valentino. He flashed his million-dollar smile before staring at me.

“I have never respected a woman as much as I have respected you. For a person who had to go through probably as many battles as I have, and still managed to become a woman our baby girl would admire, is hard to comprehend. I knew it from the day I saw you with that look in your eyes that said, ‘I’m not working to feed me, I’m working to feed everyone.’ I didn’t realize then that the woman I would quickly grow to love had to have that mentality of a warrior, who put others’ needs before her own. Even as I look into your beautiful blue eyes now, I still see that innocence you never let the world ruin. I thank you for practically pinching me until I got down on my knee to ask you to marry me?” He was cut off by the laughter of our guests. My eyes were blurring in tears as I chuckled at his words. “It’s exactly what I needed. I needed someone who would push me, and it was you. There is no other woman in the world that I could imagine spending the rest of my life with.”

“Anastasia,” the priest prompted.

I sniffled my tears before nodding my head.

“My life hasn’t been easy, and you know that. What made me fall in love was the moment I got to see the real you and realize there was more to you than what you let on. No matter how many times I told myself to leave, or no matter how many times you pushed me away—I always made my way right back. It was meant to be us from the beginning, and even though I hate the events that led up to me meeting you, I’m glad it happened. My life is better with you in it. You are my outlet, and I am yours. I’m happy to push you to better yourself just like I’m happy that you’re my guiding hand to lead me to greatness. The father of my child, the man of my heart—I love you. I love you so much, and that love will last forever.”

“Aw!” everyone gushed.

My cheeks tinted a light pink color.

Then, little Andrea wobbled up to the altar with the ring. As he walked up to us, he touched my bottom, leaving everyone to start laughing once more.

Valentino narrowed his eyes at him before grabbing the ring from his baby hands. Andrea smiled innocently at him before running back down and into his mother’s arms.

“I, Valentino, give you, Anastasia, this ring, as an eternal symbol of my love and commitment to you,” he said before sliding the ring onto my finger. I smiled at it happily, seeing the beautiful diamond shine in the light.

Then, I grabbed his ring from Orabella before presenting it to him. “I, Anastasia, give you, Valentino, this ring, as an eternal symbol of my love and commitment to you.”

“And now, by the power vested in me by the State of New York, I hereby pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride!”

Valentino hurriedly grabbed my ass and pulled me in for a kiss. Everyone quickly cheered as he kissed me harder. My hand wrapped around his neck, leaving him to deepen the kiss.

“Ladies and gentlemen, family and friends, I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Anastasia and Valentino Romano!” he exclaimed.

* * *

I changedfrom my wedding dress into a smaller gown. It was still tight, but it was less itchy than the wedding dress. My eyes traveled around to see everyone dancing and having the times of their lives. It was such a great sight to even see my mother, who was laughing and looking the happiest I had seen her in a long time.

Valentino walked up to me and wrapped his arm around my waist. “Come on, Mrs. Romano, I believe you owe me a dance.”

He turned me around, so my back faced him and rubbed my belly. I smiled and nodded my head before taking his hand.

“A private dance, Mr. Romano?” I asked, thinking about the time we first met. “I believe it’s going to cost you ten grand.”

“As long as you open your legs,” he whispered. Laughing, I grabbed his hand and dragged him over to the dance floor.

Happy. I was happy.

---