Page 172 of A Beautiful Crime

His eyes twinkle with mirth. “Ah, so you always found me handsome. How my beautiful liar is confessing all her secrets.”

Father Frank clears his throat to proceed with the union. Constantine smiles, all too pleased with himself. Breaking tradition he raises my hand and tenderly kisses each of my knuckles. My heart pounds viciously as my breath hitches. Will there ever be a time with his lips on my flesh where I’ll have a normal reaction?

As he gives my hand one final brush of his lips I have my answer that I never will.

Father Frank clears his throat once more and by the force I can tell he’s displeased by us.

“We are gathered here today in the heavenly union of Constantine Donati and Carina Fiore. We stand here before the father, son and holy spirit and thank him for his blessings. We pray you will be enriched with his strength to be faithful to each other forever, and you assume all the responsibilities that come with marriage. And so I ask you,” he turns his attention to Constantine, and I can sense the apprehension before he speaks, “Constantine Donati, have you come here to enter marriage without coercion, freely and wholeheartedly?”

“I have.”

“Do you promise to love Carina in sickness and in health. For as long as you shall live?”

“Even in death,” he vows. Father Crank clears his throat once more in correction. He amends with a cheeky grin. “I do.”

“Carina,” he addresses me, “have you come here to enter marriage without coercion, freely and wholeheartedly?”

Funny, how months ago this marriage would have been against my will. I would have felt the shackles around my ankles. The confinement of cuffs cutting my wrists. The suffocation of life married to a man who I was led to believe would be my damnation.

“I have.”

“Do you promise to love Constantine in sickness and in health? For as long as you shall live?”

“I do.” I’ve never seen Constantine’s eyes burn so brightly before. But they’re dazzling now. So easy to get swept up into.

“The rings please,” Father Frank asks.

Rico, who has been entrusted to hold the rings, releases them to Constantine and not in the open palm of Father Frank. I hear a few appalled gasps from Savio’s side of the Famiglia .

“May you wear these rings as a reminder of the vows of which you have just taken.”

And breaking the tradition once more Constantine allows me to place the wedding ring on him first. A sign of respect, loyalty. A show of leadership, dominance. Once the ring is placed perfectly on his finger he places the wedding band on mine.

“You may now kiss the bride.”

He tugs me to him with his hand on my waist. Even beneath all the fabric his touch scorches me in the most delicious way.

His palm caresses my face as his lips nip at my ear before whispering, “You’re completely mine now, Carina.”

His nose skims along my jawline, his free hand coming to collar my throat, fingers pressing against my fluttering pulse.

“And you’re completely mine,” I echo back possessively.

He hums with pleasure. Pressing closer to me I can feel the hardness of him against me. And I ache to feel him inside me.

Tipping my head with his hand he meets me the rest of the way.

And as his lips press against mine consummating the marriage of Constantine and Carina Donati the fire of gun shuts ring in our marriage opposed to wedding bells.

CHAPTER 39

Carina

Chaos ensues within the church.

Petrified screams of bloody horror echo against the walls. Sacred stained glass breaks and shatters before us.

Bodies drop to the floor in a heap surrounded by crimson pools.

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