Page 74 of King

He shakes his head. “Other mother just died. In case you forgot. It’s hardly been three months and you’re already moving on - withher. The woman who manipulated her way into your life?—”

I cover the space between my son and I in a few long strides and grab the collar of his shirt, tugging him close to my face.

“I’ve told you before, and I warned you what would happen if you spoke badly of her again.” I growl.

“Giovanni.” Zina says, pulling me away from Santino.

Santino snarls and shoves himself away from me at the same time.

He shakes his head and glares at me. “I don’t know who you are anymore.” He hisses.

When he storms from the room, I don’t follow.

There is nothing more to say. He disagrees and I don’t care.

My eyes turn to Romeo. He shakes his head, his anger is quieter, but it’s there. He disapproves as well.

He leaves the room and Dante and Guido sit tensely watching everything unfold.

“Go on. Go to bed.” I sigh, gesturing for them to leave too.

Alone again, Zina slips her arms around my waist, tracing slow circles over my back.

“Gio, maybe this is a mistake. Your sons are still so angry. They haven’t accepted me yet. They clearly don’t like me - “ She sighs softly.

I hate the sadness in her eyes. I want to brush it away with my kisses.

“It’s not you they don’t like, Zina. In their eyes it wouldn’t matter who I was marrying - it’s the fact that I am re-marrying that has them so angry.”

“Because they’re not ready. They haven’t processed their mother’s death yet.”

I nod. “I know. But it doesn’t matter.”

“How can it not matter, Giovanni?” She says desperately.

“Because what matters the most is for my son to join my family - officially. For Guido to have my surname - that is the only way the world will accept him as my blood. This will secure his future. And yours.” I cup my hand around her cheek, letting my eyes drift over her features. Her beauty, her calmness, the warmth in her eyes.

“I don’t want your sons to drift away from you. It was never my plan to break your family apart - I only wanted your son to have a chance to know his father.” She whispers.

“They won’t, Zina. It will take time. Everything will come right. But this is not something I’m willing to give up. My heart won’t let me give this up.”

I lean down and press my lips against hers and she lets out a delicate sound against my mouth as I kiss her.

TWENTY-TWO

zina

The idea of putting a wedding together in one week was almost laughable when he told me he wanted to get married so soon after our engagement. I argued that we need at least a month, there is too much to plan and too much to do - but it turns out that Giovanni will stop at nothing once he’s decided he wants something. And he shocked me, by putting all of this together with hardly any help from me. The only thing he needed from me was to know what I envisioned as the perfect day. The perfect flower and the perfect decor.

Now the day has arrived.

We are getting married on the estate, in our own garden. Giovanni has arranged for two gorgeous white tents to be put up in the garden. One is filled with seating for our guests during the ceremony. Another sits on the other side of the garden decorated as though it was the most luxurious dinner party ever to be celebrated.

White roses, lilies and peonies curtain the entrance of each tent and hang in long, elaborate chains from the ceiling to the floor.

Fairy lights glitter between the flowers and the tables are covered in white silk and crystal glass.

Chandeliers adorn the space above the seating and dancing areas and soft white fabric floats in a gentle breeze around the windows.

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