Page 46 of No Vow Broken

“Unfortunately, the police and the Secret Service agent outside the inn were killed. All three Secret Service agents inside the house were gravely wounded. My younger brother, Gio, was shot in the arm, as most of you already know, but he’s going to be fine and is likely to be discharged from the hospital today. Luckily, there are no other serious injuries among the rest of us.”

My mom stepped forward, putting an arm around me, her red-rimmed eyes and disheveled appearance an uncommon sight. She hugged me again, and I felt the love. “What about the wedding, Lexi? Are you and Slash still having it?”

The room fell silent, and I exchanged a glance with Slash before I spoke. “We want to be completely transparent here. After what just happened at Bluff House, neither Slash nor I have the desire to proceed with the church wedding. What happened was truly terrifying, and the thought of putting everyone we love in potential danger again just to have a church wedding makes no sense. But President Paulson and his wife, Shannon, have personally asked us to reconsider. Primarily because they don’t want to ruin what is supposed to be the most important day of our lives, but also because they don’t want terrorists and assassins to dictate our lives. We promised to reconsider, but we told them we aren’t making this decision alone. That’s where you come in. We want to know whatyouthink and how you’d feel about moving forward. This is a decision we want to make as a family, and you are our family—every one of you in this room. So, we ask you to be completely honest with your thoughts and concerns, so we can make the best decision possible.”

Slash and I fell quiet, waiting to see what everyone would say.

Father Armando spoke up first. “Have you spoken with the Holy Father? Does he know what’s happened?”

“Theworldknows what’s happened,” Slash said. “There’s already a press frenzy, and it’s going to get worse. But to answer your question, Emilio, no, I haven’t yet spoken directly with the Holy Father. However, he sent me a message. He intends to marry us in the church this weekend one way or the other. How that looks in terms of an actual family wedding or gathering is up to us. The Holy Father’s security team has advised him to reconsider his trip here, but he refuses to bow to violence. He and the president also intend to continue with all their planned public and private events.”

I heard murmurs of surprise, uneasiness, and curiosity.

“Even so, this isnota political decision,” I interjected. “These are our lives we’re talking about. I want to be perfectly clear we have not yet decided what to do. We genuinely want to hear your thoughts and concerns. If you honestly don’t want to attend the wedding—and we totally understand your reservations—please tell us. Frankly, I need to be convinced, too, if we plan move forward with the wedding.”

Hands rose from the couch where he sat next to Gray. The gash on his head had been stitched up and bandaged. Like Slash and me, he wore a white T-shirt, although his stretched uncomfortably tight across his large chest and biceps.

“You want my honest feeling about this situation?” he asked. “Trouble follows you two like a heat-seeking missile. It’s some kind of fated destiny or something—like the universe knows there are only two people in the entire world who can deal with this crap, so it throws it in your lap and makes you deal with it. Personally, I think your wedding is going to be the safest place in the world to be now, especially if the president, the first lady, and the pope remain in attendance. You should have enough security to protect a small country. I don’t think you’ll have to worry about us. Plus, I’m in agreement with both the president and pope, and I don’t think I ever imagined myself saying that. Anyway, no one is going to scare me away from doing what I want and what my friends want. So, if you guys are in, I’m in.”

“I’m in as well,” Gray said. “You can count on us.”

Father Armando nodded vigorously. “They are right. And so is the Holy Father. No one should stand between you and God, especially not violent criminals. I, too, will not be afraid.”

“Gio is the only one of us who got hurt. What do you think he’d want?” I asked the question to the group, but my gaze fell on Vittoria, Gio’s wife. “He’s not here to speak for himself. I wouldn’t blame him if he’d prefer to go home.”

Vittoria tossed her thick black hair over her shoulder, her eyes blazing. “Gio wouldnotagree with that nor would I. We will not behave like frightened children. I spoke to him already at the hospital. He will stay here for both of you, and so will I.”

Stefan nodded. “As the other brother in the equation, I fully agree with that sentiment.”

Amanda waved her hand from the chair where she sat. “I hope you don’t mind if I speak up. I’m not family, but I’m not going to let anything, or anyone, stand in the way of your perfect wedding. Despite a very frightening ordeal, I would like to stay on as your wedding planner. If you decide to move forward with the wedding and reception, you can count on me.”

Dad spoke next, unconsciously scratching at the bandage on his head that I, not the assassins, had put there. “I’m not backing down from danger. In the last two years, I’ve faced my fair share of deranged and armed lunatics—not to mention my daughter with a flower stand—and I’ve come out on the other sidemostlyunscathed. I’m not afraid.”

“Wait. Me?” I exclaimed, pointing at myself.

Dad patted my arm. “So, pumpkin, if you and Slash want to have the wedding this weekend, your mother and I will be in attendance. Iwillwalk my only daughter down the aisle. No other argument, oral or written, will dissuade me from that.” My mom nodded and laid her head against my shoulder.

I felt my throat tighten with emotion. I hadn’t expected that strong of a response from my dad. His support, and my mother’s, meant more to me than I’d realized.

Basia stood up—all five foot three inches of her—pulling Xavier with her. “Xavier and I wouldn’t miss your wedding or reception for the world.” The defiant expression on her face was the one she always got if she expected someone to argue with her. Despite her petite size, it was intimidating. I’d gone against that look only twice and lost both times.

“I’ve worked too hard on this wedding,” she continued. “I’m going to stand next to you at the altar whenever and wherever you have it. If it’s this weekend, I’ll be there. If it’s ten years from now, I’ll be there. But honestly, I think everyone who has already spoken is right. Why should you let some murderous psychopaths ruin your wedding? You shouldn’t, and we shouldn’t let them stop us from living our best lives. These losers donotget a say in what we do.”

Everyone began murmuring in agreement before Nonna spoke up, leaning on a cane and speaking in a steady stream of Italian. Her one free arm gestured in an energetic manner as she said something that sounded like “no toot your chum belly risk only cola boka.”

There were several chuckles in the room from those who spoke Italian, but the rest of us looked to Slash for a translation.

He paused, as if figuring out how best to say it. “Well, for starters, she saidnon tutte le ciambelle riescono col buco, which roughly translated means ‘not all doughnuts have a hole.’”

We stared at him, bewildered.

“What do doughnuts have to do with this?” I finally asked.

“It’s an Italian saying.” A smile flitted across his face. “It means that sometimes things don’t always turn out as planned. But that’s not always a bad thing. Sometimes it’s fate, other times it’s a destiny, like what Hands said. Bottom line, Nonna is not leaving until we’re married in the church. If she’s to be the only witness, then so be it. But she’s not leaving on account of…” he paused, searching for the right words “…a bunch of brainless and gutless hooligans.”

I stared at Nonna and then burst out laughing. The fierce light in her eyes was so touching and stirring that I just couldn’t help myself. Soon, everyone in the room was laughing.

Nonna walked over and gave Slash and me a big hug. I hugged her back. It amazed me that after the horrible scare she’d been through that she was so calm and resolute. Slash had once told me she’d lived through World War II as a young girl. Maybe that had prepared her for this kind of thing. Or maybe she was just badass. It was hard to say.

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