Page 40 of Sinister Savior

"In only the best ways." I kiss her hand again, and she pulls it out of my grasp, clutching my collar in both hands and pulling me toward her. Her lips crash into mine fiercely in a passionate kiss which she breaks first.

"I thought you'd never ask. Now carry me to bed and lets practice that part about putting babies in my belly because I could really use a good fuck right now." Her snickering as I stand and pull her to her feet meets my deep belly laugh.

"I can't carry you yet, but soon and very soon, I'll be strong enough to carry you across the threshold, and you'll be mine forever."

And I can't wait for that date to come. In fact, I'm counting the seconds.

29

EPILOGUE

ALICE

Lilac and peonies—I never thought they’d go well together, but my mother insisted the instant she found out I was getting remarried. At first, she questioned how quickly it came on the heels of Tom's death, but the baby made a huge difference. Now she stands behind me in the bridal room behind the sanctuary where I have one final look in the mirror over my appearance. Today is my wedding day.

"Mom's right, Alice, you are stunning." Cherie is here too, happy to be my matron of honor. My heart is full of joy and hope today, nearly nine months into my pregnancy and coming on the same day as what we hope will be the day Paolo's trial jury delivers their verdict.

I catch my best friend's gaze in her reflection in the mirror in front of me and smile. Mom is busy fluffing my train. Mario insisted a dazzling white gown with a twelve-foot train was required for his bride, and though I protested, I admit it's beautiful. No expense spared for his "lovely bride", as he likes to call me now.

"Your belly is even adorable," Mom says, bending down to press kisses against my swollen abdomen. This dress was tailor made for thisevent. I never pictured me walking down the aisle as huge as I am today, but Mario insists he finds me irresistible as a pregnant woman and promises to keep me "barefoot and pregnant" for as long as possible. I guess Mom will have her wish of multiple grandbabies sooner than she thinks.

"Mom, you'll get lipstick on the satin," I chide, pushing her away gently, but she's careful not to transfer her burgundy lip shade onto my white gown.

The two women cluck over me, primping my hair and fixing my makeup for the next twenty minutes. Both of them offer me sage advice for my marriage as if they've forgotten I was married previously, but I soak it all up. The attention is nice, and I miss girl time since Mario keeps me busy helping with the Family business. I help with so many things I never knew I was good at, and though I find myself having to make some hard choices now and then, I'm happy. And I'm safe. Those are two things I never had with Tom.

When the time finally arrives to walk down the aisle, I do so on my mother's arm. She knows nothing of Mario's Family or upbringing. She has no clue who he is or how he's the Italian Don in Los Angeles. She lives in Salt Lake City, hours from here, and her ignorance is bliss. I'm thankful for that. And I'm thankful Mario has gone out of his way to make her feel at home and comfortable, to the point of securing a home for us that is modest, not the multi-million-dollar family estate his father left for Paolo, which is now our home. Taking her there would only raise so many red flags I want to avoid.

Mario stands near the front of the sanctuary beneath the rose arch Cherie and I made earlier this week. Four hundred and twelve roses went into it to make it so beautiful, but the only thing my eyes see is him. He stands with Ervine to his left and Father Thomas to his right, ready to officiate our wedding. Each step closer I get, his chest puffs out a little more.

The entire church is full. There is standing room only, except for Mom’s spot in the front row where I sat only a few months ago listening to him lead his Family the night he proposed to me. Even the double balconies are full to the brim. Every member of his organization is here, including a plus-one for each of them. Businessmen and women wearing suits and ties all stand and turn to watch me walk down the aisle, and I have never been happier in my life.

When I take my spot on the dais next to Mario, Cherie is there to adjust my long train and make sure I can move around up here. Mario takes my hands, and Father Thomas opens with a prayer and scripture reading before we say our vows and light the unity candle. The whole thing is a blur to me. We rehearsed it all, but today, I'm too happy to worry about all the details. There are video cameras recording everything so I can watch it later.

When Father Thomas tells us to kiss, the entire room erupts, similar to the night when Mario declared his leadership. Everyone is so happy for us, which makes me so happy for us. It doesn't feel real, the love I have, the support and sense of community within this oddball Family. We're not all blood, but we're all bound by a loyalty I've never had anywhere in my life. Not even with Tom.

"I love you, Mr. Gatti," I tell Mario as he ends our first kiss as a married couple, and he grins at me.

"I love you more, Mrs. Gatti. Now would you—" He stops short, and his face grows serious. "Hold on," he says, and then he reaches into his pocket. A chorus of phones begins chirping around the room, as if all in sync to whatever message is coming through. I roll my eyes at how many of these men haven't silenced their phones for my wedding, but even Mario is guilty, though at least his own vibrated.

His face grows serious as he reads from his phone screen, and then he returns to me as he shoves his phone back into his pocket. His hands pull me back into his body, and he kisses me hard before telling me, "He's guilty. Going away for fifty years to life." And none of our guestshave to hear him say that, for yet another shout of celebration goes up.

Ding, dong, the witch is dead, and I can finally breathe again! I allow Mario to whisk me out the front door to our waiting limo. Ervine and Cherie will make sure Mom gets to the reception hall—a massive, sprawling, thirty-four hundred square foot banquet center that has been decorated to resemble a botanical garden.

Only, we never even make it there. Mario is frisky, pulling me onto his lap once the long train is removed from my dress and stashed at the end of the limo. He can't get enough of me and this massive belly. His hands are all over me the minute we're alone. The sex is so passionate and rough, even with me on top, that my water breaks and soaks him to the bone. I can't help but laugh, though the contractions start almost right away and make me very uncomfortable. Luckily for him, he's got a change of clothes in our bag in the trunk, which was supposed to be for our honeymoon, but I guess we'll be spending it in the hospital now.

Mom rushes to meet us, thrilled that she gets to be present to meet baby Gatti, even though it's a bit early. Doctors aren't worried, though. They believe our little one is strong and healthy, and after seven hours of intense labor and being awake all night, Alyse Evelyn Gatti is born to the world.

I'd like to tell you Mario and I never have any other issues, that we managed to correct Paolo's wrongs and live happily ever after. But a day in the life of a made man is a mystery, and all of our adventures and misadventures lead us into a maze of uncertainty. Four kids and a family dog later, I’m still in love. But that's a story for another day.

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