Page 113 of Massimo

He grins. "Legally binding. In this state, country, and globally."

"I… I don't know how to respond to this."

"With 'I do,' you grumpy motherfucker." His grin fades. "I have one condition."

My brother is the protector of our family; he lives and breathes the dark work on the streets to do that. However, he's every bit as strategic and cunning as Creed, where he rules as a corporate titan, and me, who rules our criminal empire.

My eyes narrow. "And what is that?"

"We tell Creed everything we know about Mancini. No more keeping him in the dark."

Creed and Sophie are the ones I'm most worried about regarding their reaction to Nova.

"Sophie is still having some cramping and spotting. I don't want to do anything that can put the baby at risk."

I care deeply about my sister-in-law and my unborn niece or nephew. Especially the unborn babe, as I'm sitting here hoping and praying that I've been successful at putting my own in Nova's womb, or that I will very soon.

And for Sophie, it's not only the risk with the pregnancy; it's her mental state as well. Seeing the daughter of the man who was deeplyinvolved in the efforts to capture her and deliver her to a death ring… I have no idea what Sophie's reaction to Nova will be.

I can certainly guess Creed's—anger, animosity, and possibly more hate spewed in Nova's direction.

But just as Sophie is innocent of the sins of her father, so is Nova.

"I need…" I thread my hand through my hair. Vito's jaw hardens as he waits for me to continue. "I need a bit more time."

"We don't have time, Mass. The enemy is knocking at the gate. Creed needs to know the elevated risk and everything else regarding this. Wipe the slate clean, brother." He braces his elbows on his thighs, leaning toward me. "Give Creed the benefit of the doubt."

"You've seen him with Sophie. When it comes to her, he's as unhinged as you are in general."

He sits up, cocks a brow, and grins. "I'll take that as a compliment." But the levity of the situation chases away his joking demeanor. "I got your back, Massimo. Just like you did with me and Eden. Just like you did with Creed and Sophie. Let us do the same for you with Nova."

"It's not just the issue with Creed and our family accepting Nova. I need time to figure out the play with all the intel I've discovered."

"More than what Russo spilled?" There's accusation in his voice, and his frown mars his forehead. "What else?"

I relay all I've learned—about Renzo's warning, Beast in Catanzaro, and what I learned from Rurik.

By the end, Vito is pacing my office, his tall, chiseled form coiled and ready to attack. "I'm the protector of this family, Mass. Why the fuck are you just telling me all this now?"

Before I can answer, he heaves a breath and turns toward me with a pained, but understanding, expression. "Okay, I fucking get it. If roles were reversed, I'd have kept this close to my vest, too."

"You mean, just like you did when you were crossing forbidden lines with Eden?" I say, fighting a smile.

He huffs a laugh, then turns serious and walks over to me, gripping my shoulders. "No more secrets. All of it ends here."

I stand and hug my brother. The weight that’s been increasingly pressing down on me—and the panic clawing at my insides at the thought of losing Nova—finally begins to ease.

"Thank you, Vito."

He flashes an unhinged grin. "So, should we get the princess in here so I can marry you two right now?"

I wince. "Not yet."

"Why not? Did you forget we have a cousin at the county clerk’s office? He can keep the marriage license and paperwork buried and unsearchable until it's safe to reveal that Nova is your wife."

That's not my only concern. If possible, I want to avoid forcing Nova to marry me, especially in a way that’s nothing like the wedding she’s dreamed of. More than that, I want her to trust me when she says I do.

I know the time may come when this ideal isn't possible, but…

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