Page 63 of Luca
I looked up at Aiden and we both smiled. The twins had each other's back. Aiden and I had ours.
“A smart one,” I replied. “And, my dear brother, I improvised.”
A dark expression passed my brother’s face. “Truthfully, Italy, in general, wasn't a good choice. Turns out there was a condition to the peace treaty between Uncle Jack and Enrico Marchetti when Uncle had Marchetti’s brother killed. Uncle forgot to mention it when I stepped into the role. Sending you to Italy wasn’t that smart. If that guy would have gotten ahold of you, he’d have killed you.”
My brows furrowed. I hadn’t heard about a war between Marchetti and Callahans. If there was one, then the baby and I couldn’t stay in Italy. I’d have to talk to Luca about it later.
“Is it safe to be here?” I questioned. “For all of us.”
Aiden nodded. “Yes, Luca assured me that Marchetti gave him a free pass.”
The boys took a step back and my oldest brother reached into his pocket, then handed me a box. My eyes darted to it and then to him.
“For something old,” he explained, opening the box and handing it to me. It was a rosary. I stiffened. Having anything of mother’s for something old was as appealing as offering myself to a butcher to slice and dice me. No, thank you.
“It’s not mother’s,” Tyran clarified.
He grabbed my hand and put it into it.
“Our grandma died before you were born, but she was religious,” Aiden said. “And she told me to make sure the first one of us to get married used it as something old.”
The fact she gave it to Aiden and not my mother spoke volumes. According to what I’d heard, Grandma wasn’t fond of Mother either.
“And I have something borrowed,” Áine chimed in, handing me her veil and a tiara.
An incredulous breath escaped me. I wondered why Nonno only spoke of a dress and never a veil. I just assumed maybe they didn’t have one back then.
She helped me put it on, and when I glanced at my reflection, it completed the dress perfectly. As if they belonged together.
“We have something blue for you,” the twins announced.
I reached for my bouquet of bluebells on the little table. Then an idea struck me. I wrapped the rosary around the stems and left the cross dangling in the front and over my fingers.
The mischievous look the twins gave me told me that wouldn’t be enough.
“Did you know that blue in the wedding is meant to ward off the Evil Eye?” I frowned. I thought it represented purity, love, and fidelity. At least that was what I heard Áine’s mother screech during her big day.
It was only then I noticed that Kyran had a big box in his one hand.
I shook my head. “Unless that’s a wrap or something, I won’t be able to wear it.”
Tyran and Kyran shared a look, then ripped open the box. “Tada.”
Leaning slightly over, I peeked inside the box and found a light baby blue pair of pumps.
“Shoes?” I asked dumbly.
“Not just any shoes,” Kyran claimed. “They are Christian Louboutin.”
“Oh.”
Disappointment washed over the twin faces. “I told you she wouldn’t want shoes,” Tyran grumbled. “Pregnant women’s feet grow when they are knocked up.”
“No, they don’t,” I protested. “They just swell.”
“So you don’t like this for something blue?” Kyran asked, his expression falling. But it was his eyes that betrayed him. They twinkled with mischief and manipulation.
They were both playing me like a fiddle, but today, I didn’t mind. They came for me. Yes, it was a fake wedding but nobody would know it but Luca and I. Maybe it was good to have more witnesses.
