Page 54 of Blood and Penance
There’s no separating us anymore. It seems like it took us a lifetime to get back to one another.
“What about our families?”
I chuckle. “You know how my family works, Phoenix. My brothers and I aren’t that close. I love them but it won’t hurt them or me if we aren’t living on the same continent. What you meant to say is what about Seraphina, right?”
She blows out a breath and sadness fill her eyes. I reach for her hand, giving it a squeeze. “We can talk about it, later. Let’s just enjoy this time we have together.”
“Okay, I can do that.”
“I have something I want to give you.”
I push to my feet and grasp her hand, steadying her as she rises. Then I fall to one knee, and her eyes shimmer—unshed tears clinging to her long dark eyelashes.
I pull the ring box from inside my blazer and open the box then hold it up to her. While I want to get her something larger, I know Phoenix. She wouldn’t have wanted it. So, I got her a single solitaire diamond set in a platinum band. It’s simple, but all her.
“While I should have done this years ago, God has given me the opportunity to right my wrongs. I love you Phoenix Blaine and I want to share eternity with you. I want to be with you in this life and the next. So, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
“Yes!”
I get to my feet, slip the ring onto her finger, and press my lips against hers.
“This is the start of our new life together. You, me, and Giancarlo. Thank you for coming back to me. I love you.”
“I love you too, Gianni. I always will.”
While my life took a different path, I will never regret my family. Phoenix forgave me for the decision I made that tore our familyapart before it began. That’s time I can never get back, but her forgiveness is just another thing I’m thankful for.
Love. Life. Family. Who could ask for anything more?
Chapter Thirty-Two
Phoenix
Six months later…
Standing in front of the mirror, I look at myself for what seems like the millionth time. I can’t believe this day has finally come. I’m getting married to Gianni Puglisi.
Hugging my body from bust to knee and flaring into a train of lace, the black mermaid wedding gown had been custom made just for me which made it even more special.
I chose black because I want to break from tradition. And this time is very different from my first wedding.
What Lio and I shared wasn’t a marriage. I was lonely and furious. Looking back on things, Lio didn’t love me. He loved control. He loved the idea of having a woman on his arm, but an actual wife wasn’t in the cards for him because he didn’t love me. He loved the idea of me.
I know I didn’t love him. I might have cared for him at one time, but love? No. So, while this will be my second time walking down the aisle, this is the only marriage I will ever acknowledge.
When I was younger, I dreamed of the day I would marry Gianni Puglisi, then shit happened, and I thought it was over for us. Now that we have found our way back to each other, it seems more like a dream. Like a mirage that will disappear any minute now.
We fell in love with Santorini and wanted to live the rest of our lives on the Greek island. It’s a new start for both of us. After everything that went down me, Gianni, and Giancarlo needed a fresh start. This place has become so special to us, so we wanted to get married here.
A sharp knock startles me, and before I can even react, the door swings open. When Seraphina steps through the threshold anger as well as heartache is all I can feel.
I face my sister whom I haven’t talked to in months. “What are you doing here?”
I don’t try to hide my anger from her. She thinks I’m pissed because she had been seeing Sergio behind my back. I won’t lie,hiding that from me was disappointing and hurtful. However, what pisses me off is she trusted a snake, and it almost got my son killed. No one was supposed to know where we were living, and I trusted her to keep that information a secret.
“You’re my sister. I wouldn’t miss your big day.”
“I don’t want you here.”
