“Can I see the girls?” I finally asked, my voice hoarse from the unshed tears and rattled nerves.

“I’ll go get them,” Ella announced and hurried out of the room.

“Bianca, just trust your gut.” The look Grace gave me was full of assurances. But she couldn’t know everything that loomed over the twins’ and my head. “Be strong and everything will work out. Trust me, it worked out for me too.”

The twins ran into the room, like mini cyclones, and instantly, I felt at least a bit lighter seeing their big smiles.

They twirled around, showing off their dresses, both speaking at the same time, but I could hardly understand what they were saying.

“Oh my Gosh,” I beamed, forcing a big smile on my face. “Both of you look so beautiful. My beautiful baby girls.”

It was as if they only now saw me, both of their eyes widened. “Wow,” they both breathed out at the same time. “You look like a princess.”

I lowered down, though the dress material felt a bit constricting. I didn’t care; I needed to hug them. I opened my arms and both of them ran into them. I held on tight, sending a silent prayer that I wasn’t putting them in more danger by doing this. My mother sacrificed so much for me and my daughters. I couldn’t let it all be for nothing.

“Let me fix your hair,” I choked out with a small smile. “I hugged you so tightly I messed up your beautiful hairstyle.”

I just now noticed a boy similar in age to my girls in the room.

“Ah, Bianca, this is my son,” Grace introduced. “Matteo Vitale.”

“I’m going to marry him,” Hannah announced and all of us burst into laughter.

“Hello Matteo,” I extended my hand his way and he took it. “Nice to meet you. You look very handsome in your suit. I love it.” He smiled. Darn little kid was a cutie pie. “You can’t marry my daughter though,” I warned him jokingly.

“I see my son is breaking hearts already,” a man walked in and I raised my eyes. Holy smokes! There was hotness standing in the doorway of my bedroom. The guy was fucking gorgeous.

Not as hot as Nico, of course. The moment I thought that, I immediately scolded myself. It didn’t matter but still. The tattoos on the guy would regularly make me run, but I couldn’t tear my gaze away from him.

“Bianca, this is my husband,” Grace announced. “Luciano Vitale. And before you think he did something better than Nico, he didn’t.”

My eyes traveled between the two, and I would have never guessed they would be a couple. She looked polished while he looked like total badass hotness. Like a bad boy my grandmother would have warned me to steer away from.

“Jesus, you have a lot of tattoos,” I muttered, at a loss for words.

He chuckled. “You must be Bianca.” Extending his hand, I shook it. “Cassio will walk you down the aisle.”

“Oh, that’s not necessary,” I muttered. “My dad already walked me down the aisle. I’m good.”

Luciano chuckled. “Nico insists.”

“Well, Nico can go f-” I cut myself off. These were his friends and mobsters. I couldn’t talk like that. They could shoot us all dead in my house.

“I agree.” Another man came in behind Luciano. It must be Cassio.Jesus, are all mobsters hot like this?Talk about a great gene pool. “Nico can go fuck himself, but since he asked nicely, I agreed to walk you down the aisle, Bianca.”

I just stared at him. This guy had tattoos on his neck and hands, just like Luciano. I wondered where else, but I’d rather die than ask. Though it made me wonder if Nico had them. He wore his Armani suits, looking polished, but I kept seeing a hint of ink, right under his collar or even his sleeve.

I’ll find out tonight.

Oh my gosh, I would have sex with him tonight.

“Oh, fuck,” I muttered, suddenly my breathing labored. I bent down, leaning on my knees, not even caring if my boobs came out of my strapless dress. I couldn’t think about sex with him. It was getting too hot in here.Don’t think about sex with him.“I’m not ready. I’m not ready. I need a week,” I rambled. “Just a week, maybe two.”

I started fanning myself with my hand, probably looking like a lunatic. I wasn’t far off.

I straightened up, my hands on my cheeks.

“Can someone turn on the A/C?” I breathed, a sudden hot flash sure to turn me into a melting puddle. “Too hot.”