Page 139 of By Fate I Conquer (Sins of the Fathers 4)

Matteo patted my back and took the flask from me. “He’s right. I’ll take care of it.” When he walked out, he took a long gulp from the flask.

Dad sighed. “If this day ends without a bloodbath, I’ll call it a success.”

I nodded absent-mindedly and smoothed my silver tie. Dad put a hand on my shoulder. “I’ll make sure everyone behaves today. This day is yours and Greta’s.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

He patted the spot over my heart. “I should have let you follow your heart. I should have known if you risked so much for a woman that it was serious. I tried to make you prioritize the tattoo over your heart when that’s something I have never done since I married your mother.”

“The past is the past. Today we start a new chapter.”

Dad nodded, then his expression became warning. “I don’t think this is necessary, but I’ll tell you anyway. Treat your wife like a queen tonight. The Famiglia is the place to lose control and allow the monster to come out, never your marriage or family.”

“You don’t have to tell me, Dad, because you showed me all my life.”

Dad stepped back with a controlled smile, but I’d seen the hint of emotion in his eyes. When he left and I was alone in the room, I took a deep breath.

This was it. The moment I’d waited far too long for. I was marrying the woman I loved with every fiber of my being.

Today wouldn’t be a bloody wedding, but plenty of blood had been shed for this wedding to happen. We all had bled and some had died because they hadn’t wanted Greta and me to marry.

Dad nodded at me from the first row. He’d had my back. He’d done what he hadn’t wanted to do in so long, and made a bloody statement. While the Traditionalists had paid with blood, they’d also won on other fronts. Their rules had been reinforced and the Famiglia was moving backwards in certain areas.

All the blood, all the pain meant nothing when Greta stepped into church. She looked absolutely stunning in a simple white dress. Her smile was pure and unreserved as she strode toward me at her father’s side. She was more than I’d ever expected. She was so much more than I deserved, but by God, I would never let her go again.

I engaged the locks to our presidential suite when Greta and I retired for our first night as a married couple. Dad had even put guards into the corridor in front of the suite in case any Falcone, Nevio in particular, felt the need to disturb our night.

The warning in Remo’s eyes when I’d led Greta away had been nothing in comparison to the rage in Nevio’s eyes. The party was still in full swing downstairs. Matteo must have given many guests his moonshine, but I hadn’t drunk more than a glass of Champagne.

With my hand on Greta’s back, I led her into our bedroom. Rose petals covered the path to the bed and formed a heart on the white covers.

“That’s very pretty.”

“Our mothers probably came up with it.”

I ran my knuckles over Greta’s neck and she tilted her head up with a trusting smile. My desire had burst to life the moment we were alone but I had no intention to rush things or lose control.

“I’m ready.”

I let out a laugh and cupped Greta’s face, claiming her lips for a kiss. After a moment I pulled back and motioned at the knife sheathed in the holder under my jacket.

Greta bit her lip. “One of your particular traditions?”

“We could cut the dress without you in it. Nobody would know.”

Greta lightly touched her fingertips to the knife. “No, let’s honor your traditions. I want to do this right.”

I pressed another kiss to her lips. “There’s no right or wrong tonight. As long as you enjoy it, we’re doing good.”

Greta nodded. I unsheathed my knife and brought the blade down on the V-neck of the dress. The material yielded under the unrelenting pressure of the steel.

I felt barbaric, animalistic, cutting Greta out of her dress. I’d waited too long for this moment.

“Is this a symbol for the wife’s loss of virginity?”

I glanced up at Greta, trying to follow her train of thought when my mind was going somewhere very different.

“Knives often symbolize a phallus. So you cutting me out of my dress, the fabric parting under the knife, stands for my hymen breaking when you enter me?”

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