Page 46 of Bite Marks

Nunzio ran his finger over her swollen lips, remembering how they had woken him only a little while ago. “Thank you for the wake-up call.” He smiled at her drowsily. “Your lips are like butterfly wings,” he whispered in Italian.

Vanessa laughed. “I doubt that butterfly wings would withstand that great member of yours, love,” she answered in Italian. She rolled over with a sigh and spoke English again. “Well, since I haven’t convinced you to run away with me. I’ll see you at the end of the aisle in a few hours.”

Nunzio swatted at her butt as she rose and left the bed. “Have fun!” He called after her as she packed her things and left the apartment. She was meeting her mom, an aunt, and every other Italian woman within a ten-block radius. They would fuss and fluff and make her up. They would mother-hen her until she was ready to scream.

Nunzio laughed, thinking about how annoyed she would be with it. Then, he thought about what had transpired in their bed only a few moments before Vanessa left. He inhaled and grew hard again. But he had no time to daydream about his soon-to-be wife, her lovely body, and what a firecracker she was in bed. Instead, he went into the shower to release the extra tension.

The guys were waiting for him when he got out of the shower. They took him out to breakfast and tried to push shots of whiskey at him in the morning. His wolf-like metabolism could take the alcohol without getting so much as a buzz or a bubble of drunkenness. But he passed on the whiskey. He just wanted to enjoy the day with his friends, family, and colleagues.

Before he knew it, the men were ushering him to the park. Although they were technically Catholic, which called for a church wedding, both Nunzio and Vanessa loved the outdoors … Nunzio because it called to the wolf in him, and Vanessa because there was so much more color.

Even though they had opted for a wedding outside, they were getting married at the city’s conservatory where outdoors met indoors, just in case of rain. The greenhouse had every flower and plant imaginable, and the staff could cater to a prism of flora and fauna along with stellar ready rooms for the people who were getting married. In this instance, Nunzio and Vanessa. These rooms were far from one another so the bride and groom wouldn’t overlap and see each other accidentally.

Vanessa, having never been a fan of the traditional, already tried showing Nunzio her dress on a few occasions, but Nunzio refused. He had his superstitions and did want to keep some of the traditions alive.

Now, he thrummed in the ready room, anticipating what she would look like. Nunzio let the guys carry on but paced out his nerves. The anxiety and excitement rode over him like Vanessa had this morning.

Nunzio rubbed his hands over his face and then his jacket. He pulled on the edges of his coat and straightened his pants.

Ginger came up and clapped Nunzio on the back. Although Ginger was a strong guy, it barely registered with Nunzio’s wolf strength. “You look nervous, boss.”

Nunzio smiled. “I’m excited, nervous, everything. I’m ready. Is it time to go?”

“Actually, it is. Let’s go get you hitched.”

Nunzio gave Ginger a crisp nod, trying to keep his cool in front of the other guys, but he felt his emotions would soon spill out of him.

The aisle was long. Longer than it seemed during the rehearsal. Everything was white and hues of red. Poppies, tulips, roses, daisies, mums … they were out in full force. The conservatory could grow plants all season because of their industrial greenhouses, and if there was a red petal to be found, Vanessa wanted it for the decor.

Nunzio looked out over the crowd. They barely fit, even in the largest outdoor area. A sea of faces he had known since he was a boy looked at him. Some people already had handkerchiefs at their eyes. Other people were chatting, but everyone seemed happy or at least proud of him for finding an amazing woman.

Soon, the wedding music played.

Instead of a man, cousin, or otherwise, walking Vanessa’s mom down the aisle, she had her sister … Nessa’s aunt … walk them down together.

Vanessa’s mom still looked at Nunzio with a scowl, but he could see the light in her eyes. Nunzio knew that this life was not what she had wanted for her daughter, but she also knew that he made Vanessa happy and treated her very well, which was all any Italian mother needed for her children.

Several bridesmaids in navy dresses walked down the aisle, each carrying a different red flower. Although they weren’t instructed to walk slowly, the moment seemed to last forever. Each second passed by as if it was ten minutes. Each minute seemed like an hour.

The tension on Nunzio’s shoulders was never something he had experienced. It was the tension of promise. Something incredible was happening to him, and it was pure, innocent, and golden.

Vanessa hadn’t wanted anyone to walk her down the aisle either. She refused to associate with the Don as she still hadn’t healed from her father’s death. Although the Don understood, he did express his disappointment at not being able to stand in for her father. When the crowd stood, the Don walked over to the doors and opened them for Vanessa.

He did it slowly, deliberately, for every person to take in the beauty of Nunzio’s bride. And, when Nunzio saw Vanessa in her full glory, his heart stopped.

Vanessa walked down the aisle at her pace.

Her dress was a V-neck cut that exposed just the right amount of her cleavage. Her long neck exposed her graceful lines. The dress itself was blush-colored tulle and lace that covered a sparkling silver slip that shined through the other material when the sun hit it right. She wore no veil, no tiara. Her hair was its simple russet color twisted and curled around itself to show her face.

Nunzio’s heart recovered as soon as Vanessa took his hand. She smiled at him softly. Her emerald eyes were two pools of love. They were warmth, passion, and possibility. They were a vow to be together until death. But they were a pact to have a lot of life between now and before they were parted.

They didn’t take their eyes off each other for the rest of the ceremony.

TWENTY-TWO

VANESSA

As Vanessa walked down the aisle, she could not look at anyone except the towering man in front of her. Nunzio's stare was so intense that Vanessa could see the wolf inside him. Her lips curved into a smile. He would only open up like that for her. Even with the mass of people at their wedding, no one would ever see that beautiful side of him. It was a secret they would share together.

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