Page 48 of Bound By A Promise
“Borrowed is definitely covered and now the garter is blue.” I looked at the clock and saw that it was past 11:30. “I heard it is good luck to say your vows as the hands of the clock are rising.”
“Then let me go downstairs and let them know the bride is ready.”
As Mia left the bedroom suite, my phone buzzed.
Do I want to look?
Curiosity got the better of me as I lifted my phone and entered my passcode. The text message was from Catalina. I held my breath as I opened it.
“Em calledme and told me what you’re doing. Luckily, I was up with Ariadna, and Dario is asleep. I love you, but this will cause problems. Please think about the repercussions. If it’s too late, you and Dante need to get to KS as quickly as possible. You’ll be safer here.”
I tossedmy phone on the table with the remaining flowers. It wasn’t too late to stop this. That didn’t mean I wanted to. As Mia said, I’d lost my heart to Dante Luciano. It wasn’t on purpose, but in the depth of my soul, I knew my heart was where it belonged. I could only hope that the consequences of our decision would quickly fade away.
Mia returned, pushing the door inward. “They’re ready. Everyone is out by the pool.” She looked down at the shoes. “Do you need help going down the stairs?”
“They’re high, but I’m okay.” I reached out and grabbed Mia’s hand. “Thank you. I wish Catalina was here, but I’m glad I had a sister here to share this with me.”
Her smile curled. “Dante is waiting.”
Chapter
Sixteen
Dante
Standing outside near the pool gave me a sense of vulnerability. It was probably just the way I was raised in the bloody world of the Mafia. Nevertheless, it felt as if at any moment, we could be within someone’s sights. I peered over the edge of the cliff down into the dark abyss. The salty scent lingering in the breeze and the crash of distant waves alerted me to the Pacific Ocean far below. I’d been here during the day and seen the glistening waves for myself.
High above, the dark sky above the sea twinkled with hundreds of stars, evidence that the earlier clouds had cleared.
“The bride-to-be is ready,” Silas said, coming up behind me.
“You’re sure it’s safe out here?”
“I’m confident in my security system.”
I jutted my chin toward the cliff. “Isn’t that how the robbers got into this house before?”
“Sí. That was before the motion detectors and alarms were installed. I’ve increased the number of guards tonight.”
“You did? When?”
“AfterSeñoraRoríguez informed me of the wedding.”
The small hairs at the nape of my neck stood to attention. “Are you anticipating a problem?”
“I’m always anticipating a problem. It’s my job. Jano and Mia are like my family to me. I wouldn’t allow them to spend time out here if I wasn’t confident they were secure.”
I heard his sincerity and saw his determined expression. “They trust you. I will too. Don’t let us down.”
Silas nodded.
Aléjandro and Father Gallo joined me under the stars, the priest taking his spot beneath the archway of lights.
“SeñorLuciano,” he called me toward him.
I took my place standing to his left side. My dark jeans and t-shirt were hardly wedding apparel. Yet, here I was, with my back to the vast ocean and my eyes set on the inside of the house. Mia emerged, taking a seat next to her husband. I noticed with a hint of jealousy the casual way their fingers intertwined with one another’s as if they couldn’t be close without touching.
I’d lived my life as a bachelor, a loner. Seeing my sister and her husband and my brother and his wife were reminders of what I’d missed. The lights within the house went dark, leaving the only lighting out on the pool deck.