Veiled Vows: An age gap, marriage of convenience, secret pregnancy, mafia romance (Mafia Lords of Sin)

“Oh my God, Jasmine, look at you!” Mom stands in front of me with a bunch of tissues clutched in her hands and tears shining in her large eyes. “You look like a princess!”

Standing in my wedding dress, staring at the growing bump on my belly with my mother in tears next to me, is a surreal feeling. Never in my life did I imagine ending up here, but it feels perfect.

Safe.

“You think?” I smooth my hands down the sides of my bodice and then clutch at the large princess ball skirt that the dressmaker did a fantastic job of replacing after Ren helped me rip off the last one. Deep down, I would have loved a much sleeker dress but when it came to fixing the damage, I didn’t have the heart to replace what Mom had chosen. She’s been through so much and granting her this one thing feels like the least I can do.

Especially since she’s never been the same since she killed my father.

Something in her broke that day, something that can’t be replaced. While I’m working hard to give her the best life, I’ve been playing into her thoughts just a little. No good can come from telling her the truth about my father’s death or my role in the marriage she was trying to save me from. Saving her from the pain and guilt of being manipulated into killing her husband is the strongest kindness I can grant her, so having a wedding dress she loves is a small price to pay.

In time, I trust her psychiatrists will be able to work through the truth with her if her mind is ever stable enough, but I trust that decision to them. I’m not a doctor, and I will always choose the path that keeps my mother happy because no one can give me a guarantee that she will return to how she was.

So I will love her for who she is.

“I’m so proud of you!” She wails softly and buries her face in her tissues, then she lifts her head. “You will be careful with that man, won’t you?”

I gently take her hand and squeeze, smiling warmly. “Yes, Mom. Remember what we talked about? That you saved my life from the terrible marriage Father was trying to force and because of you, we were able to find out that Alto was a terrible liar, and that he wanted to marry me instead? So not only did you save me from Father’s blind greed, you saved me from Alto as well.”

Mom stares at me for a few seconds, then she smiles and nods quickly. “Yes, yes I remember. But that man …”

“I know you have your doubts, but you’ve been spending time with him. He’s a good man and he’ll prove it. Plus,” I add with a teasing smile. “Thanks to you, you enabled me to work harder and act much smarter, so I’m the one with the power. I’m marrying Roman for love now, not because we need him. Alto’s lies will soon be nothing but an afterthought.”

“Because we don’t need anyone,” Mom says tearily.

“Exactly. We don’t need anyone. Trust me, okay?”

She nods, taking a deep and calming breath.

Letting her believe she saved me is the kindest ending, but I will forever carry the guilt that my initial decision caused all of this. It may have saved all of us from the wrath of the Mancinis in the end, but that guilt won’t ever leave me. I will embrace it and use it to make sure I’m careful on every decision going forward.

“You could have lost a little weight though, Jasmine,” Mom says suddenly, reverting back to her usual comments that in the past would have hurt me. Now I’m just amused to hear her sound like her old self.

“I’m pregnant, remember?” I say gently, taking her hand and placing it on my belly. “Your grandchild is in here.”

“Oh yes!” It’s like a light sparks behind her eyes. “How could I forget that?”

“You’re the mother of the bride with a lot of responsibility and pressure, I’m not surprised it slipped your mind,” I chuckle gently.

“Goodness, I’d lose my head if it wasn’t attached,” she chuckles, dabbing at her eyes while stroking my belly. “Yes. Yes. Alright. Do you need anything else from me, dear?”

“Just you in the front row.”

“Oh you! You’ll make me cry again!” She lightly swats my arm and then kisses my cheek. “I’ll see you out there dear. I love you.”

“I love you too, Mom.”

She leaves with a wide smile on her face, escorted by several guards who have been carefully trained in her condition and mental state. Assembling a personal team trained to help her exactly how she needs is the only other way I can keep her safe.

The door closes, and I turn back to the full-length mirror. My heart starts to race.

I’m getting married today.

To Ren.

Oh my God.

As a teen, I’d dreamed about this day. Marrying my masked rescuer with my father to walk me down the aisle and my mom in tears in the front row.

I miss my father sometimes. His presence more than anything.

I don’t miss his temper or his money-hungry desires, or the way he’d look at me as a pawn and tool rather than his daughter.

I hope he’s looking down on me though. I hope he’s proud in his own way.

A soft knock at the door has me pushing down the thoughts of my father, and I turn in time to see Catherine poke her head through the door. “Hey sexy, it’s nearly time. Are you ready?”

“I’m scared,” I laugh softly, pressing one hand firmly to my body just beneath my breasts as if the pressure will calm the fluttering I feel. “Why am I scared? I’ve done scarier things than this.”

“It’s natural,” Catherine smiles, walking deeper into the room. “Commitment is scary. Especially in front of a crowd and in our world, it’s not always easy to do. Everyone’s watching.”

“You’re not helping.”

Catherine laughs loudly. “I’m sorry, I was trying to psych you out. Too much?”

“Definitely.”

“Got it. Look …” She takes my hand and squeezes. “You were there for me when I was scared. You didn’t judge me for hiding what Seth was doing to me, you just helped me. Look at what you’re doing for your mom, and how you helped Ren. You deserve this, Jasmine. Let the world see how much you’re loved. Let them see that you’re happy because you’re the one who deserves it.”

“You think?” Warmth beads behind my eyes and I widen them slightly to try and fight the forming tears. “Shit. I don’t want to ruin my makeup!”

“Even ruined you’d still look beautiful, I’m sort of jealous,” Catherine smiles, then she tugs on my hand. “Come on, let’s go get you married.”

Catherine walks me down the aisle and it’s perfect.

I spot my mother in the front row in floods of tears, clutching at one of her guards who looks rather alarmed and uncertain at what to do. It’s amusing. Red, pink, and orange petals coat the aisle, and outside the windows lining the hall, I glimpse the warm orange and red tones of the late October trees swaying against a deep blue sky. Theresa and some of her people fill the seats, as well as a few mutual friends of Catherine and me. Even my security team is here looking exceptionally smart, and when my eyes catch on the captain, he winks encouragingly at me.

Then I see Ren, and as soon as I do, everything else melts away.

He stands near the altar in a dark suit, shifting nervously with his wrist cuffs and adjusting his suit jacket. Such a gorgeous, large man normally looks intimidating at a glance. But like this, he looks soft. Sort of fuzzy around the edges. Then he looks up and our eyes meet.

Nothing else matters in this moment.

Ren’s mouth parts and he gapes at me with wide eyes, glancing up and down my body then looking me right in the eye. From there, we never look away. It takes most of my concentration to make sure I don’t trip down the aisle, and before I know it, Catherine is passing my hand into his. His touch is warm and trembles just as much as my own racing heart. But the moment his fingers weave with mine, the nerves and the fear melt away.

“Hi,” Ren says softly under the beginning speech from the celebrant who will marry us.

“Hi.”

“You look … stunning.”

“Like you haven’t seen it before.”

“It looks ten times better,” he whispers. “But the skirt … you changed your mind?”

“For Mom.”

Ren nods knowingly and still refuses to break eye contact. “Wow.”

“What?”

“I can’t stop staring.”

“Me either. You look incredibly handsome.”

“Thanks.”

“I mean it. You look really good and it’s not just the suit.”

“I think it’s this person I’ve met.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah, I’m sort of seeing someone.”

“Oh really? What’s she like?”

“A little sharp. Maybe a little crazy but I like it. She’s hot as fuck too.”

“Oh.” It’s challenging to keep my amusement quiet. “You should marry that girl.”

“Working on it.”

Our quiet whispered conversation goes unnoticed, and soon all attention is on us as we exchange vows. It flows like music between us as if we’ve spent months rehearsing every line, but in the end it’s just easy because this is exactly where we’re supposed to be.

My vows are short but honest; Ren’s changed my life and after everything we’ve been through, I don’t want to waste a single second. I love him, and I’m going to embrace that love every single day while working to be the better person he deserves.

Ren’s vows bring me to tears. He talks about his years of being alone and driven by what he considered to be the end. He didn’t ever see a future until he met me and I turned his world upside down. Suddenly he has a reason to live again, a reason to survive, and that is scary, but it’s a fear he embraces and will cling to for the rest of his days. Because it makes him want to live and be the man I deserve, be the father our baby deserves. He swears to keep us safe until his last breath, which he will ensure we take together when we’re both old and gray.

I’ve given up on protecting my makeup when the gold band rings are exchanged because nothing can keep my tears at bay. The overwhelming emotions just flood forward, and I’m torn between rolling swells of love, adoration, and excitement.

Ren’s hands tremble as I slip the ring onto his finger, but mine are just as bad when it’s my turn. The ring is heavy on my finger and radiates like a beacon as I curl my hand into a fist and stroke the edge with my thumb.

“I now pronounce you Mr. and Mrs. Falzone. You may kiss the bride,” the celebrant says with a wide smile.

Cheers and claps rise up from the seats, and my mother’s sobbing reaches comical levels. Ren slides his arm around my waist and pulls me close with a soft smile. “Mr. and Mrs. Falzone has a nice ring to it.”

“Right?” I tilt my head to the side and study his face. “It’s our name now.”

“I meant it by the way. I’m going to protect you and our baby until the end of my days. We’ll be the safest, sexiest family in the entire state.”

“Oh really?” I cup his face with my hand. “I’m pretty sure as it stands, I’m the one who will be doing the protecting. Weren’t you the damsel in distress not too long ago?”

“Hard to recall,” he replies, his voice a whisper as he leans close. “Wanna debate it?”

“You’d lose because I love you, so you’d concede too fast.” Or he’d win. I don’t care. I’m in love. He’s in love.

“If you say so,” Ren chuckles breathlessly. “I love you too.” Ren’s lips press lightly against mine, and then the pressure increases as if the very taste of me makes him crave more by the second. His grip tightens and I wind both arms around his neck. He dips me backward and the kiss deepens to the slightly musical cheer of our friends and family.noveldrama

This is my life now.

I found my man. I saved him, and myself. The feud is long over, new alliances are blossoming, and even the Yakuza are quiet and happy.

Life is perfect.