Unspoken Obsession (Casino King #4)

33. Frankie

FRANKIE

D ante has booked out the entire restaurant in Sierra Nevada on the side of the mountain so that we can get married there.

We have decided not to invite anyone. It will just be us, and Clarissa will join us to take care of Damion.

We both feel as though we don't have anyone to prove anything to and in all the world, this moment is just for us. It's not for the media, it's not for our business allies, it's not for anyone except for our close little family. It is our own personal expression of love.

I get a sense of sadness from Dante on the flight to Sierra Nevada. He is thinking about his sister. She is the one person who he would have wanted here.

I shift close to him and rest my head on his shoulder. We both watch Damion and Clarissa chatting about the story she has just read him.

I glance down at my finger to admire the engagement ring Dante bought for me the day after we got engaged.

"I'm sorry I wasn't patient enough to wait." He says, seeing me looking at it.

"I think your proposal was perfect." I laugh.

"But I had this whole elaborate thing planned, and I hadn't even collected the ring yet - I just - I got impatient. I wanted to make you mine right then and there."

I slip my arm around his very defined abs and snuggle into him.

"Dante, I was yours before you asked me to marry you."

"I think you have been mine since the night we met at the gala all those years ago." He whispers against my hair, kissing the top of my head.

When we reach the restaurant on the edge of the mountain in Sierra Nevada, Dante takes Damion from me and tells me to look in my room at the hotel above the restaurant. Clarissa follows me, obviously up to something, she looks excited.

"What about Damion?" I ask as we walk up the stairs.

"Dante insisted he would take care of him for now."

I bite my lower lip, curious about what he is up to.

We get to my room and the key card he has given me unlocks the door.

I step inside and two women greet me with massive smiles.

I look at Clarissa in shock, the last thing I was expecting was for anyone to be in here.

She steps forward and introduces me to the woman. "This is Sammy -- she does make up - and this is Lisa, she does hair. We are all here to help you get ready for your really special day."

"But - but," I stammer.

"Yes, Dante said you would try to tell me you just wanted to keep it simple and not worry about going too fancy. But he told me you are a princess, and you deserve to look and feel like a princess."

"Who chose the dress?" I ask, walking towards the long, glittering dress hanging from the top of the closet door. I reach out and touch the delicate lace, stitched with pearls and glittering diamonds.

"Dante chose it. I think Damion had a few mumbles of input, but - yes - it was Dante."

"It's so beautiful," I say, overwhelmed by what he has done for me here.

I didn't want him to have to fuss or stress over anything because of everything he had already done for Damion and me. I thought we were just coming here for a quiet dinner and to sign our marriage certificate after exchanging vows in front of a priest.

This is so much more than I expected.

My eyes burn with the threat of tears and Clarissa pulls me into a hug. "That man loves you so much, sweetie. You are so incredibly lucky to have found someone who would do anything for you. Just enjoy it. He wanted to do all of this. In fact, he insisted on it."

"Did you help him?" I ask.

"No, he arranged everything himself. All he asked me to do was help you get into the dress." She laughs. "So, let's make sure you are not late for your own wedding - shall we?"

The ladies get to work. And within an hour, the ladies braid my hair, adorn it with white flowers, and delicately apply natural makeup to my face. When I step into the dress and Clarissa helps me wiggle it up over my hips, before it is tied closed at the back - I feel like a goddess.

I can't stop staring at myself in the mirror while Clarissa does each clasp over my lower back.

The dress dips low in the back, showing off my spine. The thin straps are elegant and beautiful, and the fabric is so gorgeous, the way it flows around me, that I can't stop swaying my hips back and forth in the mirror just so that I can watch it move.

My emotions overwhelm me again and Clarissa grabs a book and starts fanning my face. "No, don't cry now, you'll ruin your makeup,"

I close my eyes and take a few deep breaths.

"I can't believe this is really happening. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would meet a man that makes me this happy."

When I get myself under control, Clarissa hands me a bouquet of wildflowers in soft whites and creams.

She guides me through the hotel up the stairs and to the door that leads onto the roof.

"Let me go first. Wait one minute, then come out." She says.

I nod, my heart is racing so fast. I don't know why I am so nervous. I can't stop smiling.

I count in my head, and it is the longest minute of my life. Then I step through the door onto the rooftop which has been decorated especially for today.

Dante is standing at the end of a long white carpet. Rose petals are scattered on the floor and fairy lights are glittering above my head, glowing against the pink and purple sunset.

Dante and Damion are standing beneath a wide archway, covered in flowers and green leaves. Damion is dressed in the cutest little tuxedo, complete with a bow tie. And, of course, he's also wearing a Batman mask.

Dante is dressed head to toe in a slick black suit that takes my breath away. He looks divine. I can't believe I am about to marry him, and he will be my husband for the rest of my life.

As I am walking along the carpet towards Dante, Damion gets impatient and runs to me. He shouts "Mommy a princess. Wow." He jumps, forcing me to catch him and squish some of my flowers.

"Wow, Mommy." He says, touching my face as I carry on walking towards Dante.

When I reach the archway Damion wiggles from my arms and runs to Clarissa, taking my flowers with him. I turn to face Dante.

"You always take my breath away, little fox, but tonight - you look like you came straight from heaven to steal my heart."

His eyes trace over me, trying to take everything in.

I stare at him and beg my memory to hold on to this image forever.

This moment - tonight - this man - my heart is at home with him.

It doesn't matter where we are or who else is around - he is my home.

I've never had a proper home, one where I am safe and loved and wanted.

He is my home.

He is my everything.

Our vows are simple and honest, straight from the heart.

We exchange promises and rings and then a kiss that seals our marriage.

Dante sweeps me backward, dipping me low, and with a dark purple sky behind us, and stars beginning to glitter above us, he kisses me makes me blush.

Then he whispers in my ear, "I do not know how I am going to wait until after dinner before I steal you away to our honeymoon suite."

I giggle and blush again as he lifts me back onto my feet.

It is the perfect wedding, the perfect dinner, and the perfect night.

Damion shares the room with Clarissa, and Dante and I have a very magical night that we will both keep in our hearts forever.

Back in Las Vegas, I am now known as Mrs. Russo.

My business is growing bigger by the day with the help of my gorgeous husband.

We have moved into Dante's mansion, keeping the penthouse for those times we want to stay over there. Damion demanded to have the jungle room recreated in the mansion too. I think it makes him secure - like the dinosaurs and thick green leaves represent his own space.

Often, I look back over everything that has happened and wonder how we got so lucky that it all worked out.

My son is getting bolder. I can see his confidence levels shining more every day. He has a beautiful, gentle-hearted man to teach him things about life that only a father can really teach a son. And I have a man who will do anything for me to see me smile.

He keeps telling me that my heart belongs to him.

But we all know I am the one who is hopelessly, madly, and completely in love.