Chapter 123

Mafia Kings: Valentino: Chapter 123 When she said Yes, it was the happiest moment of my entire life.

I grabbed her – kissed her like there was no tomorrow –

And then pulled back.

“I love you,” I said, like my life depended on her knowing I meant it to the core of my soul.

She smiled and laughed through her tears. “I love you, too.”

Suddenly, there was an eruption of applause behind us.

We both looked over to see a lot of people smiling and clapping.

Alessandra, first and foremost. She had tears streaming down her cheeks, so was so happy.

All the women – Bianca, Lucia, Rachel, Mei-ling, Isabella, and Ludavica – were clapping and grinning.

And Massimo, Roberto, and Lars were smiling, too.

Adriano gave me a look like, Damn, son, you got some balls.

Niccolo was furious, as I expected –

But it was Dario who unnerved me the most.

He just stared at me with a slight frown.

“Come on,” I whispered to Caterina as I held her hand and took her with me back to my family.

I could tell she was afraid, but she came nonetheless.

I stopped in front of Dario.

“Don Rosolini, I beg your forgiveness,” I said nervously. “I know I went against your orders, and I’m prepared to bear whatever the punishment may be. But I ask for your blessing to marry the woman I love – Caterina.”

Dario looked at me –

Looked over at Caterina –

And then Alessandra tugged on his sleeve with a face like Come ON!

The corner of Dario’s mouth turned up with the tiniest hint of a smile, and his eyes softened.

“You have my blessing,” he said.

Without thinking, I launched myself at him and hugged him.

He laughed and hugged me back.

Alessandra wrapped her arms around both of us.

“Jesus fucking Christ,” I heard Niccolo seethe, but I ignored him.

Instead, I pulled back and said to Dario, “And with your permission, I’d like to marry her right now.”

“...now?!” Caterina gasped behind me.

I turned and grinned. “Why not? We have a church and a priest. I don’t want to waste one more second.”

Caterina looked at me wide-eyed. “I – um – okay!”

I looked at Dario. “Do you I have your permission?”

He gave me the same half-smile. “Yes. But I think you need someone else’s permission, as well.”

He gestured with his head towards the altar...

Where Isabella stood with Ludavica.

He was absolutely right.

I ran up the steps towing Caterina behind me.

“Isabella,” I said, “I know this was supposed to be your wedding day, but can we – ”

“Yes,” she said with a huge smile. “Yes, of course!”

Caterina cried out with happiness. “Thank you!”

Isabella laughed and hugged her, and so did Ludavica.

Suddenly, another voice spoke up. “This is highly irregular.”

We all turned to see the priest, who had come out of hiding. He looked pissed.

“I suppose it is,” Dario said as he walked slowly towards the altar. “What would it take to make it happen?”

“I was hired by Don Vicari,” the priest said haughtily. “If I were to do this for you, I would risk his displeasure.”

Dario nodded as he reached into his pocket.

“And as you know,” the priest continued, “he is a proud and dangerous man – ”

Dario pulled out a huge wad of bills and started counting them off.

The priest trailed off as he stared at the money.

Dario held out half his bankroll – around 10,000 euros – and raised his eyebrows. “Will that do?”

“...that will suffice,” the priest muttered as he grabbed the bills and stuffed them into his robes.

Dario pocketed what remained of his money.

“Alright, everyone,” the priest announced, “please take your seats.”

“Um... Valentino?” Massimo spoke up hesitantly.

“Yeah?”

“Could I, uh... would it be possible to...”

“Spit it out,” I said jokingly.

Massimo looked bashful. “Could we make it a double wedding?”

Out in the audience, Lucia squealed. “What?!”

“I mean – would you like that?” Massimo asked her.

“YES!” she shouted back happily.

“Would you be okay with it?” Massimo asked me apologetically, then looked deferentially towards Cat. “And if it’s okay with the bride.”

I looked at Cat. “Fine by me, if it’s cool with you.”

Cat laughed. “It would be wonderful!”

Lucia jumped out of the pews, ran up the steps, and got up on her tiptoes. Massimo leaned over and kissed her.

“We’re gonna have to have another wedding in Venice, though, ‘cause my Nonna will kill me if she doesn’t get to watch me walk up the aisle,” Lucia warned.

“Maybe we should wait, then,” Massimo suggested.

“Eh, she’ll get over it,” Lucia said and grabbed his arm. “Let’s do it!”

The priest, however, was not pleased.

“This is HIGHLY irregular,” he sniffed.

Dario narrowed his eyes, then pulled out the rest of the bills and held them up.

The priest grumbled...

Then took the bills and shoved them in his cassock.

“Is there anyone else who wants to join the wedding party?” he asked sarcastically.

“Actually...” Lars said.

We all looked at him in surprise.

Rachel stared at him, too. “Are you serious?!”

“We’ve waited five years,” he said. “I don’t want to wait anymore.”

She stared at him some more –

And then a grin slowly crept over her face.

“Okay,” she agreed, then looked at me and Cat. “If it’s alright with you two.”

“The more the merrier!” Cat cried out.

Alessandra was jumping up and down, she was so happy.

“Is there room for one more?” Roberto asked.

Everyone turned to him in shock – including Mei-ling.

“What?!” she whispered.

“Marry me,” he said.

Mei-ling tried to suppress a smile, like there was some secret joke they shared.

“...no,” she whispered.

“Marry me,” Roberto repeated.

“...nooo,” she murmured with a coquettish smile.

“Marry me,” he growled in a commanding voice I’d never heard him use before.

Mei-ling’s smile became an outright grin.

“...alright,” she agreed.

“I don’t believe this,” Niccolo said in astonishment.

“Are these women even Catholic?” the priest asked angrily as he looked at Dario.

Dario sighed in irritation. “Adriano.”

Adriano came forward and held out another wad of bills, which quickly disappeared into the priest’s robes.

“Fine,” the priest grumbled.

Lars and Rachel came up the steps, hand in hand, followed by Roberto and Mei-ling.

“Alright, if that’s all – ” the priest started.

“Um... Valentino?” Isabella asked hesitantly.

I looked over at her –

And saw her holding hands with Ludavica.

They both looked at me hopefully.

I looked at Cat. “Babe?”

Cat gave them the most beautiful smile and said, “This was your day originally... so of course.”

Isabella and Ludavica both cried out in happiness and hugged Cat.

I gotta admit, I was on Cloud Nine –

And then the priest went and ruined it.

“Absolutely not,” he snarled.

We all looked at him.

He gestured at Isabella and Ludavica in outrage. “They’re – you know what they are. As a representative of the Catholic Church, I absolutely cannot marry them.”

Everybody stared at him in shock –

Except Lucia.

“Let me get this straight,” she said angrily. “You came here to do a mafia wedding with a whole bunch of killers – ”

“Lucia,” Massimo whispered.

“What?! I killed a guy with a shotgun blast to the face!” she yelled at the priest. “Did you ask about that? No.

“And you KNEW all those assholes who walked out of here earlier were thieves and murderers. Did you care about that? NO.

“But just because these two girls are gay, you’re gonna refuse to marry THEM – but you’re more than happy to take a bunch of Cosa Nostra blood money to marry everybody else?!”

Man, I fucking loved this chick.

She was going to be my favorite new sister-in-law, I could just tell it.

After Alessandra, of course. Seeing as she got me and Cat back together.

The priest sputtered. “This is – I – homosexuality is an abomination in the eyes of the Church, and I will not – ”

He was interrupted by someone racking a Glock.

Schick!

The slide jacked back, followed by the clink! of the ejected bullet hitting the floor.

Dario stood there with his gun out.

It was pointed at the floor, yeah... but it was out.

All he’d done was eject one live round and put another in the chamber –

But the sound it made was the point.

“If you take my money,” Dario said coldly, “then you do what I ask. And I’m ‘asking’ you to marry everyone here. Everyone.”

On cue, Lars, Rachel, and three of my brothers – Adriano, Roberto, and Massimo – pulled out their guns and racked the slides, too.

Schick schick schick schick schick –

Followed by a cascade of bullets hitting the floor.

Clink clink clink clink clink!

Niccolo looked around –

Grumbled, “Ah, what the fuck” –

And pulled out his gun and racked the slide, too.

The priest stared in shock –

Then forced a smile.

“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today – ”