LILLY

I wake up to the smell of his cologne.
He was standing in front of the mirror, buttoning his shirt and then wearing his jacket. My gaze goes to the clock on the wall and it was 9 AM. He barely slept.

I groan as I try to sit up but he's beside me in seconds, gently pushing me back to lay down, "No, no, no. You need sleep." He sits beside me, close to me. His hands go inside the sheets and he gently rubs soothing circles on my stomach, leaning close to my face. He kisses my cheek and then pecks my lips, "You need to sleep more." I take the collar of his suit jacket and tug on it gently, wanting him to lay down beside me for five more minutes. He smiles and gathers me in his arm. Cradling me gently. I look up and he looks down at me. He was still beautiful no matter what.

Handsome. Perfect. Mine.

I gently touch his cheek and he turns his head to kiss the middle of my palm and then looks at me again. He smiles and I smile back. He smells so good.

He always smelt so good.

I nuzzle my face on his chest, wanting more of his scent on me, wanting his warmth at this moment. He holds me closer and tighter.

I ask, "Do you have to go today? Spend the day with me." He says, "I can't. I have to go. I have a lot of pending work that I need to finish." I nod in understanding even though inside I wanted to hold him down and kiss him until he decides to stay with me and cuddle with me in bed all day. But I know he's doing all of this for me. He doesn't have to but he's doing this to keep me safe.

He hates taking over the mafia but he loves me more. I need to remind myself every second that he loves me more.

His lips press on the top of my head and he says, "I'll try to come early before dinner. How about that? Hm? We can go out on a date." Then I feel him smile, "Will you go on a date with me?" I smile even more, loving every second of how gentle he is with me. How much he loves me and how much I love him.

I love him to the stars and skies.
I love him to the planets and universe.
I love him so much that sometimes it hurts.

He kisses my nose one last time and gently puts me back in my place. I groan at how cold the sheets were and how warm he was.

And then he's gone. Walking away.

Then I fell back into sleep.

♡

CARTER

I didn't think how much I was hurting Lilly until this morning.

I was trying to keep my distance because I'm afraid to hurt her. I'm turning like my father now. I know I am him. I've been feeling disgusted with myself since Nico said that he likes that how much I am like Rafael Romano.

Nico is not the right hand of the mafia anymore. Elijah is. I made that sure since the day I sat on the chair.

Threats came in from everywhere. China, Japan, Thailand. The biggest threat was Sinn, he didn't like the last shipment of the drugs we sent. Why would he? Giovanni is dead. Luca is dead. No one knows how Giovanni made those drugs. The Bastard didn't even leave a fucking diary or something. I know Luca knew because he was next in like after Giovanni, but where did that son of a bitch keep it? I know it's close. I can feel that it's close.

"Everything okay?" I shot my head up to Elijah standing in front of me with concern in his eyes. I sigh, "I'm fine. Didn't get much sleep today."

"Obviously. You leave at 5 AM and you come back at 9." Then he calms, "What's wrong?"

"I just didn't know how much I was hurting Lilly with my distance until now."

Elijah speaks with a bite to his tone, "She knows that you're doing this for her, right? Tell her to not be such a bitch." My gaze shot to his and I warn, "Another word, and I'm stabbing you in the balls." He's quiet for a second or two until I decide to speak, "Why the sour face?" He huffs, "It's just- I hate you on this chair. I hate that you're doing all this," he gestured his hands around the room, "you've been running from this all your life, Carter. I just hate that you're here now. Taking over. It makes me so fucking mad. And you're doing all this for her. Don't get me wrong, but is she worth all this torture?"

I stand, clearly angry at the words he uses for her. For my Lilly. I walk around the desk and sit on the edge, completely in power, "She's worth every bullet to me. She's worth more with every breath. She's worth than every heartbeat." At this Elijah backs off, "I'm sorry but I don't like this." I smile at his worries and look down at my hands, "She heals me, Elijah. And she loves me. Who would want to be with the person that tortured them and kidnapped them? And she accepts it all with open arms. She accepts me with open arms."

Elijah scoffs, "So you're her bitch." I snort, "When you fall in love, I know you'll become a bitch too." He shakes his head and looks up, "Fuck you." I laugh.

He says, "I'm just worried about you, Carter." I nod, "I know. Just a little bit longer and we're out of here. I'm out and then I'm marrying her in a heartbeat." Elijah asks, "Why not now?"

Why not now?
Why not now?
Why not now?

I say, "Get a priest and a fucking wedding dress. Something expensive but nice. Don't forget a ring!"
I'm running out of the room, running like a wild man. Dodging everything in my way. A goofy smile on my face.

Why not now? Why didn't I think of that? What am I waiting for?

I wanna marry her now and today. I wanna promise myself to her forever.

I run up the stairs to our bedroom and she's sleeping on my side of the bed. Curved into a ball. I don't let her sleep anymore. I jump on the bed, lay beside her, and gather her in my arms. She gasps in this sudden movement but calms down when she knows it's me. She snuggled to my chest and asks, "Is it time for our date yet?" I chuckle, "It's time for our wedding." She pulls her head back with an eye open, lips puffed up, trying to make sense of her sleepy brain. I can't hide my smile anymore. I just can't. I say, "We're getting married. Today." She rubs the sleep from her eyes with the back of her hands, "What?"

"I'm not playing, Lilly. Elijah is getting the ring, the wedding dress, and a priest in a couple of hours. Let's get married."

I peck her lips once and then twice. "I'm promising myself to you forever." She pushes me flat on my back and then straddles my lap. The sheets slide down to her waist and I groan as I see her in all her glory again. I can't get enough of her body. One look at her naked and my balls swell.

She says, "You make no sense! What's going on?" I laugh, grab her face, and pull her down, "We are getting married today, Lilly Hastings."

"Today?"

"Yes."

"Wedding?"

"Mhmm."

"Ours?"

"Yup."

Her lips part and I hiss when I can't calm myself down. Maybe a little taste and I can fuck her after our vows.

I flip us over, her under me, and I kiss down her neck. It doesn't take time for her to start moaning. When I slide my hand down her stomach to her cunt, she grabs my hand in an instant. I drew my brows closer and look at her. She smiles, "Patience, Carter Romano. We can do this after we're married." I pull my hand from her grip and began to unbuckle my pants, "Just once, please,"
She stops me again, "No. after the wedding. The only way we can have sex again is when we're husband and wife." I groan and bury my face in her neck. She says, "That means no touching until after the wedding." I bite her neck and her body jolts. I whisper, "Mean woman." She chuckles, "You can survive."

"I don't think I can."

She pushes me off and gets out of bed, pulling the sheets with her and hiding from me. I grab the ends of the sheets and smile as she tries to pull them from my grip. Then a smile spreads on her lips and she says, "Have it your way. I was trying to make it less painful." Her gaze goes to my swollen cock and she decides to let the sheets drop. I groan at myself with my eyes closed, "Fuck, you're cruel." She chuckles, "More than you think."

I watch her walk into the bathroom and then closed the door. Then lock it too.

I need to marry her as soon as fucking possible.

♡

LILLY

We're getting married.
I was nervous as hell.

Elijah got me this pretty white backless wedding gown with a silver studded belt around the waist. The sleeves were mesh and full. Diamond studs shine in my ears and for the necklace, I wore my cross chain.

The veil was short and perfect. He got me deep red roses as my wedding bouquet. I wore Carter's thorn ring on my ring finger as per his request.
My hair was up in a low bun and I did my makeup light and pretty.

I felt beautiful. I felt like a bride.

I am a bride.

I hear Elijah clear his throat behind me and I turn around and smile, "What do you think?" He smiles back at me and looks down at my dress, letting out a low whistle, "I never knew I had a thing for brides until today." I giggle and shake my head, "I heard that it was your idea." He playfully shrugs and then winks, "You're welcome." I take a deep breath and adore how he was dressed. A black suit with a black shirt. Elijah was a beautiful man but he wasn't my man. My man was standing at the altar, waiting for me. Waiting to marry me. Waiting to be mine forever.

Elijah asks nervously, "Do you mind if I give you away?" I smile, "I would love nothing more, Elijah."

♡

We stand in front of the black double doors and my nerves were going haywire. I held onto Elijah's arm and he says, "Hey, don't be nervous. You love him and he loves you. There's nothing to be nervous about." I agreed, "You're right." Then he adds, "If he ever hurts you, you come to me. Got that?"

"You are a good friend Elijah. I hope we can be best friends in the future too." I get on my toes and press my lips under his jaw, giving him a light kiss to show my appreciation. I don't think I've ever seen Elijah blush the way he was blushing at this moment. He clears his throat and says, "Let's get you married."

The double doors open and there is no one in the room except for Carter and an old priest smiling at me. My eyes go to Carter and I can't stop my tears from spilling at this beautiful man clad in a classic tux with a bow tie.

I was going to be his forever today.

We start walking in a straight line and Carter never takes his eyes off me. I know he's nervous but he's pretending to be confident for me.

Elijah gives my hand away to Carter's and I'm standing in front of him, my soon-to-be husband, Carter. The thought is weird but it's perfect in every way. This is us. We were meant to be. He and I, our souls were meant to be tangled forever.

The priest clears his throat and sighs, "Shall we exchange the rings first?" Carter pulls out a box from his pocket and opens it in front of me. Two rings. One thick silver band with a tiny diamond in the middle. His ring. And the other is this beautiful ring with a diamond-shaped star. Tiny diamond stars followed the thin band. My ring.

Carter hands me his rings and takes my ring in his hand. I put his ring first on his ring finger. Then he slides my ring on my finger, right above the thorn ring. I almost gasp at how perfectly those two rings matched on my finger it felt uncanny somehow. He kisses the back of my hand and holds my hands in his, afraid of letting me go. We're so damn close to changing our lives forever.

The priest says, "Do you, Carter Romano, take, Lilly Hastings, to be your wedded wife, to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health and forsaking all others, be faithful only to her so long as you both shall live?" I smile as Carter says, "I do."

Then the priest says to me, "Do you, Lilly Hastings, take, Carter Romano, to be your wedded husband, to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health and forsaking all others, be faithful only to him so long as you both shall live?" I'm almost on the verge of tears as I say, "I do."

I don't miss the tears pooling in his eyes as the priest says, "By the power vested me in me of the Romano Mafia, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may-" he doesn't let the priest finish when he's holding my face and pressing his lips on mine. Kissing me for the first time as his wife.

I am his wife.

I am his and he is mine. Things couldn't be more perfect.

♡

I loved all the pictures and videos Elijah took of us. There was a picture, in particular, he took of us kissing, smiling into our kiss. Carter looked so happy in that pictures as well did I?

Elijah was gone to get some work done in the new shipment while Carter and I stood in front of our door, not knowing what to do.

I ask, "What now?" He smiles and puts in the passcode, "Now, we fuck until sunrise." I grab his arm and pull him back, "I have a better idea." He steps away from the door and turns to me, putting his hands on my sides, and smiles, "Does this idea involves me fucking you until sunrise?" I roll my eyes and he hisses, "You should only do that when we fuck." I raise my brow, "Is sex all you have in your mind?"

"As of now, fuck yes. I've been hurting for a while now, my darling wife."

He pins me on the wall and presses himself on me, I gasp as I feel how hard he was for me. There was nothing more I wanted than to jump on him but it was our wedding day. We could have sex all night but right now, I wanted to do something special with him. Something spontaneous. Something that we've never done.
I look down at him in his sexy tux and I get an idea, "Let's grab dinner." He scrunched his nose in disgust, "That's not sexy time." I chuckle as he buries his face in my neck, softly kissing my skin, "No, I mean let's get dinner in our wedding clothes." Then he stops, pulls back, and snorts, "Are you serious?" I nod, "More than you think. I wanna grab burgers with you in my wedding dress right now." He looks up at the ceiling with a smile on his face, then he sighs, "God. You're lucky that I love you." I pull his head down so I can peck his lips, "I know." He pecks my lips twice and takes my hand, "Burgers in wedding clothes- consider this my wedding present to you." I ask, "Oh? And what should I gift you as your wedding present?" He smirks and leans to whisper in my ear which makes my breasts tighten in an instant, "You can wear those sexy red panties you will find on our bed soon and let me tie you up and tease you all night."

I bite my bottom lip and smile, "You got yourself a deal, Mr. Romano." He kisses the side of my temple, "Thank you, Mrs. Romano." I smile even more at that name and he pulls me out with him.

We get in his car and drive straight down to get burgers.

♡

CARTER

I didn't want this night to end. I was so fucking happy for the first time in my life. Everything was amazing. She was amazing.

We did everything she asked. We ate burgers. We go to the park. I laughed so loud at how silly she looked as she swings on the swing set or goes on the slides with a big smile on her face. I even take a couple of pictures and set the funniest ones as the wallpaper on my phone. Might even frame it on our bedroom wall.

My biggest present to her for the night was not burgers, it was the house I bought a couple of hours ago with all my savings near the beach. For her.

I had pictures of it on my phone and I couldn't wait to show it to her when we get home. And also talk to her about adopting a pet. A cat or a dog maybe. Whatever she likes.

She's so drunk on happiness that she can't stop giggling as she wraps her arms around me, burying her face in my chest, "I love you." Those three words are my blessings. My solace. Lilly Romano is my blessing.

I kiss the top of her head and ask, "Shall we head home now?" She looks up and nods with a smile, "Home is when I'm with you, Carter Romano. You are my home." My heart swells for the millionth fucking time this night because of her. Fuck.

Why does she have to be so fucking cute?
Why does she have to be so fucking amazing?

♡

I don't even open the door when I plant my lips on hers. I kiss her deeply and she moans in my mouth as I put in the passcode to the door. Couldn't fucking wait to get to our bedroom.

When I open the door and pull her inside with me with a smile, she looks past my shoulder and gasps. I follow her gaze and find Elijah tied to a chair in the middle of our living room. Bruised and he warned me with his eyes to fucking run.

I don't miss the click of the gun from our side and when I turn my head, my eyes go wide at the person holding it.

Rossi.

♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡

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Love, Hope
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