“But what about Jovanni?”
“Jovanni's place is to do as I tell him. I won't hand my precious sister over to someone I know won't make her happy. I made a mistake, I was wrong, but I'm righting that wrong, little sister. I love you, and I want you and your baby happy and safe. That's all I ever wanted.”
I knew that, in my heart, I knew. It's all Draven has ever done, keep me safe and happy and love me more than a brother, a lot like a father.
“Is this real?” I ask my brother. However, I'm looking at Jett. He's standing there looking so smart in his gray suit and silver tie, and his hair is slicked back, his face free from stubble, and he looks so handsome I can hardly breathe.
“As real as you and me, principessa. All I want is for you to be happy, and if Jett makes you happy, then who am I to stand in your way?”
“But what about the council, the elders?”
“Don't you worry about that. You are my only concern, Maria, not what a couple of old farts may think or say.”
“But what if they want to put Jett through loyalty tests?” Like they tried with Hammer. It didn't happen, Draven wouldn't allow it. He won't let anyone do anything to his little brother. He didn't allow them to put Ghost through those tests either, probably because Draven had already beaten the hell out of him. Ghost proved he was loyal when he handed himself over to my brother, and he proved himself again when he married Avery. The elders weren't happy at all, but it was my brothers call. He'll do what he wants, no matter what it might cost him. Those tests are brutal, and even though I know how strong Jett is, these tests have broken bigger men. It's nothing but torture tactics. Tests of loyalty that will either make you or break you. My brother's men love to break people.
“Sweetheart, don't worry about anything other than getting married right now, nothing is going to happen to him. I know you love Jett, I see it in your eyes. I know he loves you, too. So go get married and be happy, Maria.”
I don't answer him, I launch myself at him, my arms around his neck. “Thank you so much!” I sob with happiness down his ear.
“Go get married, cura l'orso. Your man is waiting.”
I kiss his cheek one last time and then turn to face Jett. The man I'm about to marry! Oh, god! I feel like squealing and jumping up and down all at the same time! I grab Jett's hand and squeeze it tightly, he winks at me, and it's all go.
The ceremony I was dreading comes to an end all too soon with an, “I now pronounce you man and wife. Mr. Jackson? You may now kiss Mrs. Jackson.”
Jett clasps my waist and pulls me close to him with a growl, which makes me laugh as he brings his lips down on mine. I can feel him holding himself back; he's an animal when he gets going, and he's told me more than once that he can't help himself when he's near me. However, we're in a church in front of all our friends and family, and I won't let him go all porno here, but I do let him slip a little tongue in as the cheers raise to a deafening level.
Mrs. Jackson! Oh. My. God!
Chapter Fourteen
Jett
How long have I got to stand here greeting people? I know it's some weird Italian tradition or something, but there's just so many of them! Also, I have to stand here and greet each and every one of them with a damn smile on my face on the orders of Don Vidal!
When I arrived at the church, Hammer dragged me into the vestry and told me what was really going on, and I felt my heart race a little too fast. It seemed that Vidal had had a change of heart after speaking with Maria last night. He realized giving her to whats-his-name was the wrong decision.
Vidal then explained to me that if I loved Maria, I'd prove to him just what she means to me. I'd tell him exactly why I wanted to marry her, the whole truth, not the abbreviated version I gave him at the clubhouse. So, I told him everything, the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. I told him how she came to me and told me about the baby and what was expected of her, how I didn't even hesitate to tell her that I'd marry her. I told him how when he forced us apart I'd taken it upon myself, after three weeks, to sneak over his wall and into her bedroom just to see her, because I needed to see her, to be near her, so she would know I was thinking about her.
I didn't tell him about us fucking every time I was there, but I guess he knew that too. It wasn't hard to figure out. He even told me he knew weeks before that Maria had fallen for me, he just didn't want to admit it. He told me how he watched her struggling every day even to eat correctly. I knew she was putting on the fake smile for him, pretending she was fine, just as she had for everyone else.
He told me that if I really did love her, if I swore that I would protect her and our baby with my life, then he'd allow me to go out there and marry her in place of that prick he'd chosen for her. Can't imagine that cunt was too happy when he found out he wouldn't be marrying Maria after all.
Draven told me I'd better treat Maria like she's the most precious thing in the world to me, no one above her, first always before anything else. She cries, I soothe her tears. She smiles, I smile with her. None of that will be hard to do. She's not a hard woman to love, and she is everything to me already.
Looking at her right now, so beautiful in her wedding dress, baby bump invisible to those who don't know it's there, that smile, that genuine smile of happiness on her face, she reminds me of what an angel might look like in person. Her slender, tanned arm reaches out to shake the hands of each guest arriving, even my MC family, and I am so proud to be her husband.
Me, someone's husband, it’s almost laughable. I'm not one to never say never, always knew I'd end up with an old lady one day, but a wife? Not in this lifetime. Kids? Sure, I wanted one in ten years time.
Would I change the fact it's now I'm going to be a dad? Nope. Nor would I change the fact the beauty next to me is my wife. Mine in every sense of the word. After everything Maria has been through since finding out about the baby, she's finally happy, and I'm the man making her happy. I will always try my very best to make her happy.
I'd thank Vidal for coming to his senses, but I don't wanna give him a big head.
I don't know exactly how he explained this to his family or how he got around the famiglia and all their rules yet again, but I'm guessing he's told them all to show respect to Maria and me, not one of them has so much as scowled.
“He's a big one, Maria!” God, another one of Maria's elderly relatives pinching my cheeks as though I'm a damn five-year-old! “Very handsome. He'll give you beautiful babies, Maria.”
My wife chuckles beside me. “I'm sure he will, Zia Luisa.”
“I slipped a special gift on the table with a little check for you.” The old woman winks at Maria, still feeling my bicep shamelessly.
“Thank you, Zia.” The old woman kisses her niece and walks away, and finally, that's the end of the Italian line.
Didn't realize there were so damn many members of the MC here. Well, obviously I did, but the fact the line again seems never ending is pissing me off. I need a drink, and I don't mean the soft kind.
“Congratulations!”
“Thanks, Mom.” I hug her tightly to me, the woman who raised me. Not my mother by blood, but my mother in my heart, the only one I have ever and will ever need. My birth mother wasn't much of a mother to me when she was around, Lynette, the woman I call Mom was there for me all my life. My mother just thirteen years my senior. Not that I care a shit, she means everything to me.
“I'm so proud of you, Jett. You have no idea.”
“Don't cry,” I chuckle and wipe the tear from her cheek as she rolls her eyes. Normal Mom thing to do at weddings? Cry, I mean? “I love you,” I tell her with a kiss to her head.
“I love you more.” Makes me chuckle and hug her tighter.
“Welcome to the family, Maria.”
“Thank you, Mr. Jackson.”
“Shepard. Please.”
“Shepard,” Maria smiles at my father, who winks at her with a smile on his face.
My baby sister, Sophie, seve
n-years-old, looking beautiful in her pink party dress, her brown hair tied up and clipped with pretty diamante pins, lifts her arms up to me. She always wants me to pick her up. I scoop her up and hug her for a moment before setting her back on her feet.
I get the usual from Max, a slight smile and a shake of his hand. The boy never says much, but I can see just how happy he is for me right now. His mind has been put at ease, and he knows Vidal isn't going to kill me any time soon. He gives me a one-armed hug and tells me, “Thanks for not doing anything stupid.” I laugh and watch him walk away from me.
VJ, on the other hand? He's standing in front of me with a smirk on his face. God help us when he's of age. He already thinks he's a man. VJ also flirts with every woman he comes in to contact with, and Maria, it seems, is no different.
I stand back with my arms folded across my chest and watch him. “If he doesn't take care of you,” he winks, and my eyebrows shoot up. Maria is standing smiling at him, her hand in his. “I will, and I do mean in the bedroom... Or out of it.” He winks again, and I could kill the little shit!
“VJ!” I bark at him.
“What? I'm just sayin'. You're gettin' old, bro. You're,” he looks Maria up and down shamelessly. “Woman is damn fine.” Maria laughs, my father, on the other hand, slaps him upside the head, apologizes and takes my mother and younger siblings into the hall.
Little fucker.
Willow and Hammer, Nova and Tank, hand us their congratulations. Red and Tammy, Ace and Tessa, Roman, Hawk, BlackJack and Taylor, and many more congratulate us, and finally, the line comes to an end, and I grab my woman.
My woman.
Mine.
She giggles and wraps her arms around my neck. “I can't believe this happened.”
I hold her waist, pulling her closer, “Nor can I. He came to see me this morning at the clubhouse. Ordered me to come here and watch you marry that jackass. Had no idea he simply meant he wanted me to turn up and be a man about things.” She's looking at me like I'm a God to her. No woman has ever looked at me like that.
I lean in and take her mouth with mine. She melts into me, kissing me back like there's no one around us witnessing anything. Only there is, and now they're all whistling and awing at us. She laughs against my mouth. I lead her to the dance floor. My wife.
As wedding days go, this one has been pretty fucking awesome so far. We've sat down and eaten a massive meal. Something Maria's aunt Sofia said was a big tradition within their family. I'm all for eating I'm a huge fuckin' guy after all, but six courses? Fuck me! Can't deny it was delicious, though.
Ain't never been one for Italian food, always seemed too rich in flavor for me, I like the simple things. However, there was fish, meat, pasta, all sorts of sauces mixed in. I could get used to it.
I've watched Maria dancing with almost every person here, everyone from her aunts and uncles to my brothers in the MC. I watched her dancing with Draven and the way she looked at him like he's a hero, and I guess after what he pulled today he is a hero to her. Maria was so happy dancing with everyone, smiling so wide, I had no idea I could make her this happy without even doing anything.
However, when the guy with the mic on stage asked Hammer to come dance with the bride, another brother-sister dance like she had with Draven, he walked out instead. She stood there in the middle of the dance floor, bottom lip between her teeth, eyes to the floor. It hurt her so badly she clasped her hands over her face and cried.
Of course, I rushed over to her, held her and told her it was nothing to do with her, that it's Hammer's hang up. The man has a real problem getting close to women after Cindy was murdered, and then my sister had her throat slit, the man thought he was cursed when it came to the women he loved. I know he's finding it hard to get close to Maria in case something happens and he loses his sister.
Nothing is going to happen to Maria. He won't lose her just like he didn't lose my sister. Willow lived, obviously, but it took months for Hammer to claim her, to realize what happened to her was not his fault. However, with Maria, I also think he feels like he's betraying his parents. Hilary and Titus, good people, my parent's best friend's who were murdered over a decade ago.
Hammer had no idea Titus wasn't his birth father, and finding out the Joseph Vidal was that man crushed him.
Crushed or not, I won't have him treat her like that, and he'll be getting a piece of my mind sooner rather than later. My wife is pregnant. She doesn't need to be worrying about the man who is her brother not wanting anything to do with her and why especially when he's close to Draven and Avery. God, she must feel like a damn leper thanks to him!
I tip her head up with my knuckles under her chin. She looks at me and smiles slightly. There's too much sadness in her eyes. Today is not the day to be sad; this is our day. The day we've fought for since the moment she told me she was pregnant with my baby. I won't let anything spoil it.
By the looks of things, Draven has followed Hammer outside to give him a piece of his mind. They won't bring violence here. If I know nothing else about Draven Vidal, I know he won't do anything to scare Maria. She knows all about the man he is, she knows about the man Hammer is, and they may clash, but they won't fight.
That's not to say they won't be having strong words. I just hope Draven can talk some sense into Hammer because I can see me knocking his teeth down his damn throat! I won't have him upsetting Maria like this.
“Look at me, baby,” She's trying to fight more tears. “No tears, princess.”
“I just feel so humiliated, Jett. I know he hates me, but he could've pretended in front of my family that he cared a little. Why is it he can talk to Draven, meet the members of the family he was yet to meet, and even smile at them as they hug him and welcome him into the family, yet he can't even bear to look at me? What's so wrong with me, Jett?”
I grab her and hold her to me. “There is nothing wrong with you, Maria. He's struggling a little, but he'll come around soon. I don't want you getting upset. I know it's hard, but I don't want you hurting yourself or that baby inside of you.”
“I would never...”
“I know.” I kiss her head. I know she'd never do anything to hurt the baby, but these things happen. Things are out of our control, but I can do my damned best to make sure nothing goes wrong. I've seen women who've lost babies and what it does to them. It's not happening to my woman. I couldn't bear to see her in pain like that.
“Maria?” I smile at Brooke, Hawk's girlfriend. Pretty little blonde thing. Not very tall, looks like a fifteen-year-old. She's not fifteen she's in her early twenties. Shouldn't be here, however.
We all know about her old man. A racist old bastard that would kill her if he knew she was here, especially in a room full of both Italian's and Black's. Hawk himself is part black. Taylor, his mother, my mother's best friend and an aunt to me and my siblings in many ways, is half black. I used to have a crush on her when I was a kid.
Oh, c'mon, she's fuckin' gorgeous. God, the early teenage dreams I used to have about her, wet ones at that. Couldn't look her in the eye at one point. Thank god for Helen Jenkins and the fact she helped my infatuation with Taylor Anderson vanish overnight.
Regardless, Brooke's father, not good. However, little Brooke has fallen for our Hawk and can't keep away from him, and he's fucking mad about her. I have no clue how the hell she hides their relationship from her father, but I do know every man in the MC will protect her with his life. She's Hawk's old lady, and that means something.
My Maria turns in my arms to face Brooke. They met at Hammer and Willow's wedding. They hit it off and danced their asses off, laughing and drinking.
Why was Maria at Hammer's wedding when he refuses to have anything to do with her? Because Willow invited both her and Draven, he attended the ceremony, but only stayed at the reception for one drink before he had to leave, taking Maria with him.
Couple months later was Ghost and Avery's wedding. Both Draven and Maria attended. A few of their relatives from Ita
ly – less than what came to our wedding. Draven stayed an hour into the reception before he left because of business. As you know, Maria stayed, and we hooked up, and that's what led us here.
“I just wanted to check you were okay?”
“I'm fine, Brooke.”
Brooke rubs Maria's bare arm and smiles. “Good. I just want you to know that I'm always here if ever you need someone to talk to, for any reason at all. Even if you just want to grab a decaf tea sometime and talk about the weather.” Both women giggle.
“Thank you. I would love that, and the same goes for you. Any time.” Maria hugs Brooke, and I see a close friendship forming before my eyes. Good. My wife could do with some better friends. There are a handful of her old friends here. The ones whom she socializes with, the same ones who have turned their snobby fucking noses up at me.
Bitches, all of them. They're also unimportant to me in every way.
“Is it time for us to leave yet?” Maria whispers in my ear the second Brooke is out of earshot.
“You wanna leave the party when it's in full swing?”
“It's expected that we'll sneak off at some point.” I cup her round ass and sway her gently to the soft music playing in the background. Bodies all around us, dancing, having fun. “I want you so badly, husband of mine.”
“Is that right?” I yank her closer, causing her to gasp and groan a little in my ear. “What is it you want to do to me so badly, little girl?”
“I want to taste you. I want to suck your cock until you explode down my throat.”
There are hundreds of sets of eyes on us right now, hell, they have been all day. However, right now, she's pressed up against me, her hips grinding subtly against my groin, and my cock is so hard I could pound nails! There's no fuckin' way I'm going to be able to walk out of here without someone noticing.
Never Give You Up (Snakes Henchmen Book 3) Page 11