She nudged his shoulder. "Go."
Antonio nodded and crooked his elbow. "We're going." It was time to ensure everyone was in place by the altar. "Walk with me, Father. Lucio, get Mother."
Lucio held out his arm for their mother who asked, “Lucio, before we go, why did you suspect Sophia?”
Antonio stopped and listened.
“In England?” Lucio spoke cooly. “She helped you end things with Sabrina.”
Their mother’s face went white. “She wasn’t right for you, son.”
Lucio met Antonio’s curious gaze then looked away. “Mother, let’s not get into this. You never saw Sophia for who she truly was—I did.”
Now was not the time for Antonio to ask more. Antonio and his father waited at the door for their cue. "Father, when did you know that Mother would be the “right” one to marry?"
"After working with her for twenty-four hours." His father's laugh made him look twenty years younger. "No one had ever dared speak to me like she had and everything she said about me was right. I knew I needed her honest and lovely face in my life, more than I needed water or food."
Right. In his gut Antonio had known Kristin was the one for him as soon as she’d kept her cool after dropping her purse. The wedding planner, Maria, held up her hand. Ten seconds. Antonio quickly said, "If Kristin and I are as happy as you both are then I'm truly blessed."
"Good luck, son."
The music started.
They marched down the aisle as monarch and future monarch.
Cameras were on them both the entire time, and Antonio held his breath and tried to smile for the camera as best he could.
His father sat with his mother in the front pew.
Then Marco walked Renee, demure and pretty in soft pink, down the aisle to the dais.
Finally Kristin, dressed all in white, appeared like an angel in the distance. His skin grew goosebumps and his heart raced. Her dark hair piled on top of her hair, a curl looping over her shoulder, her essence radiant. She walked herself down the aisle and held his eyes the entire way. Confident. Once she joined him, he brushed his hand against hers. "You take my breath away, Kristin."
"I made it to you." She smiled, her breaths short as if she’d run a marathon.
The priest performed the ceremony, and Antonio couldn't keep his eyes off Kristin. She truly was the one. He felt a tear form in his eye but he wiped that away.
The priest then said, "If anyone has any just cause why these two should not be wed, let them speak now or forever hold their peace."
Silence clung to the room. The priest then said another prayer and Kristin whispered, "I was afraid someone was going to speak."
"I'd not let them." He brushed his hand against hers. If she wasn't holding those flowers, he'd have held her hand.
She whispered, "Now that I believe."
The priest looked at Antonio like he was an errant school boy. "Repeat after me. I, His Royal Highness, Prince Antonio Cosimo Francesco Gastone Giuliano Piero Lorenzo Aussa of the House of Lukčeva, take you, Kristin Wells, for my lawful wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, until death do us part."
Kristin whispered, "That's quite a long list of names."
Antonio broke tradition and took her hands in his though she held that huge bouquet still. "I, His Royal Highness, Prince Antonio Cosimo Francesco Gastone Giuliano Piero Lorenzo Aussa of the House of Lukčeva, take you, Kristin Wells, for my lawful wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, until death do us part."
Kristin's pure joy was all he ever wanted to see.
The priest then turned to Kristin and said, "Now Ms. Wells, please repeat after me, I, Kristin Wells, take you, His Royal Highness, Prince Antonio Cosimo Francesco Gastone Giuliano Piero Lorenzo Aussa of the House of Lukčeva, for my lawful husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, until death do us part."
Kristin's hands shook and she listened to every word the priest said then repeated, "I, Kristin Wells, take you, His Royal Highness, Prince Antonio Cosimo..." She looked like she was about to cry as she tried to say all his names, but he mouthed to her when she faltered. "Francesco Gastone Giuliano Piero Lorenzo Aussa of the House of Lukčeva, for my lawful husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, until death do us part."
She took a deep breath the moment she finished and her hands stopped shaking. He whispered, "Good job."
"I was terrified." She whispered back as the priest said another prayer.
He winked at her. "Did I mention we have to name our son Cosimo Francesco?"
She glanced at the priest again, but whispered, "We'll discuss that later."
He kept his hands to his side, though it was so hard. Finally the priest made it to the end. "By the power given to me by the law of the Kanal in Avce, I declare you husband and wife." Everyone in the church clapped. The priest then said, "You may kiss the bride."
She handed her flowers to Renee, and then he wrapped his arms around her tight and kissed her.
An eruption of cheers exploded behind them. Antonio ended the fast kiss, but kept his arms around her while the priest said, "I present to you the newly wedded couple, Prince and Princess Antonio Cosimo Francesco Gastone Giuliano Piero Lorenzo Aussa of the House of Lukčeva."
She shook her head a little. "I hope I don't have to memorize that in the next hour."
He kissed her cheek and chuckled. "Kristin, in your interview you mentioned being a fast learner. I'm sure you can."
She smiled at him and he felt like a conquering knight who’d finally come home. Kristin was his home and all he needed.
Epilogue
"The vote is in." Marco joined Antonio and Lucio on the makeshift dais in the large ballroom while their mother and father spoke to Kristin across the room. Marco took the microphone and announced, "99% of the country wants us to stay."
The ballroom full of people cheered.
Antonio tapped his glass with Lucio, who said, "Mother was right again."
Antonio stared across the room. Kristin lifted her glass in celebration. Tonight, Kristin was his, and tomorrow they would take a much needed honeymoon/vacation. Warmth filled him. He told his brother, "Kristin and I will enjoy being spectators at your wedding soon, Lucio."
Lucio lowered his voice. "I met with your IT department. That's quite a long list of things they want to know."
Good. If Antonio could find the one he wanted then anything was possible. "They're thorough."
Lucio looked like he might be sick. "I'll do my duty for my family, always."
Antonio smiled as Kristin waved at him. He patted his brother on the back. "Great, now it's time to dance with my wife. She's waiting for me."
"Have fun," Lucio said, but Antonio could tell that his brother felt about to be put in front of the firing squad.
Lucio's story was for tomorrow. Right now, Antonio tugged Kristin into his arms and kissed her. He had everything.
<<<<>>>>
Also by Victoria Pinder
Returning for Valentine’s (FREE if you go to my website)
The House of Morgan
Secret Crush
Secret Baby
Secret Bet
Secret Wish
Secret Dad
A Frosted Game of Hearts
Winter Peril
Stormy Peril
The Collins Brothers
Chaperoning Paris
Borrowing the Doctor
Electing Love
Keeping the Spy
Keeping the Captain
The Marshall Family Saga
Favorite Coffee, Favorite Crush
Favorite Coffee, Favorite Mistake
Favorite Coffee, Favorite Sin
Favorite Coffee, Favorite Scandal (Coming soon)
Tempting Gabe
Tempting James (In Tropical Trysts Boxed Set)
Tempting Conner (In Hunks to the Rescue Boxed Set)
Tempting Harry (in Billionaire Ever After Boxed Set)
Tempting Navid (Coming soon)
* * *
Then if you also like Science Fiction/Fantasy Romance
Hidden Dragon Series
Call of the Dragon (included in Dark Fates Collection)
Dance of the Dragon (Coming Soon)
The Queen Gene
Whispers of a Throne
Storm of the Throne (coming soon)
Earthseekers Mission
Makeup May Change Your Life
The Zoastra Affair
Ancient Greek Heroes
Mything You
Mything the Throne
About the Author
USA Today Bestselling Author, Victoria Pinder grew up in Irish Catholic Boston then moved to Miami. Eventually, found that writing is her passion. She always wrote stories to entertain herself. Her parents are practical minded people demanding a job, but when she sat down to see what she enjoyed doing, writing became obvious.
Visit my website and download a free novel
www.victoriapinder.com
[email protected]
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