Chapter 7 - THE WEDDING THAT BECAME A WAR
Marco survived.
The bullet struck the wall beside his bed.
The attack had been a message.
Rocco could reach them.
Even inside the fortress.
By morning, Dante had doubled security.
Sienna found him in the chapel on the estate grounds.
He stood alone before the altar.
“You pray?”
“No.”
“Then what are you doing?”
“Thinking.”
“Still dangerous.”
He smiled faintly.
She walked beside him.
“Rocco wants us frightened.”
“He wants the ledger.”
“No. He wants control.”
Dante looked at her.
Sienna continued.
“My mother spent her whole life refusing to give him that.”
“What are you suggesting?”
“We stop reacting.”
His eyes narrowed.
“How?”
“We get married.”
Silence.
Dante stared at her.
She almost laughed.
“You should see your face.”
“You cannot say something like that casually.”
“I’m not.”
“Sienna.”
“Publicly. At the church he chose.”
“That is the worst plan I have heard this week, and my mother invented our engagement.”
“It forces him into the open.”
“It also puts you in the middle.”
“I’m already in the middle.”
Dante approached her.
“I won’t use you as bait.”
“Then don’t. Stand beside me.”
The wedding was announced that afternoon.
Chicago lost its mind.
Two days later, St. Catherine’s Cathedral filled with guests.
Federal agents disguised themselves as ushers.
Valente security occupied rooftops.
Lucia wore silver.
Marco insisted on walking Sienna down the aisle.
For nearly five minutes that morning, he did not remember why he was wearing a tuxedo.
Then he saw her dress.
His eyes filled.
“Your mother would have loved this.”
Sienna nearly broke.
“You remember?”
“Today I do.”
She hugged him.
“Then today is enough.”
The ceremony began.
Dante waited at the altar.
He had faced guns without blinking.
Yet when Sienna appeared, his composure cracked.
She saw it.
Everyone did.
Marco placed her hand into Dante’s.
“Take care of my girl.”
Dante answered quietly.
“With my life.”
That was not part of the plan.
Neither was the emotion in his voice.
The priest began.
Ten minutes passed.
Nothing happened.
Sienna almost believed Rocco would not come.
Then a woman screamed.
A man collapsed near the rear doors.
Smoke filled the cathedral.
“Down!” Dante shouted.
Security moved.
Sienna was pulled behind the altar.
Gunfire erupted outside.
Dante tried to move toward it.
Sienna grabbed him.
“No.”
“My men—”
“This is what he wants.”
Dante stopped.
She was right.
Rocco wanted Dante separated.
Then Marco disappeared.
Sienna turned.
“Dad?”
The side door stood open.
She ran.
“Sienna!”
Dante followed.
They entered the cloister.
Marco stood twenty feet away.
Rocco held a gun against him.
“I knew you’d come.”
Sienna stopped.
“Let him go.”
Rocco smiled.
“You look like Elena.”
“Good.”
His smile faded.
“She was stubborn too.”
“She was brave.”
“She betrayed her blood.”
“No. She survived it.”
Rocco aimed at Sienna.
Dante stepped in front of her.
“Ledger,” Rocco said.
Dante held up a flash drive.
“It’s all here.”
“Throw it.”
Dante did.
Rocco caught it.
Then laughed.
“You think this ends because you give me evidence?”
“No.”
Dante looked toward the cathedral.
“It ends because we already gave it to the FBI.”
Rocco’s face changed.
Sirens approached.
He pulled Marco closer.
“I’ll kill him.”
Sienna looked at her father.
Marco looked back.
And winked.
Then he stomped on Rocco’s foot.
Rocco shouted.
Marco dropped.
Dante lunged.
The gun fired.
Sienna screamed.
Dante tackled Rocco against the stone wall.
Agents poured into the cloister.
Rocco was arrested.
Sienna dropped beside Marco.
“Dad!”
He opened his eyes.
“I’m fine.”
She stared.
The bullet had missed him.
He smiled.
“I used to be faster.”
She burst into tears.
Back inside the cathedral, smoke cleared.
Guests returned cautiously.
The priest approached.
“I assume the ceremony is postponed.”
Sienna looked at Dante.
Dante looked at her.
Everything had started as theater.
The engagement.
The photographs.
The ring.
But nothing about the way he looked at her now was pretend.
Sienna took his hand.
“No.”
Dante’s eyes widened.
She smiled.
“We’re already dressed.”
Lucia laughed from the first pew.
Marco sat beside her with a blanket around his shoulders.
Dante whispered:
“You’re sure?”
“No.”
He blinked.
Sienna squeezed his hand.
“But I’m sure about you.”
The ceremony resumed.
This time there was no contract.
No strategy.
No audience that mattered.
When Dante kissed her, applause filled the cathedral.
But later that night, while reporters celebrated Chicago’s most unbelievable wedding, Gabriel entered Dante’s office with devastating news.
May you like
Victor Valente had disappeared from federal custody.
And the man who helped him escape had used security credentials belonging to Lucia Valente.
