Dante
"Let's just get this over with alright?" I told the DJ for the wedding before walking into the dressing room.
I hadn't been in the mood for about a week now. I was pissed we even had to do this whole fake wedding bullshit. I said I never wanted to get married and if I did, I wouldn't have wanted it like this.
It wasn't even worth it. After Carter's death, I wasn't exactly feeling the whole mafia legacy bullshit. My dad cared about all of that. He wanted this whole mafia shit to last generations, but it all just seemed stupid to me now. Ordering dozens of men and sometimes women to go out and do illegal things, risk their lives for you, it was plain buffoonery.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the weapons and money, no doubt. I also liked hurting people, but only when necessary. For example, the perv that tried to rape and mug Fiona, I liked that. He deserved that. The family that was out to get mama a few years ago. I liked that. They deserved that. But Carter, no. He didn't deserve that, and I damn sure didn't like it.
I had about an hour until Diana and I would officially be married according to the law. Everything was already ready. Food, wine, decorations, seats, and the guests were arriving soon.
"You really gonna go through with this man?" Micheal asks as I put my tuxedo jacket on.
"What choice do I have, Mike?"
He doesn't respond, and I take his silence as an answer.
~~~
The Priest begins as Diana looks around at the guests. Her face has an unreadable expression, completely different from the smile she has been wearing for the past weeks.
Diana has actually been the only person keeping me from being angry with everything and everyone. I had expected her to be panicking and stressing about the whole thing, but it seemed like she was the calm one. It was like we had reversed roles. I hated it and loved it at the same time.
"Dear friends and family, we are gathered here today to witness and celebrate the union of Diana Ambrose and Dante Stone in marriage. In the years they have been together, their love and understanding of each other has grown and matured, and now they have decided to live their lives together as husband and wife."
I hear one of Diana's friends grumble something and Daniel only smirks.
God, can this go any slower.
Diana begins biting her nails and when she notices I am staring, she looks away and takes her nails out of her mouth. Only to start playing with the hem of her dress.
I can tell something is up as the priest continues, "Diana and Dante, today you choose each other before your family and friends, to begin your life together. For all the tomorrows that follow, you will choose each other over and again, in the privacy of your hearts. Let your love and friendship guide you as you learn and grow together. Through your new partnership, may you triumph over the challenges in your path. Through the comfort of loving arms, may you always find a safe place to call home."
Diana's friend Lilah, I think, hands her a ring and Micheal hands mine to me. I take Diana's hand and slowly put the fake ring on her ring finger and she does the same to me.
When the priest asks if we would like to say our vows, we lie and say we want to do it in private.
Holding hands, the priest turns to me, "Do you Dante Stone take Diana Mandi Ambrose to be your wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do you part?"
I sigh before replying, "I do."
The priest nods and turns to Diana. She avoids eye contact with everyone, only staring at the ground.
Something's definitely up.
"Do you Diana Mandi Ambrose take Dante Stone to be your husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do you part?"
She lifts her head and stares at the guest before turning to the priest and then me. Sadness deep in her eyes.
My eyes furrow as a single tear falls from her eye.
She lets my hand go and turns to the guest. "As most of you probably already know, this relationship is fake. There you go, Daniel."
Another tear falls as she turns to me, "I'm sorry, I can't."
Before I know it, she is running down the aisle and everybody gasps. I rush after her and hear someone shout my name, but keep going. I finally spot Diana walking hastily down the sidewalk as she holds her dress.
"Diana!" I shout, walking faster.
I know she hears me, but she continues walking.
"Diana!"
She still doesn't answer.
I stop walking as a sprinkle falls from the sky. "Diana, stop fucking walking!"
She stops walking and I sigh in relief. As I catch up to her, she turns around.
God, she is so beautiful.
Her wavy red hair was moved around messily. I held the urge to move the single strand that was in front of her eyes.
"What happened back there?"
She only shakes her head, and I move closer when another tear falls. I wipe the tear, "Tell me, beautiful."
"I fell godamnit, I fell! I fucking fell for you, even when the whole time I knew I shouldn't be. And I know you'll never feel the same."
She backs away, wiping her eyes aggressively, "Because that's just who you are. I know I can't change you, but dammit, I sure as hell wish I could," She blows a breath "I wish that you would see that people actually do care about you. I wish you would understand that you are capable of being loved. I know that because I love you. I love you Dante. But I don't expect you to feel the same."
I move forward, "How do you know I don't feel anything towards you?"
She laughs sadly. "Do you have any feelings for me?"
Say something, Dante. Fucking say something. Anything.
Despite my thoughts, I can't find the words to say and nothing comes out of my mouth.
She looks up at the sky as tears fall. "Goodbye, Dante.'' She says before walking off.
"Diana!" I call after her, but she only continues to walk away.
I'm sorry.
I sigh and turn back to the wedding. "You fucking idiot! Why didn't you say anything!" I say and smack my head in stupidity.
When I walk in the church, everybody is standing up as they shout to one another about god knows what.
They fall silent as I come near.
I stand at the altar and my eyes fall to my dad. Rage instantly fills me as I stare at him. I walk towards him, standing in front of me, and he grins.
"This is your fucking fault! If you hadn't created this whole mafia bullshit, none of this would have happened. I could've gone to college. I could have been fucking happy, pops!"
I feel my eyes water and that only angers me anymore.
I'm not going to cry in front of them.
"Now my brother's gone, I'm about to go to prison and the only person that made me able to tolerate this shit hole of a world just left!"
I face Daniel, who is in the other row, "You got what you want man."
There's no point in not going, anyway. What do I actually have left?
I turn around, placing my hands behind my back. "You win, I give up."
"No, chico." My dad says and I lift my head.
As I stare at him, I see his grin has left. Pops never spoke in Spanish, only when he was serious.
He kisses ma's cheek and moves over to me and Daniel.
"Tienes razón. Esto es mi culpa. Todo ello." He says and moves me away.
I follow as Daniel handcuffs pops and leads him outside to his police car. Ma begins crying out to Daniel and I embrace her in a hug, trying to prevent my own tears from falling.
"Lo siento. Te amo chico." He says as Daniel pulls his phone out.
He had never said that to me before. Not even when we were little, in fact he never said that to anyone but ma.
"Te amo también, papá." I reply.
Ma continues to sob and my aunt's and uncles yell at Daniel in Spanish from the church doors.
"Take care of your mama for me." Is the last thing he says before getting in the police car. It isn't long before Daniel drives off.
"¡Se ha ido, Dante, se ha ido!" Ma sobs into my shoulder.
I rub her back as a single tear streams down my cheek. "Lo sé mamá, lo sé."
•••
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