“Yes.”

  “You love him?”

  “More than anything.”

  “Then walk toward him knowing you’re going where you are meant to be. I was nervous before my wedding, but as soon as I stepped foot into the church, everything vanished besides Pike. When he saw me and his face lit up, I glided down that aisle as if I were carried by some invisible force.”

  “Me too,” Tamara adds. “Everyone is nervous beforehand, and there’s no reason for it.”

  “There are going to be so many people in there,” I tell them. “So many and no one on my side of the church.”

  “Both sides are packed. Caldos and Chicago on one side and the rest of us on the other. You are not alone in this,” Lily says, coming to stand next to Gigi in front of me.

  The door opens, and Izzy steps inside, looking stunning in a red dress. “Can I have a minute?” she says, looking at Tamara, Gigi, Jo, and Lily.

  “Have fun,” Gigi says, winking at me before she peels away, taking the other girls with her.

  “Adaline okay?” I ask her as she closes the door.

  “She’s fine, dear. James has her, and they’re like two peas in a pod.”

  They took to Adaline like she was their own blood, keeping her as many weekends as we’d allow. And since we were new, that was often.

  Izzy’s eyes roam over me, sweeping across my dress before coming back to my face. She closes the space between us with a smile on her face. “You’re absolutely beautiful, Rebel. The most stunning bride I’ve ever seen.”

  “Thank you, Izzy,” I say, but I know it’s something everyone says to every bride, even though they’re all as equally and uniquely pretty as the others.

  She reaches out, taking my hands in hers, and gives my fingers a light squeeze. “Mom,” she whispers.

  I blink, staring back at her. “Mom what?”

  “I want you to call me Mom. You’re marrying my son, and that makes you my daughter and that little girl out there my grandbaby. No more Izzy or Mrs. Caldo, only Mom. You can say no and it’ll hurt like hell, but it would make my heart happy to hear you use that word.”

  I blink again, feeling the water filling my eyes. “Mom,” I whisper, the word foreign on my tongue.

  Izzy smiles, reaching up to cradle my face in the palms of her hands. “You’re ours now just as much as we’re yours. You will never be alone again. Never have to worry about anything when you have the power and safety of this family behind you. You aren’t just marrying my son. You’re solidifying your bond with the entire family.”

  A tear slides down my face, feeling the words deeply as she speaks them. “I don’t know what to say. I haven’t had a family since…”

  My mother was just a passing memory, and my aunt was nothing but a bitch. It has been more than ten years since I’ve spoken to her, and I have no plans of changing that.

  “Family isn’t always where you are born, dear. You’re a Caldo now—and a Gallo, even if not by name. You’ve brought my boy back, given him the light back in his eyes that I haven’t seen in a decade. You’ve given me far more than I could ever give you, but I will spend the rest of my life making sure you know just how much you’re wanted, loved, and appreciated, along with that sweet little grandbaby of mine, sitting on her grandpa’s lap right now, talking his ear off about the different princesses.”

  I smile, imagining James keeping his calm as Adaline prattles on about crowns, colors, and castles. “She loves you all just as deeply as I do,” I tell Izzy. “And I do, Mom.”

  Izzy’s face softens again, and she sniffles. “Now, no more of this talk. We’re going to ruin our makeup.” She lifts her fingers toward my eyes, brushing away the tears that have fallen free. “It’s a happy day.”

  “The happiest day of my life,” I whisper.

  “I’m going to go rescue James, but he’ll be back here in a minute to walk you down the aisle. Rocco’s already at the altar.”

  I reach out and pull her into an embrace, careful not to wrinkle her dress or my own. “Thank you for loving me like no one else has ever loved me. Words aren’t enough.”

  She pulls back and shakes her head. “We love you and always will,” she says before releasing me. “The best part of your life is about to start, sweetheart. Just remember, you deserve every ounce of joy that’s about to come your way.”

  I smile, holding back any more words because I’ll end up with my face scrunched up and in ugly-cry hell, tears streaming down my face and taking my makeup with them.

  As soon as she’s gone, I start pacing again, burning off the nervous energy I can’t shake. I didn’t give my first wedding a second thought, but I knew it wasn’t for love. We went to the courthouse, sealing the agreement quickly with zero fanfare. I didn’t have dreams of love and happiness, only security and safety for myself and our little girl.

  But with Rocco, it is different. This marriage is about happiness and a future we can build, growing old together surrounded by Adaline and hopefully more children and, eventually, our own grandchildren.

  There’s a light rap at the door before Mr. Caldo stands in the doorway, filling it up entirely. “Ready?” he asks, his eyes soaking me in for the first time, in my long white dress with layer upon layer of lace.

  “I am.” I swallow and move toward my bouquet, but he gets there first.

  “Couldn’t be happier today, baby girl.” He holds the bouquet out to me, and I take it, but I keep my eyes trained on him. “Waited my whole life for a daughter and got a granddaughter as a bonus. Happiest man in the world. That’s what I am today.”

  “Me too,” I say with a smile, pushing back the tears that are once again threatening to take up residence in my eyes.

  “You ready? Rocco’s waiting, and so is the entire family.”

  I nod and blow out a breath. “I am, Mr.…”

  He shakes his head. “Dad, baby. Call me Dad.”

  Do not cry.

  Do not cry.

  Fuck.

  I am going to cry.

  “I get to walk you down the aisle today, something I never thought I’d be able to do, seeing as I have three boys. But I’m that man, the one whose arm you’re going to be on, taking you to my son to create a new family. Give me that title, and I promise to earn it every single day.”

  “You already have,” I whisper, not trusting my voice. “You already have, Dad.”

  He smiles, moving his hands to mine and squeezing them lightly before offering me his elbow.

  I take it, gazing up at him, seeing the same beautiful features on his face that I see in Rocco’s. “Let’s do this,” I tell him with a quick nod.

  The hallway leading to the church is empty except for the two of us and the sound of the music coming from inside the chapel.

  When we stop in front of the doors, waiting for them to open, he turns his eyes to me again and says, “Izzy and I were married here. She walked down the same aisle you will. Happiest day of my life. I figure my son is going to feel the same way I did, watching his future walk toward him. Keep your eyes on him and step into it, baby.”

  “Step into it,” I repeat as the doors swing open, the people inside stand, and my gaze moves down the aisle to where Rocco is standing on the altar.

  His shoulders are square, back straight, eyes only on me. My belly flutters, and for a second, I don’t move, too winded by the handsomeness of the man and the dumb luck that I am about to marry him.

  My feet only move forward when James takes a step, taking me with him. I do as he said, keeping my eyes on Rocco, our gazes locked. No one else matters. It is only him and me as I march down the aisle, leaving my past behind me and looking forward to whatever the future holds.

  Rocco’s smile only grows wider the closer I get, his eyes never leaving mine, saying so much without ever speaking a word.

  James stops at the bottom of the steps, keeping me there instead of letting me close the last few feet between his son and me.

  “Who here gives this woman to be wed to this man?” the priest asks.

  “I do,” James says in a deep tone before turning to me and whispering, “Love ya, kid. You got this.”

  The entire family makes me feel like anything is possible, but no one more than the man I am about to marry.

  Then he reaches out his hand, and I slide mine into his, letting him pull me up the stairs. I don’t hear a thing the priest says because I am too busy staring at the man in front of me decked out in a suit, looking more handsome than I would have ever thought possible.

  Behind him are his brothers, Trace and Carmello, along with his cousins, Pike, Jett, Nick, and Mammoth. They are all the most beautiful sight in the world. All there for us, showing their support, becoming part of our union and our future too.

  “I love you,” Rocco mouths as I stare at him, unable to look anywhere else.

  “Love you too,” I mouth back, knowing whatever lies in front of us is nothing but wonderful.

  Epilogue

  Rocco

  One Year Later

  Carmello walks into Inked, his hair messy and in the same clothes as yesterday.

  “Rough night?” Rebel asks him before he can blow by her at the front desk, where she’s working on the schedule.

  “Oh, it was rough, darlin’, but not in the bad kind of way.” He stops near the edge of the desk and takes a knee, looking at our daughter fast asleep in the baby carrier. “I need to get me one of these.”

  All my uncles along with Mom have officially retired, handing over the shop to us kids to run. That frees them up to watch the grandkids, and they couldn’t be happier. Neither could we because we have unlimited freedom to do with the shop as we wish.

  Rebel turns, resting her hip against the counter, staring at him as he touches the baby’s cheek with the backs of his knuckles. “You may have a few out there already,” she teases him.

  “I have no kids. Trust me, if I did have one out there, I’d know.”

  “Would you?” Rebel questions him, riding his ass like she’s been his sister his entire life. “I mean, I’m sure the girls don’t sleep around and could pinpoint the daddy without a problem.”

  “Are you saying I sleep with easy chicks?”

  She laughs. “Mello, you are the easy one in this situation. How many women do you think you’ve slept with in the last year?”

  There’s a long pause. “Fuck, I don’t know.”

  I laugh and continue prepping my station, shaking my head at the stupidity of my brother.

  “Give me an estimate.”

  “There are 365 days in a year, and I go out pretty often, and this year was one for the record books.”

  “You’re such a whore,” she tells him, kneeling next to him as he continues staring at our little girl, unable to come up with a solid number.

  “Someday, one of them is going to walk through the door and surprise your ass.”

  He shakes his head and grunts. “Not happening. I always wear protection.”

  “Always?” Rebel raises an eyebrow, twisting her lips, totally judging him on his whorish behavior.

  “Like, ninety percent of the time. Sometimes we party a little too hard, and shit gets crazy. You know how it is.”

  “Yeah, when I was a teenager, dumbass. You’re thirty. Keep that shit under wraps.”

  “He wants to be free,” Carmello tells her, and I have to bite my lip to stop myself from busting out laughing.

  “He’s truly an idiot,” Gigi says from the station next to me. “I don’t know how he gets so much pussy.”

  “He drowns himself in it so he doesn’t have to deal with any feelings, and he’s fucking good-looking.”

  “You only say that because you share his face.”

  “Yep. I know what this face can get a man.”

  She rolls her eyes. “You have a better personality.”

  “I do now, but I was a miserable prick, and the chicks still wanted me. He’s the fun one—fucked up in the head—but the fun one, and they all want a piece of his dick, hoping their pussy is the magical one that sticks.”

  “Men are dumb, but women are dumber,” she whispers, covering her station in plastic before our doors open for the day.

  “I heard chicks like men with babies. Think I could take Liv with me one night?”

  Rebel blinks, but she doesn’t move otherwise or speak. She only glares, something I’ve seen thrown my way more than once, and it’s not a good feeling.

  “I’ll take that as a no.”

  “You are not taking my daughter to shop for pussy.”

  He throws his hands up and rises from the floor. “She’d be safe.”

  Rebel stands too, her eyes still narrowed. “She is not a pussy magnet.”

  “How do I attract the good ones unless I have a baby at my side?”

  Rebel crosses her arms, cocking one shoulder. “Why don’t you try treating them like they matter and they’re more than just a quick fuck.”

  He blinks, staring back at her. “I treat every single one of them like a queen. They never walk away without an orgasm.”

  “Well, aren’t you Prince fucking Charming.”

  “You’re an idiot!” Gigi yells out, to which Lily pops her head out of the piercing room, nodding her agreement.

  “I can hear your dumb ass back here and, cousin, I love you, man, but you know nothing about women. You want to catch a good one, don’t try to get in their pants within the first hour.”

  “They want in mine,” he argues like it somehow makes it better.

  “Go somewhere else besides a bar or a club. Try hanging out at the library or a bookstore.”

  He jerks his head back. “What? You’re fucking with me.”

  “If she’s shaking her ass at a club, she only wants to give you her ass. Strike up a conversation with a chick looking at a book and pay attention to her mind, and that pussy might stick,” Rebel tells him.

  I love the way she talks to him, giving him the advice he’s always needed but never paid attention to. He respects Rebel, though. She is about the only person he ever takes advice from, and he tries his best to follow through, even if he inevitably fails.

  “Win her mind, and you’ll get her heart.”

  “So, no sex on the first date?”

  Rebel’s eyes flash. “No. Maybe a kiss on the cheek, but anything more has to wait.”

  The words rock him back on his heels. “How is that even possible? I’m a man.”

  She rolls her eyes and groans.

  “Lord bless her for trying with that one,” Gigi mutters. “I’d have given up long ago. He’s a lost soul, drowning in useless pussy.”

  “He’ll grow up eventually.”

  “Sure, whatever,” she mumbles.

  “Lily!” Carmello yells from the front of the shop.

  A second later, Lily pokes her head out again and says, “What?”

  “I need you,” he tells her, glancing toward her room. “I need you to teach me how to talk to someone like you.”

  She blinks, her jaw set hard. “Excuse me? Someone like me?”

  “A bookish chick. A nerdy girl,” he explains.

  I cover my face, laughing because he’s about to get his ass whooped by the nerdy girl. She doesn’t play, and sometimes he forgets her daddy taught her how to take down any man in only a few quick moves. She may be little, but she knows how to use her power, and she uses that shit wisely.

  Lily raises her chin, stalking in his direction, cheeks tinged pink. “You want to say that again because I’m not sure I heard you right.”

  He swallows, giving her a smile, tucking his hands in his pockets. “I want to find a good girl, and you’re the best one I know.”

  Nice save.

  He is a smooth talker and fast on his feet when he isn’t thirsting after ass.

  She eyes him, but he holds her stare. “Please, Lily. Take pity on my sinful soul.”

  She shakes her head and covers her face, mumbling into her palm.

  “Do you want me to be alone forever?”

  “Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Rebel mutters, going back to the books. “The man is ridiculous.”

  Lily sighs. “I’ll teach you everything you need to know, but I need you to promise me something first.”

  “What?” he asks, taking a step toward her.

  “Promise me you’ll use the knowledge for good and not to literally tap into a whole new market.”

  He moves his fingers over his heart. “I swear. Scout’s honor.”

  “You were never a scout.”

  “I know, but it sounded good.”

  “Forget it.” She waves her hand at him, going to turn her back.

  “Wait.” He reaches out, grabbing her by the elbow. “Please. I beg you. I’ll do whatever you want.”

  “What the fuck is happening?” Pike says, walking into the work area from the back door, seeing the exchange between Lily and Carmello.

  “He wants help looking for his wife.”

  Pike moves his hand across his hair, confusion on his face. “What wife?”

  “He says he’s going to turn over a new leaf. He wants to settle down and have babies.”

  Pike bursts into laughter and collapses back into his chair. “This should be fun.”

  “You got that right,” I tell him. “It’s going to make for an interesting time at the shop.”

  “I see a lot of misery in all of our futures,” Pike adds. “Lots of fucking misery.”

  “Fine.” Lily blows out a breath and rubs her temples. “We’ll start tomorrow, but the moment you fuck up, it’s over.”

  “Teach me all your womanly wisdom.” He smiles and gives her a wink. “I’m a sponge.”

  “You need a sponge. I can smell the sex on you, and the yesterday’s-clothes look…not good. We have a lot of work ahead of us.”

  “I’m going to make you proud,” he tells her. “You’ll all see. I’m about to find me a woman.”

  Those words are meant for all of us, and by the look on his face, I’d say he was serious, but that doesn’t stop us from laughing.

  Whatever is about to happen, I am going to enjoy every freaking second of it.

  “Honey,” Rebel calls, walking my way. “Remember we have the lawyer at three.”