My family rushes over and I watch as they all hug Trish and wish us every congratulations.
“You have a lot of explaining to do, Connor Mennetti,” my mother says. Then she turns soft eyes on Trish. “You’re pregnant?”
Trish nods and my mom starts crying. “I’m so very happy for you both. This is such a blessing and I hope it will help to finally heal the rift between our families.”
I sure as hell hope so, too. But if her family still wants to hate me then so be it. I have Trish and that’s all that matters.
My mom puts an arm around Trish and the two start chatting as we leave the garden and head into the house. I have a feeling that they’re going to become good friends, At the last minute, my mom also called her personal chef to come over and whip something up for us. A fast celebratory wedding dinner, she’d said.
Once we’re all seated at the table, I look around and I’m so happy my family is here, supporting us. I momentarily miss my dad, but maybe it’s for the best that he missed this because I honestly don’t know if he would’ve approved. Even though they’d never admit it, my father and Matthais Volkanov are a lot alike. I just hope we can win Trish’s family over because she deserves to have their love and support too.
Of course, that may take a while, but we’re in this for the long haul.
Alina, the chef, brings several dishes in and I have no idea how she got everything ready so fast. But I’m incredibly grateful and before we start eating, everyone lifts their champagne glass for a toast.
“Thank you for being here,” I say simply, my heart so full it’s about to burst. “I hope our marriage helps heal a rivalry that should’ve ended decades ago. I love you, Mrs. Mennetti,” I tell Trish and clink my glass against hers.
“And I love you, Mr. Mennetti,” she declares.
Just as she lifts the glass to take a sip of her grape juice, there’s a commotion from the other room, a loud thump, muffled voices and then a door slams. I’m not sure what’s going on and I look up, completely stunned, when I see Antonio Dombruso step into the dining room.
And he’s waving a gun.
There’s no missing the crazed look in his dark eyes and my stomach plummets. A fear like I’ve never experienced before hits me harder than a freight train.
My family is in this room. The people I love most in this world, including my pregnant wife, sit in here and now this asshole is threatening them.
I can’t have that. I’ll let him empty every single bullet in that gun into my chest before I allow him to hurt the people I love.
No fucking way.
Shoving up from my seat, I push Trish down under the table and stalk around it, heading straight toward Antonio. “Get down,” I order my mom and siblings. Roberto moves up by my side, of course, but I don’t want him to get hurt either. “This is between us,” I tell Antonio. “Leave them alone.”
“You’ve ruined everything!” he screams. “I was supposed to marry Trish, not you!”
“Let’s talk about this outside,” I say, trying to remain calm and lure him away from the small dining room where my family could be hurt. They’re like damn sitting ducks.
“No! There’s nothing to talk about. You stole her from me and now her father’s dismissed me. After all of my years, faithfully serving him, he kicked me out. I’ve lost everything and now you will, too.”
“Antonio, listen to me – ”
“Shut up!” He shakes his head, hand trembling, and I can tell he’s on the verge of pulling that trigger. Panic consumes me and I continue to move closer, hands up, trying to placate him and trying to use my body as a shield. But it isn’t working. He’s worked more than before.
Antonio lifts the gun and shoots, his aim wildly off, so the bullet whizzes past me and hits the wall.
“Please, don’t do this,” I plead in a low, steady voice, making my way closer. Getting ready to tackle him. “Let’s go outside and talk. I’m sure we can work through this.”
“Never. You’re an Mennetti,” he growls.
“That doesn’t matter anymore,'” I tell him. “We’re putting an end to this rivalry.”
But it’s as though he doesn’t hear me. “I tried to stop her from being with you, but I missed.”
“What?” The word rips from my throat and my eyes narrow.
“I never intended to actually hit her, but I knew it would fuel the fire between the families. Now I’m wishing I had shot her.”
The darkness rises inside me and, I swear to God, I’m going to end this man. “You tried to hurt Trish?” I snarl.
“I wish I had. But it’s okay because now I can take out every single member of your family. Right here, right now. You’re damn right the rivalry is ending. Because there won’t be one Mennetti left.”
The gun goes off.
Startled, I jump and then Antonio Dombruso drops dead, crumpling to the floor, a fatal gunshot wound piercing straight through his heart. Beside me, Roberto lowers his gun.
“It’s over,” he murmurs.
Exhaling a huge, pent-up breath, my shoulders sag. Then I spin around where my family and wife are all hiding beneath the dining room table.
“Is everybody okay?” I ask, making my way over to Trish while Roberto helps my mom up.
“That was way too close for comfort,” my mom comments and Roberto wraps an arm around her shoulders, giving her a squeeze. Then he passes her over to Rylan who hugs her.
“It’s okay,” Rylan assures her.
Then he reaches out to Finley, drawing her into the embrace.
“I’ll go check on the guard,” Roberto says.
I nod and reach down, pulling Trish up into my arms. “Okay?”
She lets out a shaky breath. “I’m fine. Thank God no one was hurt. I never would have forgiven myself.”
“It wasn’t your fault,” I assure her and press a kiss to her lips.
“I have to talk to my father,” she says and I immediately tense. “If he sent Antonio here, I’ll never forgive him.”
“I don’t think he did,” I tell her, relaxing slightly. “I think Antonio did this on his own.”
“I can’t believe Antonio shot and nearly killed Johnny. That he wanted to hurt me.”
Apparently, losing Trish to me messed with his head. “He will never hurt you or any of us again, Mrs. Mennetti.”
Calling her by her new last name makes the light return to her eyes. “I love you,” she whispers, tightening her hold around me.
“I love you, too.”
Once Antonio’s body is removed and the guard who was outside is treated for the welt on his head where Antonio hit him, we decide to take dinner outside and eat in the garden. The atmosphere isn’t nearly as jovial as it was, but we take the time to discuss our families and how to end this rivalry.
I bring my mom and siblings up to date on everything I know, telling them about the shady, underground businesses I plan to eliminate and then how I got rid of Sean Flannigan and all our enforcers. Except Sully, of course.
He’s spending the evening with his granddaughter tonight and will probably be upset that he missed all the action.
“I want to start fresh and keep things legitimate. It’s a wonder Dad never went to prison,” I say dryly.
“It’s because he paid the cops off,” Roberto states, rolling his eyes.
“Well, that’s stopping,” I announce firmly.
“I should’ve spoken up a long time ago,” my mom says. “I didn’t know the details and I never wanted to, but I always had my suspicions. I’m so sorry.”
“It’s not your fault, Mom,” Roberto says and squeezes her arm. “I’m going to help Connor and we’re going to do things the right way from now on.”
“The new security company starts tomorrow,” I inform them.
“I’m hoping they won’t be a permanent need, but you’ll all be protected by professionals. Roberto and I will get things sorted out, but Finley and Rafferty, we’re going to need your help, too.”
My younger siblings perk up and nod. I know they’ve been relatively ignored by my father, so giving them a job to do will hopefully help them feel important and more involved in the family businesses.
The conversation with my family goes well and the fact that they’ve welcomed Trish with open arms touches my heart. Now that my dad’s dark influence is gone, I’m feeling lighter in every way possible.
Later that night, I ask Trish if she’s ready to call her family. But she says no and instead asks me to unzip her dress. There’s no way I’m going to argue with that. We come together and make passionate love, celebrating our first time together as husband and wife. I’m not sure how, but it’s even more scorching than usual. Maybe because I know that this woman is now mine.
Today, tomorrow and always.