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“If I could have everyone’s attention.”

The garden quiets as the padrino speaks. Conversations fade, and glasses lower. My hand finds Marco’s automatically. He’s against me in an instant, his arm sliding around my waist and pulling me to his side with a possessiveness that stutters my heart.

Enzo stands beneath the olive trees with Sophia beside him, and for a moment, the man he was before he became Padrino surfaces. He was just a man in love with a woman who was grateful to be alive.

“Most of you know what happened at this couple’s wedding.” His easy, commanding voice carries across the space. “What you might not know is that when the shooting started, Dr. Lucia Santori…” He pauses to let the name settle and become real. “She didn’t run. She pulled a gun and fired back, saving lives. And then she spent the next three hours treating the wounded, because that’s who she is. She’s a healer, but also a fighter and a woman who doesn’t flinch.”

The crowd murmurs, and heat climbs my cheeks. Frankly, I hadn’t even had time to think about my reaction. I just…did what was necessary.

“We’re announcing some changes today.” Enzo’s tone shifts, becoming more formal. “Marco Santori has served this famiglia with loyalty and blood for years, but he has earned the right to establish a new life. Effective immediately, he will step back from operations. His role as head of security passes to Nico, who has earned it with every year of his service. Marco’s focus will shift to our legitimate enterprises like the gym and the clinic. He will oversee the kind of work that shapes futures.”

My breath catches. I glance at Marco, but his eyes stay glued on Enzo. He doesn’t look surprised or uncertain. He’s watching the padrino like a man who’s been waiting for this to become official. His jaw is set, and his shoulders are loose.

He knew. He probably asked for it.

For now, I reach for his hand.

“He’ll always be part of this family.” Enzo’s gaze shifts to us. “’However, Marco can now create a legacy of his own with the woman who’s saved him in more ways than one.”

While the guests in the garden erupt into applause, I’m still processing and attempting to understand what this means.

Marco lets go of my hand and steps forward. “I want to mention a few things.” The announcement comes out rough, unpolished, and nothing like Enzo’s effortless oration. “I’m not good at speeches at all, really. That’s more Lucia’s thing.”

A laugh ripples through the throng. When Jenna whoops, my cheeks flame.

“But I have to try.” Marco’s eyes find mine, and his expression softens beyond anything I’ve seen before. “Before I met Lucia, I was just a weapon. A fighter, a soldier, good for nothing but violence, damaging things, and hurting people.”

He returns to my side and takes my hands with trembling fingers.

“But she saw in me a man who deserved more, who could be more. And she…” His voice cracks, and the garden blurs through my tears. “She didn’t change me. That’s not what love does. She showed me that the man I already was, the ruined parts and all, was worth loving. I didn’t have to earn love by being someone else.”

I blink, and the tears streak down my cheeks.

“I’m not promising I’ll be perfect.” He squeezes my hands. “I might screw up or fall back into old habits or do things I regret. Even so, I promise I’ll spend every day striving to be the man she sees when she looks at me. A man who deserves her. I’m going to dedicate the rest of my life to making sure she knows exactly how much she’s loved.”

Though he’s addressing the guests, his eyes stay on me.

“So, that’s my speech. Thank you for coming and celebrating with us. Most of all, thank you for welcoming her into this family. She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and I’m going to spend the rest of my life proving it.”

He kisses me, and I wrap an arm around his neck.

An applause breaks over us, and I laugh with wild abandon, feeling all the while like I’m soaring.

“My turn.” I pull back to address the excited faces around us, my voice steadier than I anticipated. “I’m not good at speeches, either, regardless of what Marco would have you believe.”

I look at the man who’s become my universe.

“When I first met Marco, I thought he was danger incarnate and a heartbreaker.” Everyone in the garden seems to hold their breath. “He’s also the kind of man who does good when no one’s watching and never mentions it. He sees strength in people before they see it themselves and shows up every time, without being asked, for the people he loves.”

My voice wobbles, but I keep going.

“I didn’t fix him. He didn’t fix me. We just…chose each other through the chaos and the fear and the moments when we both wanted to run. And I’m going to keep choosing him for the rest of my life.”

I reach for Marco’s hand and lift it so everyone can see the gold band on his finger. His eyes soften.

“You gifted me a building.” My voice carries across the garden. “And I gave you this. A reminder that you’re not just a weapon or a soldier. You’re my husband, my partner, and a man who deserves to be loved exactly as he is.”

His whole heart shows on his face, and his thumb rolls the band like he can’t believe it’s there.