bug under a magnifying
glass in the hot sun. Gianna’s gaze was appraising and unforgiving. She pursed her full, glossy lips, then finally spoke.
“My baby brother loves you more than anything in this world. For him, I will
embrace and protect you as a sister. But if you ever, ever hurt him, I
will kill you myself,” Gianna growled in a low whisper.
Kate swallowed hard at the lump in her throat. Not out of fear, but raw
emotion. She loved Dominic’s sister immediately for her fierce loyalty to her
brother. Kate bit her lip to hide her smile and shook her head at the taller
woman.
“I would rather die than hurt Dominic,” Kate assured her.
Gianna relaxed, the tension leaving her slender shoulders as she grinned at
Kate. “Good. Welcome to the family.” She swept Kate up in a tight hug, then released her.
“I’m Gianna.”
“Kate.”
“It’s nice to finally meet you. I’ve heard so much about you,” Gianna gushed
with a warm smile.
“Uh-oh. From Giovanni or Dominic?” Giovanni hated her guts, last Kate checked. The last time she saw him, he’d
chained her to a stake and left her to burn to death in the morning sunlight.
Yeah, that was going to be a tough relationship to improve, but at least they
had nowhere to go but up.
“Both.”
Kate sighed. “Well, I guess a fifty-fifty approval rating is better than
nothing, especially when the approving fifty is Dominic.”
Confusion filled Gianna’s face. “I’m not sure I know what you mean.”
Kate shook her head. “Never mind. Is there a place I
can clean up a bit?” She felt way underdressed and a bit grubby next to Gianna
and Lindsey, in their matching champagne dresses.
“Of course. That’s what we’re here for,” Gianna said
with a smile, floating across the room to open the door there.
She drew out a long, white garment bag. Holding the hanger in one hand, she
draped the length across her arm. Lindsey stepped forward to unzip the bag as
Gianna held it up for Kate’s inspection. The plastic peeled away to reveal
pristine white fabric. A wedding dress. Kate’s wedding
dress.
“You didn’t really think Dominic would marry you dressed like that,” Lindsey asked,
nodding with a chuckle at Kate’s worn Chucks and faded jeans.
Gianna cut in before Kate could respond. “Dominic would marry you in anything,”
she assured Kate, dropping the empty garment bag onto the sofa and holding the
dress out for Kate’s inspection. “But, he wanted everything to be perfect for
you.”
“It’s so beautiful,” Kate breathed, studying the delicate white lace of the
elegant, vintage-inspired gown.
“So are you,” Lindsey said with a smile. “Now, let’s see if he got the
measurements right.”
“Is there a bathroom I can change in?” Kate asked, eyeing Gianna with a
meaningful look.
Gianna waved her off, “We’re going to be sisters soon enough. But yes, it’s
right there.” She nodded at the door next to the closet.
Draping the dress over her arm, Kate headed into the powder room. After hanging
the gown on the hook on the back of the door, Kate turned to the oversized
cheval mirror. She’d definitely seen better days. She splashed a bit of cold
water on her face and raked her fingers through her hair. Hopefully, Gianna and
Lindsey were up for performing miracles.
A square package, wrapped in white and silver paper sat on the marbled stone
countertop. A single long-stemmed red rose rested across its top, tied with a
bow and a small, simple card. Kate recognized Dominic’s elegant script in the
black letters.
glass in the hot sun. Gianna’s gaze was appraising and unforgiving. She pursed her full, glossy lips, then finally spoke.
“My baby brother loves you more than anything in this world. For him, I will
embrace and protect you as a sister. But if you ever, ever hurt him, I
will kill you myself,” Gianna growled in a low whisper.
Kate swallowed hard at the lump in her throat. Not out of fear, but raw
emotion. She loved Dominic’s sister immediately for her fierce loyalty to her
brother. Kate bit her lip to hide her smile and shook her head at the taller
woman.
“I would rather die than hurt Dominic,” Kate assured her.
Gianna relaxed, the tension leaving her slender shoulders as she grinned at
Kate. “Good. Welcome to the family.” She swept Kate up in a tight hug, then released her.
“I’m Gianna.”
“Kate.”
“It’s nice to finally meet you. I’ve heard so much about you,” Gianna gushed
with a warm smile.
“Uh-oh. From Giovanni or Dominic?” Giovanni hated her guts, last Kate checked. The last time she saw him, he’d
chained her to a stake and left her to burn to death in the morning sunlight.
Yeah, that was going to be a tough relationship to improve, but at least they
had nowhere to go but up.
“Both.”
Kate sighed. “Well, I guess a fifty-fifty approval rating is better than
nothing, especially when the approving fifty is Dominic.”
Confusion filled Gianna’s face. “I’m not sure I know what you mean.”
Kate shook her head. “Never mind. Is there a place I
can clean up a bit?” She felt way underdressed and a bit grubby next to Gianna
and Lindsey, in their matching champagne dresses.
“Of course. That’s what we’re here for,” Gianna said
with a smile, floating across the room to open the door there.
She drew out a long, white garment bag. Holding the hanger in one hand, she
draped the length across her arm. Lindsey stepped forward to unzip the bag as
Gianna held it up for Kate’s inspection. The plastic peeled away to reveal
pristine white fabric. A wedding dress. Kate’s wedding
dress.
“You didn’t really think Dominic would marry you dressed like that,” Lindsey asked,
nodding with a chuckle at Kate’s worn Chucks and faded jeans.
Gianna cut in before Kate could respond. “Dominic would marry you in anything,”
she assured Kate, dropping the empty garment bag onto the sofa and holding the
dress out for Kate’s inspection. “But, he wanted everything to be perfect for
you.”
“It’s so beautiful,” Kate breathed, studying the delicate white lace of the
elegant, vintage-inspired gown.
“So are you,” Lindsey said with a smile. “Now, let’s see if he got the
measurements right.”
“Is there a bathroom I can change in?” Kate asked, eyeing Gianna with a
meaningful look.
Gianna waved her off, “We’re going to be sisters soon enough. But yes, it’s
right there.” She nodded at the door next to the closet.
Draping the dress over her arm, Kate headed into the powder room. After hanging
the gown on the hook on the back of the door, Kate turned to the oversized
cheval mirror. She’d definitely seen better days. She splashed a bit of cold
water on her face and raked her fingers through her hair. Hopefully, Gianna and
Lindsey were up for performing miracles.
A square package, wrapped in white and silver paper sat on the marbled stone
countertop. A single long-stemmed red rose rested across its top, tied with a
bow and a small, simple card. Kate recognized Dominic’s elegant script in the
black letters.
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