bright and shining and happy and perfect.

As I make my way down the aisle, my eyes catch Nero's and he gives me a sparkling, melting smile.

Butterflies erupt in my stomach. I am so fricking happy right now.

I take my place at the front of the church beside Natalia's other bridesmaids, and the whole audience watches as she walks down the aisle, breathtaking in her flowing white dress.

And then I take a glance over to Daniel, who watches, eyes wide and completely spellbound, as his bride walks towards him, led by her mother through the centre of the pews.

When she's close enough to him, he reaches out and they hold each other and whisper something quietly, and Daniel's grin is soft and happy and he is so in love with her, it makes my heart sing just watching them.

And then they say their vows and before the pastor even finishes telling him to kiss her, he tugs her to him and plants a wet kiss onto her waiting mouth, and there are catcalls and hoots because there's definitely tongue and it's entirely indecent, but everyone is laughing and Daniel smiles against her lips, and she whispers 'I love you', and I have never seen either of them happier.

Nero's sitting near the front beside Natalia's mom, and he looks like a million dollars in a perfectly-cut, well-fitting suit. His eyes glimmer, and for a second I imagine walking down an aisle in a white dress towards him, and the thought makes me blush.

Maybe one day.

The last couple months have been some of the happiest of my life. Being with him now, after everything, is so damn easy.

Way easier than I could have ever imagined.

Today is the first time where he and I are together, in public, in front of my parents and friends and Daniel, and it might not be easy but it sure as hell will be worth it.

•§•

well, I think, as we all sit around a banquet table for dinner. Me, Nero, my parents, Daniel, Natalia, her mom, Shauna.

Yes, I want to melt down to my toes from how awkward this could be.

Nero is sandwiched protectively between Natalia and I, buffered from the potential wrath of my protective guardian angels.

But they are civil, and my mom and dad are kind and generous and they give him a chance, if only for the sake of peace at Daniel's wedding, and because he's Natalia's cousin and they love her to bits.

And fuck, he is charming and smooth as hell.

They get to talking more about the work he's doing at Next Step Canada, and Nero's obvious experience with the criminal justice system and organized crime is somehow a blessing from the way he and my parents make conversation so skillfully, finding things in common and people they are mutually acquainted with and Nero says all the right things, makes them laugh and smile.

It's going so well that I even leave him behind while I go use the washroom, and he's alive and well when I get back.

He rests a hand on my thigh, leans in, whispers something sweet and dirty into my ear, makes me laugh.

I think my family can see how happy I am, how happy he makes me, and it makes them happy, too.

•§•

taste in music.

My arms are draped around Nero's neck as we sway together on the dance floor, and I whisper against his skin about how charming he was at dinner. "They actually like you, you know."

His fingers grip my waist, a dark chuckle falling onto my lips. "You sound way too surprised, gioia. You underestimate me."

"Never," I mumble, letting him capture my lips, and like always his touch is magical, sends heat through my veins, right between my legs, and if I wasn't so conscious of all the people around us I would let him kiss me deeper, let his hands roam to places they shouldn't get close to in public.

I pull away, breathing hard. My nose slides across his, our gazes meet, hot and bright and shit, I'm actually wet.

Someone clears their throat from beside us.

"Mind if I steal my sister away for a dance?"

Daniel's voice is not amused, not in the slightest.

"Of course." We untangle ourselves and I give Nero an apologetic shrug, and he and Daniel look at each other for a moment, Daniel pissed and Nero defensive, then Nero is the bigger man because he stands down, gives my hand small squeeze before leaving the dance floor.

I give Daniel a death glare as puts his hands on my waist. "Seriously, Danny? Did you really have to be so rude to him?" I rest my hands on his shoulders, and we glide together through the slow pop song.

Daniel lets out a frustrated huff. "Did he really have to... maul you like that in public?"

I fight back a smile. Protective older brother, to the very end. "Like you mauled Natalia on the altar?" I try not to smile, thinking about it.

"I did no such thing." A faint redness tinges his cheeks.

"Mhm." I run a hand playfully through his hair and he bats it away. "Why don't you save this restless, manly energy for later tonight, huh?" I tease, and he looks like he wants the ground to swallow him whole.

"Ros," he groans, "You're my little sister. You aren't supposed to even know about sex."

And I laugh, and laugh, and laugh a little more, and he lets go of me, mortified. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, Danny."

A couple songs later, Natalia and Nero find us again, and Daniel looks at Nero murderously when I tuck myself beside him. "If you lay a finger on her in the wrong direction, I swear I'll stick your miserable ass in jail for the rest of your life."

I roll my eyes, fighting back a smile. "I like it when he touches me, Daniel."

My brother's face is flushed, he's trying to calm down but failing. I'm sure the images that I just suggested, of Nero defiling me, aren't helping. "I really want to hit you, Santino."

Nero raises an eyebrow. "Go ahead, man. If it will make you feel better."

I shake my head, knowing easily who would win that fight. "Daniel. He fought off five armed members of the mob and won, remember? Probably not a good idea."

There's an amused glint in Nero's eyes, but he keeps a straight face for my brother's sake. His hand finds mine at my side, our fingers tangling together.

"Put your dicks away, please, boys," Natalia sighs, squeezing Daniel's shoulder. Into his ear she says softly, "Civil, remember, babe?"

Daniel slumps, the fight leaving him, at least for the moment. He lets Natalia guide him away, and she tosses us a wink over her shoulder.

Nero tugs me close against his hip, mumbling into my hair, "I think I should sleep with one eye open."

"That sounds wise."

Pulling me against his chest, hands at my hips, he says, "It turns me on when you stick up for me like that, carina." His breath is a warm flutter against my cheek.

"Put it back in your pants, Nero, unless you want Daniel to come back here and murder you for real." I'm smiling against his neck.

I can feel the heat from his chest and the want from the tips of his fingers, and something churns in my gut just thinking about it. "This wedding thing makes me want to devour you, dolcezza. It's not my fault I'm so fucking in love with you."

There's a subtle sparkle in his eyes. He just came so close to admitting he wants to marry me, and I don't think my heart can take it.

"Do you really want Daniel to know that you fucked his sister at his wedding?"

A disapproving, loud voice belonging to none other than my dearest Shauna.

Nero steps away from me just a little, tucking me back against his side. He even has the good grace to blush, running a hand sheepishly through his hair. "Shauna," he breathes, giving her a soft, guilty, panty-melting grin. "She's beautiful. Can you blame me?"

She shakes her head disdainfully, a sassy hand on her curved hip. "Nuh-uh, Hot Stuff. You're sexy as hell but don't think for a second that you can charm me into forgiving you. I am watching you, asshole. You have a lot of making up to do before you get onto my good-side."

"Shauna," I groan. "Be nice to him. I love him, remember?"

I can tell she's fighting back a smile. "Well, I don't. So you better think of something good, Ferarri, to make me consider starting to like you."

"Sold my Ferarri, Shauna." He doesn't like the nickname that she has chosen for him, stuck like gum to a shoe.

I bite my lip, pride rising up inside my chest. I give his hand a gentle squeeze. "He gave the money to charity, Shaun."

She blinks a couple times before pasting that doubtful expression back onto her face. "That's a start. But you should've let me drive it first."

"You'll never win, Nero," I shrug, laughing, and he leans into kiss my cheek.

"Already have, because I have you."

I think Shauna lets out a small squeak. Her inner romantic is falling in love with him but her indignant loyalty to me wants to hate him.

I know she'll come around eventually.

He sweeps me into his arms, plants a sloppy kiss onto my mouth, and I know that Shauna is about to have a heart attack.

I'm too in love with him to possibly care.

•§•

Dorn are here, too. I excuse myself from Nero at some point to go sit with them for a while, because there are some things, some lines, he and I will never be able to cross together, and that is okay.

They are doing well. As well as you could imagine, I guess. There's a hole in their lives that will always be there, and it still hurts to think about it.

It hurts more when I realize that Caleb has been gone for longer than I had him in my life. But I still love him, will always love him, and it is comfortable and normal and okay, and Nero knows, he understands.

He supports me through it, those moments where I have to take a minute because I'm thinking of Caleb, remembering him, that smile and that laugh and those bright, teasing blue eyes. Sometimes I just need a second to breathe because the brilliance and perfection of him still punches me in the gut. And Nero gets it, and he loves me with all my baggage and scars and flaws, and I love him with all of his.

Molly leans in close to me, whispers conspiratorially in my ear, "Rosalyn, your boyfriend is so, so hot. Where did you find him?"

And I laugh, and she laughs too, and when you think, really think, about this situation, I am probably—most definitely—going to hell. But right now I am too happy to care.

"He was my neighbor, Molly." I don't go into more details, and thankfully she doesn't ask.

I talk to her about school, talk to her parents about work.

When they hear about my upcoming exhibition, they are so happy for me that there are almost tears in my eyes.

So, a few days after Nero and I got back together, I got a call from the Vancouver Art Gallery. Apparently, Dr. Maneck has a friend who curates for them. She told him about my work, and he was interested in hearing more about my story.

When I gave him the quick version, showed him my pieces, he was intrigued. A few weeks later, they offered me a two-week show this upcoming winter.

I'm not going to lie—this is a big deal. When I found out, I gave her the world's biggest hug and she actually laughed. A sound I never, ever thought I'd hear, and one I'll never forget.

Life is good. I've made peace with myself, with my past, with the world around me, and I'm looking forward to a brighter future. Yes, it's so damn cliché. Sue me.

***

A/N:

My heart is so heavy right now. Wow.

Full disclosure: I considered, for a while, ditching the cliché happy ending for something like a pointless, senseless death, like, Nero dies in a car crash, or something. But I love you guys and I love them too much to do that to you. So, cliché ending it is. My soul as a writer hurts but this is Wattpad. You would never, ever have forgiven me. 😂

Officially marked this story as complete! Wow. ❤️ The adventure is not over yet, fam.

XOXO Ami