Marrying My Ex's Don Brother After He Made Me the Bridesmaid at My Own Wedding for His First LoveChapter 2

Cassian: Where are you?

I stare at the message for maybe two seconds.

Then I send him the address.

Romano estate. Bridal suite.

His reply comes right away.

Stay there.

That’s it.

No questions.

No What happened?

No Are you sure?

Just stay there.

I lock my phone before Matteo can see.

He’s already at the door.

“Come on.”

I look up.

“Where?”

“To get Bianca.”

Of course.

Apparently giving another woman my wedding dress isn’t enough. Now I’m supposed to ride along while my fiancé picks her up like she’s actually the bride.

Matteo grabs his jacket.

“You’re coming, right?”

I almost say no.

Then I look at him.

Really look at him.

Seven years of my life are standing ten feet away, fixing his cuff like tomorrow is going exactly the way he planned.

Maybe I need to hear him say it one more time.

“You’re really doing this?”

He glances over.

“Doing what?”

“Going to pick her up.”

His expression shifts.

Not guilt.

Annoyance.

“Val, we just talked about this.”

“I know.”

“Then why are we doing this again?”

Because I want you to stop.

Because I want you to look at me and realize how insane this is.

Because some stupid part of me is still waiting for you to laugh and tell me the whole thing was a bad joke.

Instead I ask, “You’re going to walk into that church with her?”

Matteo sighs.

“Yes.”

“And say vows.”

“They don’t mean anything.”

“To you.”

He pauses.

That gets him.

For about half a second.

Then his phone rings.

Bianca.

Of course.

He answers immediately.

“Hey.”

Her voice carries through the room.

“Are you coming?”

Matteo smiles.

Actually smiles.

“Yeah. I’m leaving now.”

“I thought maybe you changed your mind.”

“Not happening.”

She laughs softly.

I stand there and listen to my fiancé reassure another woman that he is absolutely showing up to marry her tomorrow.

Fake marriage.

Real vows.

My dress.

His first love.

Whatever label makes him feel better.

Bianca says something I can’t hear.

Matteo lowers his voice.

“No. Don’t worry about her.”

Her.

Nice.

He hangs up and slips the phone into his pocket.

Then he looks at me like nothing happened.

“You sure you don’t want to come?”

I pick up the bridesmaid dress and hand it back to my stylist.

“No.”

Matteo raises an eyebrow.

“Still mad?”

“Not really.”

That makes him grin.

There it is.

The confidence.

He walks over and pinches my chin lightly.

“Good girl.”

I nearly laugh.

Seven years ago, I would’ve melted.

Today I want to bite his hand.

Instead I step back.

“Go. Your bride’s waiting.”

He smirks.

“Jealous?”

“No.”

“Sure.”

He kisses my forehead again.

I let him.

That’s the last one he gets.

At the door, he turns around.

“Don’t disappear on me.”

I look at him.

“I won’t.”

Technically true.

I’ll still be at the wedding.

Just not where he expects me.

Matteo smiles and heads out with two Romano men behind him.

His footsteps disappear down the hall.

I pull out my phone.

There’s another message from Cassian.

Cassian: I’m twenty minutes away.

I type back.

You know what you’re agreeing to?

Three dots appear.

Cassian: Valeria.**

Another message.

You asked me to marry you.

Then:

I’m not coming over to talk you out of it.

For the first time all day, I smile.

Good.

I set the phone down.

Outside the window, black Romano SUVs start pulling away.

Matteo is going to get his bride.

Mine is coming to get me.