Chapter 35

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CHAPTER!! Told ya'll I'd put one up!! HEHE! YAY! :D ENJOY, my amazing readers...!

RIP. My baby Jordy.

-This chapter is dedicated to you. You are the best dog I could have ever asked for and I love you with all of my heart. I love you, Jordy baby. <3

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CHAPTER 35: Natalie stared down at the disturbed, muddy soil that sat underneath her mother's headstone, still unbelieving. It had been 6 weeks since her monster of a father had kidnapped her.

6 weeks since she woke up in that dull yet harsh white room.

She had woken up to Giovanni holding her hand, his head resting on the bed next to her hand. Natalie had just stared at him for a long time until she used her good hand to run her bruised fingertips through his dark silky hair. He snapped up at the very first brush of her fingertips and then he had done something that still stunned Natalie to this day.

He stared at her, bowed his head and started to sob.

His shoulders shook and his hands came up to cover his face whole Natalie's own eyes filled with tears.

"I wouldn't be able to survive without you, mi amour..." he had whispered before lightly kissing her lips, afraid of hurting her.

Which was a good thing because her entire body pulsed and throbbed with pain. She was scared to see what she looked like, but as she lay in the hospital bed what she was able to see was the big sling her dislocated arm was in, her ribs were wrapped too. When the doctor came in he had said that she had 3 broken and 2 cracked ribs, a dislocated shoulder, and a concussion as well. It took her a long time to heal and Giovanni was there the entire time.

Once she had been released from the hospital Giovanni's doctor friend Charles checked on her daily while she and Giovanni stayed in and watched movies on the sofa. She had been grieving her mother during her healing time too and she thought that the pain of having her mother dead and gone was far greater than the bruises that covered her body. With much arguing with Giovanni, Natalie had convinced him to let her go see her mother's grave every evening, which Giovanni had Rebecca's grave placed on his property so that Natalie could visit her whenever she wished.

Natalie sighed, ran her fingertips over her mother's name engraved into the cool stone when Giovanni's arms came around her waist, still so gentle-as if afraid she would break under his fingertips. He also watched out for her big ugly black sling her arm was in. She smiled through her tears and leaned her head back against his broad chest and he nuzzled her neck.

"Are you alright, mi amour?" Giovanni rumbled in her ear, his voice smooth and husky.

Her toes curled.

Natalie turned around to face him and looked up at his beautiful features. She used her free hand to reach up and cup his strong jaw, his light stubble tickling her palm.

She smiled, nodded.

"I'm okay. I just miss her." She said softly and he nodded with understanding before he reached up to cover her hand with his much larger one.

"I wish I could take away your pain, mi amour." He whispered and her heart swelled with warmth.

"I know. Thanks, I love you." She whispered in return.

His eyes glittered down at her and he bent his face down to hers to capture her lips with his own.

Her knees still went weak with the touch of his lips and she reveled in the hot and fuzzy butterflies that fluttered low in her tummy as his lips molded perfectly to hers.

He pulled back and pulled her hand away from his face to grasp it and intertwine their fingers together as they began walking back to their home.

The sun was setting in the sky, streaks of pale oranges, yellows and bright rubies feathering through the great expanse of the sky, setting the world ablaze.

"Are you ready for tonight?" Giovanni asked and Natalie grinned as she looked up at him.

"You're really asking that?" she asked, incredulity heavy in her voice.

Giovanni shrugged, though a small smile curled his lush lips.

She bit back a smile  of her own and looked down at the green grass sliding between her toes as she walked.

"I am more excited than I have ever been in my entire life." She stated and Giovanni chuckled, squeezed her hand softly.

"Even more than our first wedding?" he asked playfully and her eyes twinkled up at him.

"I will be happy and excited doing whatever-just as long as it is with you." She said honestly.

His eyebrows shot up before he wiggled them.

"Anything, mi amour?" he asked and his voice dropped low and husky.

Natalie threw back her head and laughed as they came to a stop at the front door.

She turned to him, her face glowing with happiness and desire.

"Anything..." she said in a sultry whisper before she threw open the front door and ran inside.

She heard Giovanni growl with lust even as he let out a low booming chuckle that followed her up the stairs. She pushed the door to the guest bedroom open and found Ciara, Ana-Marie and Louisa sitting on the bed. They turned their heads as she walked in and closed the door. Bounding up, Louisa ran across the room to attach herself to Natalie's legs.

"You getting married!" she shouted happily and Natalie smiled and ran her fingers through the little girl's dark silky soft curls.

"I am! Are you ready to help your mommy and Ciara get me ready?" she asked as she kissed her forehead and Louisa nodded her head emphatically as she let go of Natalie's legs to run over to the large dresser that had a variety of different makeups, brushes, and lipsticks. A knock sounded on the door just behind Natalie, and she jumped and turned to open the door as the girls giggled.

Charles stood on the opposite side of the door wearing navy blue slacks and a white dress shirt. He smiled down at Natalie and kissed her cheek as he stepped inside the room.

"Ready to get that thing off?" he nodded towards the sling.

Natalie's grin was wide and excited.

"You have no idea!" Charles chuckled and gestured her to sit on the bed.

Natalie obliged and watched as Charles came over to stand on her side. He slowly began peeling the various Velcro straps away and lifted the one large bulky strap off and away from her neck before pulling the sling off and throwing it on a nearby chair.

She sighed with delight.

"I am so glad to get that off! I will happily burn that thing." She said truthfully.

Ciara and Ana-Marie chuckled, Charles just smiled and took her arm, rotating it ever so slightly.

"Any pain?" he asked.

Natalie shook her head.

"No, not anymore. Just stiff." He nodded with approval and moved away.

"Alright. Well, everything looks fantastic. You can start getting ready for your wedding." He winked and Natalie stood to show him out then turned back to go and sit down where Ana-Marie and Ciara gestured. They chatted a little bit as they worked.

Ciara did Natalie's makeup which she kept simple, soft and romantic with a light champagne grey smoky eye and a nude lip and Ana-Marie did her hair which was also simple and romantic in a beautiful loose chignon at the nape of her neck with loose curls to frame her face and neck. Once done with Natalie's they worked on their own as Natalie sat and read a book to Louisa.

"You ready to look at yourself?" Ciara asked with awe in her voice.

Ana-Marie didn't say anything as she held Louisa on her hip, her eyes filled with tears while Louisa looked at Natalie with wonder.

"I'm ready." Natalie said and there was a slight quaver in her voice.

She wasn't nervous about marrying Giovanni.

Not at all.

She just cared that she was with him even if that meant she had to get married in a burlap sack. The girls stepped back so Natalie could step forward and look in the mirror at her gown.

She took in a sharp breath.

Beautiful.

It was simple, but classic and elegant. The perfect shade of white with detailed cap sleeves and detailed beading at the top and down the rest of the gown.

It was just perfect and just...her.

She felt beautiful in this and she was beyond ready to finally be wife to Giovanni. She smiled through her tears at her girls and walked up to hug them both as they sniffled.

After a moment of wiping away tears and giggling they made their way out of the room and then down through the house until they got to the back door of the mansion.

On the patio there was a trail of white rose petals along the light cobblestone path and the sky was dark with stars glittering as the moon streamed down and bathed everything in pale silken moonlight.

Ana-Marie smiled at Natalie, hugged her and kissed her cheek before she began to go down the aisle. Ciara turned to Natalie with a smile that was as bright as the tears shining in her best friends eyes. She reached down to grasp Natalie's hand and give it a squeeze.

"I love you, babe. I'm so happy for you and you are like a sister to me. I love you." She said and kissed Natalie's cheek before turning to walk down the aisle.

Louisa beamed up at Natalie before she began to skip down the aisle, sprinkling white and blush pink rose petals as she went.

Natalie took in a deep breath.

She was finally going to be with the love of her life. She was going to be happy.

Natalie felt a cool wind whisper across her cheek and her eyes filled with tears as she lifted her fingertips in front of her.

"Mom?" she whispered and she thought she heard a happy and soft laugh dancing in the wind as it whistled through the night air.

She smiled.

"I love you too, mom." She said softly and then began to walk.

The music playing was 'Dream by Priscilla Ahn' and tears built hot in the pack of her throat as she began to get closer to the love of her life. Along the path there were small mason jars that held a small white tea candle in the bottom of each glass and the big billowing trees that arched over and canopied over the path were strung and gleaming with white fairy lights.

Everything was perfect and when she saw him she had to stop herself from tripping because he was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

His skin seemed to glitter gold, his eyes the brightest and clearest shade of blue she had ever seen them. His dark hair was slicked back from his strong, chiseled features and he wore a cream colored dress shirt-left open at the collar and he wore dark grey dress pants that fit his long and muscled legs perfectly. His eyes were locked on her and no matter how hard she could try, she couldn't tear her eyes away.

The love that swelled her heart was indescribable in its beauty and warmth and she felt like it was the best euphoria she would ever feel.

Nicholas was standing at his side, and Charles behind Nicholas and Ciara, and Ana-Marie stood on the opposite side just by where Natalie would stand.

Louisa and Marco sat cross legged in the grass staring up at the scene with wide and wondering eyes. Natalie grinned down at them and winked before she stopped in front of Giovanni.

She looked up into Giovanni's eyes and thought she could drown in the adoration and love that swirled a bright incandescent blue.

As if unable to keep his fingers off her he lifted his fingers and trailed the back of them down the silky surface of her cheek.

"Beautiful." He murmured.

The man who was marrying them stood, watching them with a smile.

"Are we ready to begin?" he asked.

Natalie and Giovanni didn't look at him, their gazes still locked as they smiled.

"Yes. We're ready." Natalie said with a wide grin.

The wedding went perfectly and when they finally embraced as husband and wife they had to almost rip themselves away from each other.

Now, they were dancing under the stars, their friends-family-laughing beside them as the white fairy lights twinkled a merry scene around them.

Natalie stared lovingly up at the man holding her in his arms.

The love of her life.

Her mi amour.

Her husband.

This was happiness.

THIS was just the beginning for them.

"You look amazing..." he whispered in her ear.

She shivered and he leaned back to look at her with heated eyes that told her that later that night she was all his.

Her skin tingled delightfully as a sensuous light passed between them.

"As do you." She whispered and he smiled his perfect smile.

He cupped her jaw and caressed her lower lip with his thumb and she covered his large hand with her own, kissed his palm.

"I love you, mi amour..." he whispered.

Natalie smiled.

"And I love you..." Yeah... This was just the beginning for them...

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Aww!! OMG! So darling. They married! TOGETHERRRR! Seriously, I really hope you guys liked this chapter. It was so amazing to write and I am sad to say this book is coming to a close, but this is NOT, NOT, NOOOOT the last chapter. I am uploading an epilogue next and then we will be done. :-( But, it has been so amazing and thank you all so so so much for the votes, comments and follows. Also, I'm sure Jordy would say thank you too. I miss him, but I have no doubt he is in doggy heaven and he is helping me just as he always has done, I just can't see him. But, enough about that or I will start to cry and I don't wanna make you uncomfortable with virtual tears!! WAH! hahah(: Anyways, I really hope you enjoyed. Stay tuned for the next chapter. I love you all. VOTE. COMMENT. FOLLOW. SHARE. XX, Love, Hannah <3