Page 31 of Disgrace

It was open.

It made them targets.

Protection be damned.

Jordyn led John to his position at the front, and he gave his mother a quick kiss on her cheek before she darted off. Probably to find one of his sisters—who he had not seen in months—or his father.

It wasn’t too long after that before Andino took his place beside John. The priest was there, too. Likely paid off considering the man was marrying them outside of a church, and on a very short timeline that did not allow for couple’s counseling.

Funny how the church worked.

When the music started, Andino said to John, “Watch this, man.”

John waited.

He watched.

Dante Marcello walked Haven down the aisle.

It was as good of a show as any. For the few guests invited, it meant a hell of a lot without ever saying a damn thing. The woman—regardless of heritage or bloodline, or history—was a Marcello. Accepted, brought in, and protected.

Respected.

John could only think of one person he wished would get the same respect: Siena.

• • •

“Walk a little slower, would you,” his father joked.

John laughed as the two navigated the halls of the Waldorf hotel. “I’m supposed to be downstairs, all right. The party isn’t even over yet, Dad.”

Lucian shrugged. “For you, it is. At least, down there.”

“What?”

His father didn’t answer. A floor later, and Lucian handed over a room key. It matched the number on the door that the two stood in front of.

“What, are you putting me to bed like a fucking kid, or something?”

Lucian smirked. “Or something.”

“I should be downstairs with Andino.”

“Sure, but we all kind of pulled some strings hoping this would work out for you today, and it was just our luck that it did.” Then, his father reached out and smacked John’s cheek lightly. “Or shit, maybe it was your luck, huh?”

“I thought they used to call you Lucky.”

“It’s been passed down,” Lucian replied. “From me, to you. And you’ll pass it on, too.”

Well, John didn’t know about that. He wasn’t sure if he was every going to pass anything on to children from his blood, but this wasn’t the time for that discussion, either.

Lucian tipped his head toward the door. “Go ahead. We’ll all be here tomorrow. Breakfast with your mother and sisters. They’ll like that.”

He didn’t know about his sisters, really. His mother would like it, for sure.

“You really fucking took me from the party to put me to bed, didn’t you?”

Lucian only grinned. “Just open the fucking door.”