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That I can’t tolerate.

I slowly back away and go to find Gio, my second in command.

“Boss.” He grins when I find him outside. “That was the least boring wedding I’ve ever been at.”

Shaking my head, I take the cigar he’s offering me. “You know I don’t do boring,” I reply dryly.

His wife, Carly, stands next to him. “Congratulations, Don DeLuca.” She smiles. “How’s your beautiful wife doing?”

“Crying in the bathroom,” I reply with a shrug.

Carly’s eyes widen. “Are you serious?” When I nod, she scoffs. “I’ll go find her.”

As soon as Carly’s gone, Gio asks, “No disrespect, Boss…” I smirk, knowing disrespect is absolutely coming. “But what the fuck possessed you to take Paolo’s place?”

It’s a good fucking question. “A DeLuca wedding was announced,” I say.

“And? Are you honestly telling me you got married just because people expected a DeLuca to get married?”

“Partly,” I reply. “And her dad was blaming her. I didn’t actually consider it until he was about to hit her.” And that’s the truth. Something in me snapped when he raised his hand.

Gio just chuckles and shakes his head. “Never took you for one to have a hero complex,” he retorts.

“You know the saying,” I say, smirking again. “Not all heroes wear capes. Some of us prefer Brioni suits.”

He snorts. “No, but apparently some marry a twenty-one-year-old virgin.”

“Careful,” I growl.

My wife’s virginity isn’t exactly a secret since it was part of her dad’s sales pitch, and Gio was there when we heard it. But that doesn’t mean it’s any of his business now that I’m the one she married.

“Besides, aren’t you the one who told me I should get remarried?” I question, arching an eyebrow.

“Yeah,” Gio confirms. “I guess I brought that up a few times. But how real is this marriage, Boss?”

“Real enough.”

“So that’s what you want me to tell the men when they ask questions?”

I scoff. “They should mind their own goddamn business.”

“They’re minding your business,” he retorts. “They were there for one wedding and saw another happen. It’s only natural for them to have questions.”

Fuck, I hate when he makes sense like this. “Tell them it’s real,” I growl. “Kira is my wife. She’ll live with me and accompany me when it makes sense. The marriage is as real as it gets.”

He looks as though there’s more he wants to say, but his phone chimes from his pocket. I watch as he pulls it out and reads whatever text just came through. His expression is grim as he tells me he’s ordered men to keep an eye on Paolo until I decide what to do.

My son was born and raised here, and he isn’t exactly swimming in family members. His maternal grandparents disowned his mom when she married me. Even when Paolo was born, they wanted nothing to do with their daughter or grandchild.

The coldhearted vipers even refused to show up at her funeral.

So, if Paolo’s leaving Boston, I know exactly where he’s going. “Just let him go,” I reply. “I know where he’ll go, and it’s for the best.”

I’m almost done with my cigar and wondering what the fuck is taking my wife so long when Kira and Carly join us.

“Are you two still smoking?” Carly asks, laughing softly.

I meet Kira’s eyes, noting they’re slightly red-rimmed. “You okay?” I ask. At her nod, I take her hand and pull her closer. “Do you want to cut the cake before we leave? Or just get out of here?”