Marry me again.

Marry me again.
NIKOLAI'S POV
“Prepare yourself, there is a ceremony I want you to attend with me.”

Alessandro spoke flatly as he crossed the foyer and headed toward his home office. "I don't want to go anywhere", I snorted, slumping back in the couch.
He paused in the doorway and glanced over his shoulder. “That wasn’t a question, Nikolai,” he said, his words cool. “Wear something appropriate, we leaving so soon.” There was no arguing with that tone.

Within hours, I found myself buttoning my dark suit, still wondering what kind of business event or maybe some strange mafia gathering, he was dragging me into.

The car ride to the venue was silent but not uncomfortable. Alessandro’s hand rested on my knee, his thumb tracing idle circles against the fabric of my trousers. He didn’t explain, and I didn’t ask until when we reached.

Inside, the hall was enormous. As usual , people... important people filled every corner, the hum of their voices like a tide rising and falling. I recognized men from the Cosa Nostra, sharp‑suited lieutenants, even some people I’d only seen in news.
My pulse raced.

“Alessandro…” I began, stepping closer to him, but his hand closed around mine
"Come on..." he just said and pulled me along with him. He pulled me to the middle of the enormous hall. "May I have your attention?"

The chatter died down as Alessandro's deep voice resounded in the room, and the music faded into the background. Everyone looked at us and then his arm circled more around me.

"Thank you for coming today. I have an important announcement to make, the one I should have made long ago. Two years ago, I got married..." he looked over to me, a hint of a smile pulled at his lips. "to the man of my dreams," he looked back at everyone and laughed.

"It's not be Salvatore, It can never be her."
All I heard in return were cheers, the sound of mixed chuckles, and a few gasps. I think his entire Cosa Nostra, his business partners, and his all of his family were present in the room.

Alessandro pulled me to his side, "I got married to this handsome man, Mr. Nikolai De Luca. We got married in private and I never got the chance to introduce this wonderful man to you all."

A waiter brought out a champagne bottle and poured two flutes glasses with it, he handed one to Alessandro and one to me. Then I noticed that everyone's drinks were being swiped with a glass of champagne, and the waiters all around the hall poured the champagne for people.

Alessandro raised the champagne glass in the air.

"Everyone, please, raise glass for my handsome husband and the king of the Cosa Nostra",
Respect - this is what it was. He was giving me respect in front of every single person who ever knew him.

"To Nikolai!" a loud chant resounded in the hall.
I shrunk away in Alessandro's hold, melted against him. My cheeks heated up, I was flushed, I took a big sip of the champagne to calm the nerves and the giddiness.

Goosebumps rose over my skin as Alessandro gazed at me once more and pressed his lips to mine.

I think I am about to faint.

"You didn't have to..." my voice was barely above a whisper.
"I wanted to... I wanted everyone to know that you're Don Alessandro's husband and you are entitled to their respect and honor," he kissed the tip of my nose and then faced the room once more.

"You can all go with the party", He spoke then turned to me.
"Come with me," he whispered.

I looked at him from over my shoulder and he offered me his elbow. I intertwined our arms and Alessandro pulled me out of the back door of the hall, leaving the party.

A cool breeze clung to my skin. I smiled to myself. "Are you ditching the party?"

"For a while..."

He took me to the back of the castle-like mansion, it was even more beautiful than anything I would have imagined. I looked up through the tree branches it was easy to believe the dark sky was endless and went on forever. He held my hand as we walked down the cobblestone pathway.

The night was captivating; the swaying of trees and rustling of leaves could be heard but not seen, a half-moon softly illuminating the sky. The stars looked especially close tonight. The cold breeze flew my suit back with every step we took.

"I love it..." I said, gazing over the beautiful scenery before me, it included him too.

"I'm glad..." he just said, pressing a kiss to the side of my head.

From a distance, I saw a gazebo, twinkling with fairy lights. The red, black, and white roses were all placed in perfect symmetry. The colors were not distracting; they were enough to give a welcoming entrance into the gazebo.

"What...?" my breath got caught in my throat as we got closer and closer to the gazebo.

I swallowed as Alessandro stepped up the three-step stairs that led into the gazebo. I stilled at the first steps, a certain apprehension building up in my stomach. He turned slightly and looked down at me. "Come on," he lightly tugged at my hand, urging me to come inside.

I swallowed and took the remaining steps, he led me inside the gazebo, the enticing smell of roses all around us. A weight settled in my stomach, I don't know if I was nervous or scared or what. I have no idea what the hell I was feeling.

A ball of mixed feelings hit me with full force. My chest heaved up and down, it feels like I'd explode.

"Nikolai..."

"Huh?" I turned to face him and took an immediate step back when I saw him kneeling in front of me.

He pulled out a little back box and opened it, "Here I am, on my knees, asking you to marry me again, Nikolai. I don't ever want to lose you, I love you. I love you more than my ego, I love you more than anyone in this world, I love you more than my entire Cosa Nostra. I love you, I love you, I love you..."

My eyes burned and in the next second, the tears brimmed in my eyes.
God! I love this man, I don't think I have ever loved anyone like I love him.

"Marry me."

I dropped to my knees too and got closer to him. I wrapped my arms around his neck, nuzzling my face into his neck, crying my eyes out. The box of rings was squished between our bodies along with his hands but I didn't care. I pulled him into me even more. "I love you... I love you, I love you so, so much"

"Is that a yes?" he asked.

I pulled back and cupped his face. "Yes, yes, thousand times yes! Yes, in every single life. Yes to everything you ever want from me."

"Ah, careful..." he smiled wickedly.

I laughed, "Shut up!"

I pressed our lips together, I kissed him with passion, I kissed him with everything in me. I bit his lips, I pushed my tongue into his mouth, I was holding him as if my life depended on it while his hands were still clutching the box but still he kissed me back with full fervor.

We pulled back, breathing heavily, taking in each other's air. He looked down between our bodies at the box of the ring.

Nervously, I offered him my left hand. He pulled out the ring and flicked the box on the ground. He put it over my finger and grinned as it slid into it easily.

"I love you," I whispered once more as tears started to rain down my face once again.

"I love you more than you can imagine," he replied, kissing me once more.