Chapter 17
Isabella
We burst into Gator office all smiles and see Gator, Ace, Jules, Aunt Cindy and the Reverend with distressed faces. Aunt Cindy is holding Gigi in her arms, and she’s hiding her face, but I can hear her whimpering.
I wave to the men as let go of Gio’s hand and dart straight to my sister. I take my baby sister from Aunt Cindy arms gently. I see her tears as she turns into my arms burying her face in my chest. I rub her back and hold her close to me. I feel Gio come up behind me placing his hand on my hips.
“What’s wrong, baby girl?” I whisper in her ear in a calm, soothing tone. She was happy just a few minutes ago when I saw her with Blaze. What could have happened in less than five minutes?
“Bella, I’m sorry for crying on your big day. I don’t want to ruin your day or your dress, don’t hate me,” she sobs out looking me in the eyes and breaking my heart. How could she think I would be upset with her? Gator hands us some Kleenex, and I take them from him and whip her tears away.
“Baby girl, you’re not ruining anything. Tell me what’s bothering you, please, so I can try and fix it,” I coo to soothe her. She looks between Gio and me.
“I’m sorry, I miss mommy and daddy. They should have been here for you today, for you. They should be here for me!” she says stomping her foot with tears spilling down her face. My heart sinks to the floor.
“Sissy, I’m not going to have them when I graduate. Or when I get married. Or when I have my own family. None of it, they're gone, and they’re never coming back. I want them back!” she screams through her sobs in my arms causing my heart to break-even more.
My tears are coming down as fast and furious as hers are.
Aunt Cindy tries to take her from my arms, and I shake my head no.
Gigi is shaking and falls into my arms. Gio leads us over to the couch, and I sit down before I fall from her extra weight and my shaky legs, even though Gio is holding onto me.
Everyone is silent and frozen in the room as they watch us. The only noise is coming from Jules, Gigi and me crying.
The Reverend is standing by the door, and Gator is sitting behind his desk, both with somber looks on their faces.
Jules is in Ace’s arms on his lap in the chair in front of Gator’s desk. Aunt Cindy is standing on the end of the couch by us.
Gio kneels down in front of Gigi and me placing his hands on own knees to comfort us.
My heart’s pounding so hard in my chest and breaking for her, for me. This is too many emotions to deal with in one day.
I miss my parents and feel their loss in my heart like ice everyday. None of this would have happened if it wasn’t for me. My parents should never have been the casualty of my refusal to be with that bastard. But Gigi can never know all the details.
I need to calm myself down and get my emotions in check in order to help my baby sister through her emotional breakdown. With her still in my arms, I talk low to her in the same tone as earlier to keep her calm. I’m shaking inside, but I can control myself to what I need to.
“Baby girl, I know this is hard, and I miss them too. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about them. Most of all, I reflect on what they’re missing out on with you. You’re so young, and you should have them.”
Deep breaths, I need to take deep breaths to continue this conversation. You can do this Bella.
“G, we have each other and a new family that care about us now. I believe mommy and daddy send them to us because they loved us so very much. Our new family will love us and protect us like daddy used to.”
Deep breaths, girl, you got this. Be her strength like you have been since she was born.
“We can remember the good times we had with them and live our lives. They would want us to be happy. The guys will be here with us soon, and we won’t feel so alone. The pain will get better in time, I promise you.
“If you want to cry, you cry, and I’ll hold you. Okay.” She looks and me for a minute taking in my words.
“Mini Princess, you’re not alone, you have me too. I’m not going anywhere, I’m your brother now, forever. We will get through this together as a family. Whatever you need we’ll do it,” Gio says as he takes us both in his arms. She's still clinging to me as she grabs onto his arm too.
“I love you, sissy,” Gigi says looking at me.
“I love you too, baby girl,” I tell her with a small smile as I tuck a piece of her hair behind her ear.
Then she turns to Gio. “I love you too, Gio. I’m happy you’re my brother,” she says hugging Gio.
“I love you too, Gigi. I’m glad I finally have a sister,” Gio says kissing her forehead, and she cracks a tiny smile
After a few minutes of us holding her, she pulls away from us and wiping her tears away. Then she looks up at Aunt Cindy with swollen red eyes. “Aunt Cindy, will you come to the bathroom with me so I can wash my face, please,” Gigi asks with a strained voice from crying.
“Sure, sweetheart. Let’s go clean up your beautiful face,” Aunt Cindy says as she takes Gigi’s hand and leads her out of the room. She pats Gio on the shoulder on the way out.
I lean forward with my elbows on my knees, closing my eyes and burying my face in my hands. I steady my breathing and control my crying.
I feel Gio’s hands wrap around my waist pulling me as close to him as he can against his hard chest. I turn into his chest and bury my face under his kutte, taking in his smells: leather, motor oil, and his cologne. I relax in his arms with each breath I take into my lungs.
The room is still silent as I finally look up into Gio’s eyes and he wipes my tears away.
“Gio, I have to ask you something important?” He gives me a strange look and nods for me to continue.
“I can’t upset her life anymore than I already have and the only way to do that is… Would it be possible for us to live here in one of the apartments with her? I don’t want to move her to a new place and away from everyone who we’ve come to care about. Please, Gio, I can’t turn her life upside down again.”
He gives me a look of understanding then turns to Gator. “Would it be possible to have one of the apartments while I build us a house here on the property, by the lake?” Build us a house? What the hell is he talking about?
We never discussed anything like that before. Granted, with everything going on we really haven’t talked much about the future and today has been a roller coaster ride for us.
Too many emotions and life changing events happening in a such a short time.
I like that he has a plan and is taking control of our future as a family. I need him this way to help me with Gigi and the new roles I have in my life.
I can’t believe I will have a house of my very own here. I think I just fell in love with him all over again.
“I think that’s a perfect idea,” he says to Gio then turns to Jules.
“Jules, if you want to you can move into his room, and they can move into the apartment with Shorty.”
He turns back to us. “As for the house, I can see your girl loves the idea; her eyes just lite up like fireworks. Have at it, man. When you get back I’ll have Benny get in touch with you to set up a meeting to discuss designs,” Gator says, and I can feel my cheeks burning up.
I’m ecstatic at the thought of designing my own home for our growing family.
Gio and Jules nod to Gator then Gio turns back to me.
“You know you are a great big sister, right. You were strong for her when she needed you, and you said all the right things to her. You’re going to make a great momma one day,” he says making me happier than I was a minute ago.
“Staying here for her is the perfect example of how much you love her. You’ve always been protective of her.
“We’ll stay, and you can build your dream house. We’ll raise Gigi and start a family when you’re ready.
“Okay, Princess, now let’s get the papers sign and start this party. You own your husband a dance.” I nod as he leans in giving me a sweet, sensual kiss on the lips.
We sign all the necessary papers making our union legal. Today, I am legal his forever, and that bastard has no right to me or my family. He can try to come after me, but my husband and his brothers will protect me to the death. They will see to it that bastard never comes near to me again.
Once we finish up, we all head out back to eat and dance with all our guest.
All the guys and girls come over to congratulate us the second we walk out the door.
The back yard is full of tables, chairs, and a makeshift dance floor with rope lights hanging from the lamp posts. They even brought out the junk box from the bar. They have the tables full of food along the building. The barbecue grills are all full of chicken and steak for the adults and hot dogs and burgers for the few kids that are here. It’s set up just like the 4th party minus the fighting ring.
All the whores are locked away, sort off. The guys knew I wouldn’t want them here, so they made they stay in their rooms until later. When the kids leave the real party will start and hopeful we can leave by then too.
Bull and his ol’lady, Cassie, come up to us with their baby girl in her arms. Their daughter is three months old and is so adorable. Her name is Emma Rose, and she has the most adorable dark fuzzy hair on her head with beautiful blue eyes like the sky.
They congratulate us, and I can’t hold back. I’m normally not so forward, and I don’t know what has gotten into me today. Maybe it’s because I’m happier than I’ve ever been in a long time even with missing my parents. I don’t know, but I’m going with my impulse.
“Cassie, can I hold her for a minute, please?” I ask her shyly. She hands the baby over to me without hesitation. I cradle her in my arms and press her into my chest. She fits in my arms perfectly as she looks up at me.
They’re all staring at me while I hold her, so I turn away from their scrutinizing eyes needing a minute. I take a couple steps to the side, a few feet away from them.
I feel Gio following behind me, but he keeps his distance to allow me a minute with her.
I lean in breathing in the baby, taking in her fresh baby smell and relax completely. I think this is the first time in… I don’t know how long it’s been since I really relaxed and felt like the future was bright.
Babies tend to have this effect on me. I lean into her tiny little ear.
“Love your mommy and daddy every day because you don’t know what tomorrow will bring. Cherish them always,” I take her baby fresh smell into my lungs again.
“One day I hope to have a beautiful baby just like you, little one. Keep your fingers crossed for me that I make a good mommy.”
I stand there staring at her and rocking her in my arms for I don’t know how long. Then I feel Gio arms snake around my midsection. He flattens his hands on my tummy and kisses my neck sending shivers down my spine. He holds me for a little bit not saying a word, just enjoying the moment with me.
“Do you want a baby, Princess?” he whispers in my ear. I turn my head to the side to look into his eyes.
“Is it wrong that I do, now,” I say sheepishly.
“I will give you the world, baby. When you’re ready, I will put a baby in you. I can’t wait to be able to watch your belly grow with my child. To see your beautiful body change, becoming ever more beautiful...” he says as he shakes his head.
I can feel his manhood press against my lower back. He’s hard for me, really hard like stone. I blush from the knowledge that I do this to him, and it heats me up inside. His words just made my ovaries weep with want.
“You’re killing me, baby. I want you and you’re making me so hard. Let’s give her back to her momma now. I want to dance with my wife.”
He always says that I do that to him, but not once has he tried to have me. I know he’s afraid to touch me too much in case I freak out on him, but I never have, not once. Sometimes I feel he doesn’t want me that way. It confuses me because I sense the way I make him feel and I want him to touch me, he just never does. Maybe I’m too damaged and broken for him to take me to bed. Maybe this is all wrong, and he’s only with me to keep me safe.
“I see that look in your eyes. Stop it, now!” he whisper-shouts.
“I love you, Bella. I want to make love to you more than anything, but I won’t force you or touch you until you’re ready. You’ve made an impressive amount of progress, and I don’t want my horny ass to set you back. I won’t let myself hurt you. I can wait, even with him aches to be inside your pussy, and he’ll deal with my hand.”
His words do funny things in my tummy making the butterflies swarm around. I believe every word he just said, and he’s making my desire him intensify. I want him too, and I’m hoping tonight is the night we can finally be together.
He leads me back to Cassie with his hand on my lower back. I reluctantly hand her over the baby.
Before we head to the dance floor, I stop him. “Where are we going tonight?” I just remembered Gator saying something about when we get back. Where could he be taking me on short notice?
“Ah, you caught Gator’s slip,” he says surprised.
“The guys are sending us away on a little honeymoon till Monday. It may be shortened depending on how quick word of our nuptials reaches up north.”
He’s choosing his words wisely, but I know exactly what he’s saying. We’re going somewhere safe for a few days in order for the guys to keep tabs on the bastard. Once word of our wedding hit north, it’s going to cause World War III for his club. The backlash from this stunt of ours is going to be way beyond anything I could fathom, I’m sure.
“We’re going to a private and safe resort by Orlando. Ace, Blaze, Dusty, Jules, and Gigi are all coming with us. They will be staying in a villa together, and you and I will have our own. We’ll be alone for the most part. Unless… You don’t want to be?”
“I want to,” I say quickly to put him out of his misery.
Wow, the guy’s thought of everything. Having his brothers for our extended family comes in handy. They organized a spectacular wedding in a few hours and set up other things too. I’m blessed to have all these people in my life that care. All of them have made this a day I will never forget.
“Gio, we need to thank everyone for doing all they’ve done for us. Without them, this day wouldn’t have been as special as it is for us,” I tell him as he leads us over to Blaze.
“We will after we dance I’ll make a speech, okay.” I nod as we reach Blaze.
Gio leans into him saying something too quiet for me to hear. When Gio’s finished Blaze turns to do something with the jukebox, then the song goes off.
“Everyone come gather around the dance floor,” Blaze yells to the guest. Once they gather around the makeshift dance floor, he continues. “I like to introduce Mr. and Mrs. Beast in their first dance as husband and wife.”
Everyone starts to woot and hollers as Gio takes my hand and leads me to the center of the dance floor. He takes me in his arms, one hand around my waist and the other holding my hand in his to his chest.
I place my other hand around his waist. Then I hear the first few beats of the song play. I immediately know what song he chose ‘God Gave Me You’ by Blake Shelton.
He glides me around the dance floor in the most romantic dance. He looks into my eyes when he’s not twirling me around singing to me in a low voice. The words touch my heart in ways that I never thought possible.
He picked this song for a reason, and it fits us to a T. God really did give us for the other.
As we move around, I take in every lyric song and take them into my heart and soul. My heart feels lite full without the pain as if I’m floating on a cloud of love and full of so many kinds love like a sunflower field on a summer’s afternoon.
In the middle of the song, he takes me in both his arms pressing me to his chest and sings in my ear. His hands wrap snug around me, one low and one in the middle of my back.
I have mine around his waist with my head resting on his chest over his kutte. I can’t stop the tears flowing out of my eyes.
I thank God every day for giving me back Gio, and I will continue to thank him for the rest of my life.
“Princess, I chose this song for us because every single word he sings is true. I believe God sent you to me; you’re an angel. Mio angelo, you have gotten me through so many times in my life. Even without having you at my side. You were always in my heart and my head.”
He kisses the top of my head and continues to dance us around the dance floor singing to me. My heart is so full today I could burst from all the love I’m receiving. It’s sunshine and rainbows from here on out.
God knows I love this man of mine, I can finally breathe and actually live life instead of hiding from it. I’ve loved from my first breath, and I will love him till my last, nothing has changed that except now I get to show him how much I move him every day.
When our song finishes, he stops me from moving. “Don’t move yet, baby. I chose another special song for you, Princess,” he says kissing me on the lips passionately. I do as I’m told, and the next song that plays is 'You Can’t Hide Beautiful’ by Aaron Lines. I stay in his arms for the whole song while couples join us and dance around us.
Ace is dancing with Jules and Dusty is dancing with my sister.
He continues to sing every word to me softly in my ear as he glides and twirls me around the dance floor with his expert dance skills.
I take in the word he’s singing to me and the way he says them.
I love that he took the time to pick these unique songs with so much meaning. It shows how much he loves me with his whole heart.
Even though this isn’t the way our day should have been, he and his brothers made this day special for me. Possible more special than if we had waited, sometimes you have to make the right time happen, or it may never come.
When the song is finished, he makes a speech thanking everyone for all they have done today to make this day special for me, us. He leads me off the dance floor and back to our table.
We have our dinner, and he opens a bottle of white Moscato for me and a beer and a bottle of Jack for himself. The wine’s sweet and fruity, just the way I like it.
I’m only going to enjoying a couple of glasses tonight. No hard liquor for me, I don’t want to be totally drunk for the first time we make love together.
I defiantly plan on us doing the deed and consummating our marriage tonight.
Since I’ve been here, I haven’t needed to drink and only have one once in a while. I feel so much better and healthier without all that alcohol running through my system these days.
Gio’s dancing with his mom to their song, ‘A Song for Mama’ by Boyz II Men. Gio and Aunt Cindy danced to this song for the first time at her 40th birthday party. Uncle Lorenzo throw her a surprise party in our ballroom. Gio dedicated this song to her and danced with her in a very special dance. He was 14 at the time, and after that, he made it a tradition to always dance to this song with her.
When the song is done, he joins me back at our table to finish eating.
When I’m almost finished with my dinner, Gator comes strolling over to us. He has a weird look on his face, and I’m not sure what to make of it.
I’ve gotten to know him a little over the last couple of weeks, and he’s a nice man.
“Beast, would it be alright if I had a dance with your lovely bride. I figured we share the father/daughter dance since I’m top dawg around here,” Gator asks Gio chuckling.
I think it’s lovely of him to offer. I’m not sure how I feel about being so close to him while dancing, though.
Gio leans into my ear. “Princess, how do you feel about that? I think you should, Gator’s a good man and he’d never cross the line,” Gio says in a whisper.
I look into his eyes seeing tenderness, he wants this special moment for me. He’s just afraid this will be too much for me to handle, it’s not I can handle this. I nod to accept their request. I would never disrespect Gator or the club, and if I said no, I feel it would be doing that for sure.
“Gator, thank you, man,” Gio says as he takes my hand to help me up.
“May I have this dance, sweetie?” Gator asks me, and I nod with a genuine smile on my face as Gio places my hand in his. His touch is not like Gio’s, but it’s not strange either. It feels like one of my brothers is taking my hand.
Gio leans into Gator’s ear. “No funny business. Prez or not I will kill you. No disrespect, man.” Gio slaps Gator on the back and they both laugh.
“None taken, man. It will be just like she’s dancing with her father,” Gator says in Gio’s ear slapping him back.
Gator leads me to the dance floor, and everyone clears off as we stop in the center.
“Do you have a particular song you like? Perhaps one, you and your dad… Or we could just have Blaze choose one, sweetie?” Gator asks me, and I think about it or a second.
Daddy always loved to dance with me to Bob Carlisle’s ‘Butterfly Kisses.' He said the song reminded him of me and our special bond.
At every party, he would have the band or DJ play it for us so we could dance together. He started the tradition when I was a baby, being the only girls at the time.
When I would play dress up, he would say that was the song we would dance to on my wedding day. As I got older, it just stayed our special song at all the parties.
“I got this,” Gio says from the side of the dance floor as he runs passed us to Blaze.
Gator keeps me at arm's length skating me around the dance floor. I close my eyes and let him lead me around dreaming I’m really in daddy’s arms. I can feel the tears slowly skimming down my face as we float around the dance floor.
When the song ends, Gator takes me to Gio at the edge of the dance floor waiting for me with his mom close to his side. He takes me in his arms and holding me for a minute to calm my emotions.
When I’m good, he leads me over to a small table that’s holding our wedding cake. It’s time to cut our cake. The guys told Jules about the bakers nearby that prepares all their cakes. The baker was more than happy to decorate a cake for us on short notice. The guys said their cakes were out of this world when we had it at the 4th’s party.
Our cake has five square tiers with black fondant icing. Each layer is different. The bottom has little baby pink roses around the edges.
The one on top of the bottom one has edible baby pink pearls scattered along the sides.
The center tier has our names in baby pink rope icing. In the middle of our names is a large baby pink ‘V’ circled. The ring is made of edible pink pearls.
The second layer from the top has a princess crown in the center in baby pink.
The whole cake has edible iridescent glitter on it, so when the light hit it, it sparkles. The topper is a bride and groom dancing in a gazebo.
The cake is large enough to feed over two hundred people. Leftovers for a couple of days, or maybe not with the way these big guys eat around here.
Aunt Cindy tells us she’ll take the top tier home and freeze it. This way we can have to eat on our one year anniversary, next year.
I tell her it’s not necessary, by next year it will be freezer burnt. She assures me it won’t be and being that it is a tradition, we definitely must follow it.
Gio and I accept her offer. We can’t fight tradition, can we?
She’ll take the cake home with her in the morning when she leaves.
She says she has a trick to keep it fresh.
First: wraps it in clingy saran wrap tightly.
Second: wraps it in aluminum foil.
Third: place it in a freezer zip lock bag sealed tightly.
Last: seal it in a Rubbermaid container to keep the cake fresh for a year.
Next year she’ll give it to us to celebrate our anniversary.
After the cake, we dance a little more, I love dancing with my sister and Jules. Girl time is always a special time for me that I treasure.
Gio loves seeing me with them and allows me my time. He’s never too far from me, though. Always keep a close eye on us at all times.
He’s a worry wart all the time when it comes to me. I understand how he feels, and it doesn’t bother me. I always feel better when he’s close anyway.
After an hour or so the party winds down and the kids leave. Thankfully, that’s our cue to leave and change before taking off for the resort.
We’re taking the SUV, which Gio had Red pack up for us earlier. Dusty, Jules and Gigi will ride with us in the ‘cage,' that’s what the guys call it. Ace and Blaze will be on their bikes trailing us.
The trip will take less than an hour to get to the resort in Kissimmee where we’ll be staying.
It’s gated and secure, Throttle checked out their security team and system this morning. He’ll continue to monitor their system undetected while we’re there.
They rented two, three bedroom villas. Jules, Gigi, Ace, Blaze, and Dusty will be in one, and we’ll have the other one to ourselves.
“How are the five of them going to split up the three rooms?”
“The girls will share the master bedroom. Ace will take the room with the full-size bed. And Blaze and Dusty will share the other room with the two full beds, or Dusty will bunk on the couch,” Gio says.
“What if the guys bring a girl back? Gigi can’t see that,” I say Gio quietly in the front seat.
“They aren’t goin’ there to fuck around. If they find someone, they’ll go somewhere else. We probably have to only worry able Blaze anyway. Ace hasn’t been interested in that for a while, even though the fucker ribbed me about it earlier,” he hisses the last part.
“She’s like a little sister to them, and they won’t scare her with that shit,” he says firmly reassures me.
The rest of the drive is spent listening to Pandora’s Black Stone Cherry station. This is one of Gio’s favorites, and it’s become one of mine too. It’s playing from his phone to our SUV’s Bluetooth sound system.
Gio said the SUV is mine since I had to leave my custom 2016 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat convertible behind. For now, he promised he would go back and get it for me when he can.
Daddy had it customized for me as a graduation gift a few months ago. The exterior color is Maximum Steel with silver racing stripes down the middle. She has black out lights and 20” black steel rims.
The interior is black leather with SRT stitched in the center of the front seats in red. My seat belts are red and the chrome trim accents the dashboard and doors.
She’s a V8 automatic transmission with manual option, supercharger, 6.2-liter engine that has been tweaked with custom exhaust.
When daddy lets me have the red key she’s around 750 horsepower. Mostly, I use the black key which only allows her to have around 500 horsepower.
My baby is fast, and I love to take her to the racetrack and race her. That only happened once when I was able to sneak my red key out of daddy’s safe.
Thankfully, when Jules and Gigi grab our things they took my keys, the black and red one.
I also have a custom sound system that will knock your socks off. My speaker box has two 12’s and 3000-watt amp.
I miss the power of the ride under my control. I miss having the windows down, the sunroof open and the radio up.
I must say, though being on the back of Gio’s motorcycle is defiantly close to it. The freedom, the power, and the wind in my hair, it’s so exhilarating.
Also being press up against his back with my arms wrapped around his waist. It’s sexy and arousing than anything I’ve ever experienced in my life.
I miss her so much and can’t wait to have her back, one day.