Dante

•Two Years Later•

Today was the day. I was so happy I was smiling and giggling like a five-year-old girl. I didn't care, though. I was getting married to the woman I loved.

Two long freaking years I've waited since I've proposed. If I had it my way, we would have gone to the courthouse that day. But Diana wanted something big and special and whatever she wanted goes.

I slap Mike's head as he takes a sip of his beer in the dressing room. The drink falls out of his mouth and he coughs before turning around and flipping me off.

That's all you got?

I hit him again as he is about to take another sip. He sets the drink down and turns back around.

"Just because it's your wedding day doesn't mean I can't kick your ass."

I smile and pull my suit pants up. Getting in position, I hold my fists out, "Word? You wanna go, then?"

He stands up and matches my stance. "Bet. I'll rock your shit. You're about to get a busted lip for a wedding gift."

I begin swinging and as I am about to hit his jaw, he stops. Placing his hands on his hips, he squats and begins twerking.

The smile drops from my face and I point to the door, "Get out. Get the hell out."

He holds his hands out in defense, "Come on, you can't tell me that wasn't the right moment?"

"This has got to stop, man. You need to leave."

"Ah, come on, don't do me like that, bro! It's called bonding!"

He begins walking to the door and I pat his shoulders. "Look, you know you're like a brother to me. We can bond about a lot of shit. But that's not one of em." I say before closing the door.

I shake my head and walk back to the couch in front of the dressing room. There is a knock on the door as soon as I am about to sit down.

I groan and start walking back, "Alright fine. But this time don't squeeze your ass in, it looks a little w-" I stop talking when I see who is at the door and lean against it, trying to play it cool. "Uh, Audrey, you didn't hear what I said. Yeah, you didn't. Anyway, what's up?"

Nailed it.

She walks past me and begins pacing in front of the room. When she doesn't reply, I ask again,

"Did you need something, or are we getting ready to play a game? If it's that dizzy game you tricked me into playing, I'll have you know I am more than ready this time. "

She stops pacing and looks at herself in the mirror. Smiling, she replies, "I got you good that day."

She never liked me. From the day we met up until now, she has been out to get me. I don't exactly fancy her either. If it was old and crazy Dante, I probably would have tried to make her life a living hell for not liking someone as charming, funny, handsome and naturally just awesome as me. But I was a new man. Diana has taught me to not make violence and revenge the first option. All that bullshit.

Don't get me wrong, I wasn't some happy-go-lucky glittery bomb. I was still me. Just with someone who makes me hate this world a little less.

She stops smiling and faces me with a serious expression. "I don't like your ugly ass." She says,

"I don't like your peanut head ass either."

Her mouth goes agape, "How dare you!"

"Yeah, that was kind of too far. I get offensive when people call me ugly. That's the only thing I have going for me."

"That's pathetic."

"And that fake ring on your finger isn't?"

"It's rea-"

"Real gold doesn't leave your finger green, Audrey."

"I fucking hate you." She replies and folds her arms.

I push her out of the way so I can look at myself in the mirror. "Why the fuck are you in here, anyway?" I ask and begin trying to put my tie on.

She stands up from the ground and fixes herself. Clearing her throat before she responds, "I've known Diana for years. She is one of my favorite people on this Earth. Our relationship is tough. We argue, we fight, but it's all out of love. She knows I would die for her."

"Yeah, I dig that. Go friendships. But what the hell does this have to do with me?"

"And then you came along. With your problems and money. I've been angry about that for almost three years now. I felt like I was handing my kid off to someone that wasn't good enough for her at all. "

"Ouch."

"You are inconsiderate, selfish, nonchalant, mean, inexpressive, ug-"

"You do know I'm getting married today, right?"

"But seeing that smile on her face as she put on her wedding dress and spoke about how happy she was, I knew she made the right decision. She's finally happy, and that's all I've ever wanted," I turn to her and see her wipe her eyes.

She stands in front of me as she sheds a few tears. "Just don't hurt her alright?"

I nod, "Wouldn't dream of it."

Audrey pats my shoulder as she begins walking off.

"Damn. I didn't know you felt that way, Audrey."

She turns around. "You don't get it. This mascara cost me fifty bucks and I just wasted some of it on crying. Who does that!"

"Are you talking about crying or the m-"

"Both!" she cries out and walks out of the room. I close it behind her and walk back to the couch, confused.

What the actual fuck just happened?

I pick up my phone and go to the first contact. She answers after the second time I call.

"What took you so long to answer? You got another man in there?"

"I didn't think you would have to find out this way. But yes. I've been having an affair with Tommy the Caterer for some months now. "

I shake my head in disappointment. "I goddamn knew it. No one makes chicken that good."

She laughs, "Dante, you know I have to walk down that aisle in about twenty minutes, right?"

"That's right soon to be Ms. Stone."

"Diana Stone. I like it." She replies and I can picture her grinning as she says it.

"Yeah it's sexy. We can do a little foreplay in bed. You know, teacher and s-"

"Did you need something, Dante?" She asks as I am about to continue and I laugh.

"Yeah, I need you, actually. How the hell are you supposed to put this tie on?"

She tells the instructions over the phone and once I get it, I hear Valentina hang up the phone for her.

The door bursts open moments later. Micheal and other guys tell me it is time for me to go. After the bridesmaids and groomsmen walk, the best man, Mike and Lily, are next. I see Micheal whisper something in Lily's ear and she blushes as they reach the altar.

Next is Fiona's turn. I smile proudly at her as she walks down the aisle, tossing flowers on the ground in her pink dress. I know she'll have a bone to pick with Diana for making her wear a dress and laugh on the inside at the thought.

Shortly after, soft music begins to play and I start to walk down the aisle. I glance at the guests. My ma, aunt's, and uncle wave at me. Pops was still in prison, but I was going to visit him before Diana and I went on our honeymoon.

When I finally reach the altar, I smile at everything. Two years ago, I was in the same place, with a totally different mindset. Annoyed and didn't know what the hell I was doing. But now I was on cloud nine and had never been so sure about something in my life.

The music changes to, 'You are my sunshine' and I grin, knowing that is Diana's doing. Moments later, she appears in a big pink wedding dress and everyone gasps. I stare at Diana in awe at how beautiful she looks and feel my eyes water.

Shit. Fuck. No. I can't cry.

Despite my thoughts, my eyes only water more as she comes closer. She was so beautiful.

The music stops as she reaches the altar. The priest tells us to hold hands, and she smiles as we do so. He gives introductions and a speech, but I can't pay attention. The only thing I see is her. I never believed in fairytales, but now as I stood there looking into Diana's pretty hazel eyes I realized I was living one, with her. 

Diana

I hold back my tears as I stare at the man I love. I couldn't explain how happy I was right now. A feeling only someone deeply in love could understand.

"I now invite you to express your sacred vows to one another. Please face each other as you declare these vows before God and in the presence of your family and friends." The priest turns to Dante, "You may start."

Dante nods and smiles at me before scratching the back of his head. He reaches into his pants pocket and tries to take a folded paper out, but accidentally drops it.

"Shit." He mumbles and picks it up. I smile at how nervous he is.

He stands up and clears his throat as he unfolds the paper. He stares at me for a moment and smiles before going back to the paper. "I'm uh, really fucking bad at this romance shit baby. So just bear with me alright?"

I nod and he begins, "Diana, I hate this world. It chews you up and spits you out like you never mattered. It's cruel and judgemental and just a goddamn shit hole. But then I met you and somehow I kind of like it now. Fuck, that was corny, but I'm serious. I like the way the world brought you all the way to me because now I get to marry someone as beautiful, caring, strong, fierce, patient, loving, funny, inspiring and stubborn pain in my ass as you. My time and my love are all I have. They are both eternally yours if you want them, baby. I promise faithlessness, patience, respect to you. I will celebrate your triumphs and love you even more for your failures." Dante puts the paper back in his pocket as I wipe my eyes.

Ah crap, now I'm crying.

Lily passes me a napkin to prevent the tears from messing up my makeup. I was holding in so much tears my nose was becoming stuffy. Gosh, since when did I become a cry baby?

The priest turns to me, "You may begin."

I nod and take my paper out. I remember staying up until three in the morning while Dante slept next to me, writing this. Panicking and stressing whether it was good enough. Now I actually had to say it and I was a nervous wreck, to say the least.

"I didn't like you. Man, I did not like you when we first met, Dante. How could I? You barged into my life so suddenly, with a commotion I wasn't ready for. Then I got to know you and I don't know when I started to develop feelings, but they hit me hard. When I realized I was in love with you, I didn't know how to deal with it. I had never loved someone so deeply as I love you, Dante. Your confidence, how much you care about people even when you try to deny it. Your strength to overcome the many obstacles you've faced. I love your eyes and dimples when you smile. I love your cooking. I love your sense of humour and so much more that would take days to write," I sniffle and Lily hands me another napkin.

After thanking her, I continue, "I promise to love you as much as I love baggy jeans and not hold your obsession with that bachelor's dating show you like against you. I will pause the television when you talk through 'Criminal Minds' to tell me how much you think Ried deserved better for the hundredth time. I promise to update my Facebook status 'married' before we get to our honeymoon and in our ups and downs, I promise to helpfully remind you I'm right. I'll willingly be your protector, your counselor, your friend, you're everything. I promise you."

I blow a breath and dab the tears in my eyes away before they fall.

Handing the paper back to Lily, I face Dante and he smiles as he wipes his eyes. He puts his head down and shakes his head before speaking, "Fuck, babe. I told you I didn't wanna cry in front of everybody. " He wipes tears from his eyes and lifts his head back up.

I laugh and reply, "Sorry."

"I want to kiss you so bad right now, Diana." He faces the priest as he fidgets, "How much longer?"

The priest chuckles and responds, "Under the eyes of God, do you take Diana Ambrose to be your lawfully wedded wife? Do you promise to support her completely and love her unconditionally, so long as you both shall live?"

"I do. "

"Under the eyes of God, do you take to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you promise to support your husband completely and love him unconditionally, so long as you both shall live?"

I smile, "I do."

Michael and Lily hand us the rings and Dante slips mine on my finger and I slip his on.

"By the power vested in me, by the state of and by the Universal Life Church, I pronounce you Diana and Dante as husband and wife, lawfully wedded before God. You may now kiss the bride."

Before I can even lean forward, Dante grabs me by my hips and moves me to him. He holds my face and kisses me passionately. He smiles through the kiss and when cheering commences, he pulls back slowly.

I breathe heavily as he smiles and traces his thumb across my bottom lip.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it is with great honor that I officially present to you Mr. and Mrs. Stone!" The priest shouts and the guest begins clapping and standing up.

Dante leans forward, "Having you as my wife just made you even hotter, you know that babe?" He says and pinches my cheek lightly.

I smile and repeat his actions, "Thank you and don't call me that."

~~~

After throwing the bouquet up and Audrey and Valentina wrestling each other over it, making Lily split them up, everyone sits at the tables eating and chit chatting amongst each other.

I put the last shrimp on my plate in my mouth as I watched Fiona and Dante have an intense arm wrestling match.

I loved their relationship and every time I watched them together I fell in love with Dante all over again. He treated her as his own. Never letting anything happen to her and making sure she always had what she needed.

I couldn't believe my baby was turning sixteen next year. Fiona was becoming a young woman and I couldn't be more proud. This is what I had wanted. Watching them right now, I knew that taking Fiona that night was the best decision I had ever made. She might be my blood sister, but I will always know her as my daughter who saved my life.

Fiona grins and Dante's arm slowly starts to fall. "Ya should just tap out right now." She says confidently.

"Nah, I'm good." Dante replies, matching her grin.

She lifts her arms from the table to push his arm further and Dante catches her, but acts like he doesn't. He winks at me when he sees I have noticed.

I shake my head just as Fiona pushes his arm to the table. She pumps her fists in victory. "Eat ass!" she shouts loudly.

I hit her head, "Watch it, Fiona!"

She rubs the spot I hit, "Sorry mama, geez."

Dante laughs as he gets up from his seat next to me and presses a kiss to Fiona's forehead before speaking, "Welcome to the family champ."

Fiona smiles and Dante takes my hand. I stand up and he leads me outside, telling the wedding planner we will be back shortly before closing the church doors behind us.

I begin skipping to the swing that is behind the church. When I take a seat on it, Dante stands in front of me and rocks it slowly.

"Is it just me or was the shrimp not as good as I thought it would be?" He asks

"Nope, it's not just you. It seemed a little undercooked, you know?"

"Exactly." He replies and licks his lips. My eyes dart to them and I smirk.

"You're a very handsome man, you know that Dante?"

"I know." He replies and begins pushing the swing slower.

"Well excuse me then."

"Looks are not my insecurity. It's being romantic and caring. All that mushy, gushy stuff," He shakes his head before continuing, "I'm definitely the wrong one for you. Did you see all those nice and smart dudes, Diana?"

I laugh, "Yeah, well, you're perfect to me. You may think you're wrong for me and you may be right."

He smiles, his dimple showing. "And what does that mean?"

I lean up and he leans down. We kiss each other softly before I move away. "You are perfectly wrong for me Dante and I wouldn't have it any other way."

~~~𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓔𝓷𝓭~~~

A/N: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed the story! If you did please don't forget to vote, comment and if possible, share!