He Left His Pregnant Bride at the Altar novel · Chapter 10 of 24

Chapter 10: Six Weeks

For six weeks I asked him about March ninth, and he said what he always said.

"Not until I find who sent the van."

For those six weeks he came to my door every evening at six and left at nine, and he never once knocked a minute late.

Tonight he knocked at six, with a folder in his good hand and his arm out of the sling.

"It was the Corsos," he said. "Their old man wanted his daughter married to me, and Sunday's wedding never happened. He sent the van to scare me back to the table."

"Where is he now?"

"He's in a house in Newark, and he has no men left." Ruggero set the folder on my counter. "I took his seat at the table last Thursday, in front of every captain."

"So now you can tell me about March ninth."

"Not yet. But I owe you this first."

He took a small box from his jacket and set it beside the folder.

Inside was a thin gold bracelet.

His mother's.

I had worn it for two weeks, before it vanished.

"I found it in Nerina's room at the Brooklyn house," he said. "In the drawer under her scarves. I never asked her. I just put it back where it belonged."

"You went through her drawers?"

"I went through my mother's jewelry. It was missing, and it was Nerina's wrist in the photo."

I looked at the gold.

"Does she know you took it?"

"No." He met my eyes. "I'm done being the man who doesn't ask her anything."

My throat was tight.

Down the hall, Rosa slept in her crib, the right way up, with every slat on the inside.

I had my six-week clearance in my bag.

I had carried it around for two days.

"Ruggero," I said.

"Yes."

"Lock the door."

He went still.

"Mari. You said not until I explained."

"You found who shot you, and you brought me back what was mine. I'm tired of waiting for everything else."

He locked the door.

I crossed the kitchen, took his face in both hands, and kissed him with all the weight of six weeks.

He groaned into my mouth, lifted me against the counter, and I wrapped my legs around his hips.

"Say it," I told him.

"I want you. I've wanted you every minute since the church."

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