Scorned Love: An Enemies to Lovers Romance (Scorned Fate)

Holiday revelry flooded Manhattan. It was two days before Christmas and last-minute shoppers, tourists, and regular Manhattanites traversed the brightly lit spirit of New York. I was doing a series for social media about the different Christmas markets and I was having a blast.

My phone rang. It was Nico. Once upon a time, he was Mr. Satan on my phone. How our relationship had changed in the past five months. Now he was the love of my life.

I couldn’t help the smile on my face when I answered, “Hey.”

“Where are you?” His brusque question spoke of his impatience and displeasure. Ever since Edward nearly stole me away, he’d been my constant shadow. It was endearing as well as annoying. It was only because he’d been caught up in business in the past few days that I had a break from him. The truth was, I already missed him.

“You know where I am.” He could still track my phone.

“Where in Chelsea Market?”

“Oh, you’re here.”

“Yeah.”

“I’m about to head up to the High Line.”

“The ice cream shop entrance?”

“Yup.”

“Be right there. Wait for me.”

He ended the call.

Nico was bummed he didn’t get to visit some of the Christmas markets with me. He wasn’t a shopper, but he said he’d always loved the energy around the holidays. But this year was different. A huge responsibility had fallen on his shoulders after a terrible tragedy struck the Moretti crime family last month. Nico had been holding down the fort since Matteo and Sera flew to Chicago to spend time with Luca. Even Dom, Carlotta, and Uncle Paulie went with them to show support. I wasn’t privy to what exactly happened. The details were sketchy, and I didn’t even want to think of the unthinkable.

So this year, we were hanging out with Nico’s McGrath side of the family, especially since his grandparents had flown in from California to spend Christmas here. I’d met them at Sera’s wedding, but Nico and I weren’t together then. We were heading over to the Irish pub for the first of many gatherings of the season.

I felt him before I even saw him. There was just a vibe between us whenever the other was around. I smiled to myself before I turned around. And there he was. It was as if the crowd had parted and all I saw was just him. And damned if he didn’t look so freaking sexy. I couldn’t decide whether I loved seeing him in a leather jacket, a tux, or a fitted Italian suit, but I decided this Nico look in a dark cashmere winter coat over a suit, and a gray scarf just peeking beneath it was my current favorite. His longish hair curled at the collar and he’d been griping he needed a haircut, but it did not detract from looking like the sharpest-dressed man in Manhattan. I loved power-play Nico. I knew he’d just come from a grueling board meeting with real-estate investors and I knew he’d be thrumming with adrenaline, which meant…hot sex later tonight.

“Hey,” I breathed, when he swept me in his arms.

He gave me a quick, searing kiss, and when he leaned back, his eyes narrowed. “You cheated on me.”

“What?” I gave an incredulous giggle.

“That’s hot chocolate I taste.”

“Well…”

He brought his mouth close to mine, effectively shushing me. “You’ll pay for that later.”

I felt that threat between my legs.

He leaned back again and shot me a heated look, then linked our fingers before we ascended the stairs to the High Line.

The gathering at Eamonn’s pub wasn’t until eight p.m. And it was only six. It seemed this was our favorite way to pass the time.

“You didn’t do any shopping?” Nico asked.

“A few trinkets,” I said. “I don’t like shopping without you.”

He chuckled. “Because you don’t have someone to carry your purchases?”

“After you’ve spoiled me with that service, can you blame me? Oh…” I dug into my purse for a brown mailer and pulled out a magazine. “Guess what arrived?”

“Oh, princess.” He put his arm around me and gave me an extra squeeze. “I’m so proud of you and Xander.”

It was an advanced copy of the February issue of Glamourique Hong Kong edition with Xander on the cover. The inside had pictures of Xander and me during the spring fashion show. “Well, without my cousin’s talent, there wouldn’t be any Donateka. So it’s mostly Xander.” It always felt awkward when I was mentioned in the same breath of Xander’s success.

We stopped at our favorite spot on the High Line. The Empire State Building was in all its holiday-lit glory.

“Baby.” He turned me to face him and put both his hands on my shoulders. “There wouldn’t be a Donateka without Xander…and you.”

“But…”

He grinned over my shoulder. “Right, Xander?”

I frowned.

“You tell her, De Lucci,” a voice said behind me.

“What?” I spun around.

Xander and Daniel stood there, smiling at me.

“What are you two doing here? Aren’t you guys supposed to be in Hong Kong?” I whispered.

Then Sera stepped out from behind them with Matteo. And that was when I realized Bianca, Renz, Liz, Ava, Cesar, and a bunch of the McGraths were here too.

My mouth dropped open. “You’re supposed to be in Chicago,” I told Sera.

She gripped my hands. “This is one time I won’t feel guilty about using a private plane. I’m not going to miss this.”

“Oh my God.” I stared at Sera as the realization of what this moment signified sunk in.

She broke into a wide smile. “Turn around.”

My heart wanted to pound out of my chest.

Bianca was holding up her phone. “So, you might regret giving me access to your Pixygram. We’re livestreaming.”

I always wondered about time standing still or slowing down. And as I turned, friends’ and families’ faces blurred, only to focus when I completed my one-eighty turn.

Focused on Nico, who was holding up a dazzling diamond ring.

“Not too long ago, I was the most annoying man in your life,” he started.

Everyone laughed.

I laughed too because the thought had crossed my mind earlier. I tasted the salt of my tears. I dragged in a ragged sob and had trouble breathing with how fast my heart was beating.

“Ivy, I’ve known you for over a year, but these past few months have been life changing.”

Amen to that.

“I scoffed at the De Lucci Obsession myth. I never thought romantic love was for me. I was content, but damn, princess, you showed me a part of me that was missing. How empty my life was before you. I was a coward until I took that leap with you. Right here, on this High Line, when you declared to the world that you were mine.”

I pressed my lips together and gave another brief burst of a laughing sob. But I hoped I communicated to him he better hurry before my face became too ravaged for the camera. Not that I cared.

He dropped to one knee. And I covered my mouth. My whole body shook with all the emotions crying for this man.

“Ivy Wu, I love you. Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife? Spend forever with me—”

He barely got the last word out when I shouted, “Yes!” Then I threw my arms around him. It was a wonder we didn’t topple to the ground. But Nico had his arms around me, steadying me while he rose to his feet. He was kissing me and slipping the ring on my finger. I didn’t even know how I lost the glove on my hand.

Clapping, cheering, even heckling erupted around us.

Sera led the charge to congratulate us. “Oh my goodness,” she gushed. “We’re really going to be sisters-in-law.”

“I know!” I said. “Are you going back to Chicago?”

“Tonight, after Eamonn’s, but believe me when I say we needed this news.”

“Hey, don’t hog her,” Daniel cut in.

“Go go,” I whispered. Tears formed again. There was a tug of the bittersweet. But we didn’t say other words except hug each other tightly like we never had before.

When we broke apart, his eyes were glassy with unshed tears.

“You’ll never lose me, okay?” I rushed out the words. “You’ve gained an entire family on my side.” I looked at Xander over his shoulder. “Xander is already part of it.”

“Damn right I am,” our cousin said, and then took over from Daniel and dragged me into his chest. “So fucking happy for you.” When we pulled apart, he grinned. “See, I called it from the start.”

Nico looked over to where he was getting a thump on the back from Cesar. “He did, did he?”

“I sure did,” Xander replied smugly. “I’m designing the wedding gown.”

“Yes! I can’t wait to help you plan the wedding!” Sera cried.

“Me too,” Bianca piped in.

And so it continued, a parade of De Luccis and McGraths, wishing us well, in the same spot where Nico and I unveiled our romance to the world.

And my followers approved.

Six months later

Nico

A year ago, I insulted the woman who would become the love of my life.

She became my sole obsession.

I took my place in front of the altar of the church where the De Lucci men married their soul mates.

Dad married Mom twenty-nine years ago.

Renz married Liz four years ago in a delayed wedding since they had Sam first.

Matteo married Sera last year. Their second wedding, although I wasn’t sure if Vegas counted.

Today, I was marrying Ivy, and I couldn’t wait to add the gold band to the ring already on her finger that would finally declare her unequivocally mine.

Seven violins played the notes to Canon in D.

I watched the slow procession of the bridal party, impatient for my bride to make an appearance.

Since the first time I called her Poison Ivy, she’d become mine. I was such an idiot buried under the insecurities of my past that I failed to recognize it. She wasn’t poison. She was a balm to my restless, brooding soul. I wasn’t restless anymore. I was still broody, but my woman loved it, so…

“Nervous?” Matteo whispered in my ear. I watched Bianca wink at me and give me a covert thumbs-up before she took her place with the other bridesmaids. She was partnered with Xander who was one of the groomsmen. Following her was Sera, Ivy’s matron of honor.

Our roles were reversed from last year’s wedding, when I was Matteo’s best man and Ivy was Sera’s maid of honor.

I breathed a chuckle. “I don’t know why. I don’t have second thoughts.”

He grinned. “Yeah, but Sera and I didn’t have the media frenzy surrounding our wedding.”

Ever since my public proposal at the High Line, our engagement had been put under spotlight and scrutiny. Ivy’s followers had almost doubled, while mine remained zero because I never accepted requests. I was still following two people, Ivy and Bianca. Everyone was hungry for Nicovy stories. There were detractors saying it was a Donateka publicity stunt, but Ivy and I didn’t care. Donateka and Xander’s designs had exploded on the fashion scene both stateside and abroad. It was from all the hard work and sheer talent.

All eyes were on Ivy’s wedding gown.

Glamourique had an exclusive to the wedding photos. They’d done a photoshoot, but the pictures were still under wraps. My eyes landed on the third pew. Marie Pierre and a date were in attendance. She and Ivy had become good friends and occasionally met for coffee.

Adhering to tradition, I had not seen Ivy in her wedding gown, but Xander’s teasing had been torturous.

I fidgeted in my wing-collar tuxedo and glanced over at Matteo again. His gaze was narrowed.

“What’s wrong?”

He shook his head.

I raised a brow.

He sighed and leaned forward. “Sandro Rossi. Back of the church.”

Goddammit. He better not cause a scene.

“I thought he RSVP’d no,” Matteo mumbled through the corner of his mouth.

“He did.”

But I knew why he was here.

Because Bianca announced she had a new boyfriend and she had brought him as a date to the wedding.

Before I could fixate on that incoming problem, the emcee asked everyone to rise for the bride.

The thoughts in my head scattered.

The music cut off. There was a lull, the doors opened, and the first note of the bridal march stopped my lungs from functioning.

Even from a distance, Ivy was a vision in white lace and an exquisite tiered ruffled skirt.

The back of my eyes burned. My heart threatened to expand beyond what my chest could hold in.

“Breathe,” Matteo said in my ear.

Oh, right. I exhaled deeply and caught another drag of air.

But Ivy was simply stunning. Walking down the aisle on her brother’s arm, she stole my breath away.

Daniel flew in a week ago, determined to spend as much time with Ivy before he gave her away. I let them have their time because I had the rest of my life with her.

I lowered my gaze to catch Samantha throwing out rose petals. My niece was excited to be a flower girl again.

Taking another deep breath and clearing my throat, I grew impatient and overwhelmed. I walked a few steps to meet them before they reached the designated stop.

Daniel turned to Ivy. She and her brother exchanged a look, before giving each other one last hug.

When the priest asked, “Who gives this woman to be married to this man?”

Daniel responded, “I do.”

His mouth compressed, obviously fighting back emotions, but he extended his hand to me. “Take care of her.”

“Count on it.” Our handshake was firm with my promise. It was a vow, an oath to cherish and protect Ivy my entire life.

He transferred her hand to mine, and I put it on my arm, still in awe of her beauty, it was hard to take my eyes off her. She’d foregone a veil, and her long hair was swept in an elaborate updo exposing her elegant neck. I wanted to bury my nose at the crook of her neck and shoulder and inhale her.

Instead, we stared at each other for a heartbeat, maybe two. Her eyes were luminous with tears and joy. The crowd around us receded, and the world was reduced to simply us.

“You take my breath away,” I managed gruffly.

She laughed lightly. “And you look smashing, Nico De Lucci.”

I ducked my head to swipe at the corners of my eyes. Fuck it. I was damned ecstatic. I didn’t care if people saw me cry. The enormity of the emotions filling my heart was nothing I’d felt before and it was because of her.

As Ivy and I approached the altar, I helped her navigate the steps in her voluminous gown. I stole another quick glance at her. She had no idea how gorgeous she looked when her face was brimming with happiness, and I was fucking proud I put that expression there.

“You and me, princess.”

Her eyes glowed with all her love. “Forever.”