**GABRIEL**
The morning of my wedding, I woke up alone.
It felt wrong. For weeks now, I'd been used to Gracie beside me, her warmth, her soft breathing, the way she curled into me even in sleep. But she'd insisted on spending the night before the wedding at Marco's place with Sofia, who'd flown in to be her maid of honor.
"It's bad luck," she'd said, kissing me at the door.
"I don't believe in luck," I'd told her. "I believe in us."
"Humor me," she'd whispered against my lips. "One night. Then I'm yours forever."
Forever. The word had echoed in my mind all night.
Now, standing in front of the mirror in the villa's master bedroom, I adjusted my tie for the third time. My hands were steady, they were always steady but there was something unfamiliar churning in my chest.
Nerves.
Gabr
