Fatal Series 00 - Fatal Destiny

plan—to offer you a few things I thought you would appreciate.”
    Smiling, Nick raised his head to give her some space.
    “I promise to try not to leave my shoes all over the place, to hang my coat in the closet rather than tossing it over the sofa where it belongs, to make the bed once in a while and to stop rearranging your desk every time I sit there.”
    “I’ll believe that when I see it.”
    Smiling back at him, Sam brought their joined hands to her lips. “I promise to try very hard to not protect you by keeping things from you. And even though it may sometimes seem that my job and the case of the moment are more important to me than you, I promise you they are not. I’ve loved you for as long as you’ve loved me, and I always will.”
    Overwhelmed, Nick took a deep, shuddering breath and accepted the rings from Graham. After they were in place, the pastor uttered the words Nick had often wondered if he would ever hear: “I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.”
    “At last,” Nick whispered as he drew her in close to him.
    Sam linked her arms around his neck and slipped him some tongue, making his blood race.
    “Brat,” he said against her lips.
    She laughed at the face he made at her and reclaimed her bouquet from Tracy.
    “Ladies and gentlemen,” the pastor said, “it’s my pleasure to introduce Senator and Mrs. Nicholas Cappuano.”
    Nick winced. His Samantha was no one’s Mrs., but oh well. For better or worse, she was his.
    Finally and forever his.
     
    Hand in hand they made their way down the aisle. Sitting behind Sam’s family was her Metropolitan Police family, including Chief Farnsworth, Deputy Chief Conklin, Captain Malone and their wives. Freddie and Elin, Gonzo and his fiancée—Nick’s chief of staff Christina Billings. Sam was pleased and relieved to see her friend and colleague Detective Jeannie McBride there with her boyfriend Michael.
    Nick’s side of the church was also filled to overflowing. What he lacked in family he more than made up for in friends. John O’Connor’s sister Lizbeth, her husband Royce, and John’s brother Terry—Nick’s new deputy chief of staff—were there along with most of his staff. Sam recognized the leadership of the Virginia Democratic Party along with Virginia Governor Zorn and his wife Judy. Behind them were a number of Nick’s colleagues from the Senate and another of Nick’s close friends, White House deputy chief of staff Derek Kavanaugh, and his wife, Victoria.
    When Nick seemed to founder all of a sudden, Sam realized he’d spotted his mother waving from the back row. True to their agreement, she was being quiet, but of course she’d had to make sure Nick knew she was there. Sam wished she could wave a magic wand and make the woman disappear.
    “Just keep moving, babe,” she said to Nick. “Keep moving.”
    “But… that’s—”
    Sam tugged him along with her. “I know who she is.”
    They emerged from the church to an enormous crowd that had grown during the hour-long ceremony. Shelby’s security folks shepherded them through the gauntlet so they could cross the street to the Hay-Adams. The photographer had let them know ahead of time that he would be angling for a shot of them crossing H Street with the White House in the background. Shelby’s people had cleared the street to allow for the photo.
    While Sam sensed the lingering tension in Nick, he played his part to perfection, dashing slightly ahead of her to give the photographer the shot he’d claimed would be the iconic image from their wedding. All Sam cared about was getting a moment alone with her groom to soothe and assure him that his mother wouldn’t bother him today.
    With the photo taken, they arrived at the hotel where Shelby greeted them.
    “We need a moment,” Sam said to her.
    “Right this way.”
    They followed Shelby to the elevator, which transported them to the hotel’s rooftop where the reception would take place. She showed them into a small salon. “I’ll be right outside when you’re ready for photos.”
    “Thank you.” Sam closed the door and turned to Nick. “Are you okay?”
    He looked confused and undone, which Sam deeply resented. “What’s she doing here?”
    “She crashed. I took care of it. I said she could stay for the ceremony, but I let her know she wasn’t welcome here.”
    He shook his head, his mouth set with dismay. “I’m sorry you had to deal with that.”
    “Look at me,” Sam