I swallow. Barely. “Perfect. And Ajello?”
“I’ll handle the don.”
He’ll handle the don. Great. “I’m keeping the rings.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way. In fact, I insist that you do.”
Bastard. I’m going to have them melted, just for that. “Well, I wish I could say it’s been nice doing business with you, DeVille, but…”
“Likewise.”
His voice rings with amusement. The jackass is having fun. Of course he is. First, he wrecked my life. Now, my heart. But sure, glad I’ve been able to entertain him. God, why can’t he just get the hell out of here so I can break down in peace? Is that too much to ask? Is it?
My eyes stay glued to the folder, but I finally catch a slight movement in my peripheral vision. Except… He’s not leaving. What… what is he—?
Snapping my head up, all I can do is gape at Arturo with stunned, wide-eyed amazement. He’s down on one knee right beside my bed. He’s wearing one of his fancy suits after, apparently, showering and changing while I slept, and he’s kneeling on the hospital floor like he couldn’t care less about that.
“What are you doing?”
“Patience,gattina,” he says, reaching into the pocket of his pants.
I’m just about ready to tell him to get lost when he clears his throat. His eyes capture mine, and there isn’t a shred of mirth in them. He actually looks kind of—
“I fucked up,” he blurts, running a hand through his hair like he’s nervous. “Big time. Made a mess of everything because I was stupid. And stubborn. And because I was afraid.” His voice cracks a little on the last word. “You told me once that you always screw things up, but that’s not true. Drilling holes in the drywall or taking apart the coffee machine with a butter knife,that’s not messing things up, baby. It’s just you being you. You’re independent and resourceful. Some things might not go your way, but you don’t shy away from a challenge. You don’t give up, and I love that about you. I love everything you do. Even when it involves bizarre hair antics. I get a kick out of seeing what insane idea you’ll come up with next, and I want to keep experiencing that for the rest of my life.”
He falls silent, but I have a feeling he’s not done. His eyes keep bouncing between mine like he’s soundlessly trying to tell me something. Imploring me to understand his every word. It’s as if he’s taking a deep breath before a plunge. Getting ready to light a match in a room filled with hydrogen instead of air. And I’m left gasping, struggling to breathe. Waiting for the spark that will blow my world apart with his next exhale. His next sentence.
“I love you,gattina.”
B
O
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“Tara, for over a decade, aside from my sisters, the Cosa Nostra Family was the most important thing in my life. But then you thundered into it like a beautiful storm. My precious hazard. And I realized that you eclipsed everything. The Family—if I had to make a choice, I would have betrayed them for you. My life—I would have given it to save yours in a nanosecond. I would give up everything for you, baby, everything. And that thought scared the living shit out of me. Having that kind of weakness, it was simply incomprehensible. But that’s what you became. My Achilles’ heel.
“And so, I lashed out. Tried to push you away when all I really wanted was to hold you in my arms, keep you safe, and never let you go. Because I love you. Desperately.” He sucks in a sharp intake of air and pulls a ring from his pocket, lifting it in front of my face. “I’m so sorry, Tara darling. Will you marry me?”
I gasp. Astonishment, anger, and dizzying happiness surge inside me, battling for supremacy while I continue to gape at the beautiful gold ring with another dazzling emerald at the center, even more beautiful than the one in my current ring.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I finally manage to spit out. “You just served me with divorce papers!”
“I want to make it right,gattina. Want every step of our life together to be real. One day, our kids should hear the story of how their daddy proposed to their mommy while kneeling before her. Not that he was an asshole and blackmailed the love of his life into marrying him,” he smirks. “But how can I ask you to marry me if we’re already married? Please, Tara. Do me the honor of becoming my wife.”
I grab the folder with our divorce papers, swinging and hitting him upside his head.
“Is that ayes?” He smiles sheepishly and squints his eyes.
“I’ve been going through hell, thinking I’ve fallen in love with a jerk who doesn’t give the slightest fuck about me!” I bark. “No, Arturo. It’s definitelynota yes.”
That mischievous smirk morphs into a frown as confusion takes over his face. Springing to his feet, he leans in until he’s eye level with me.
“What?”
It’s my turn to smile. Fisting the lapel of his jacket, I pull him down for a breath-stealing kiss.
