“Is it done?” she asks, sitting up straighter. “With Isabel and... with her?”
I nod, moving to sit beside her on the sofa. “Federal agents took custody an hour ago. They’ll be held in secure facilities.”
“And Moretti?”
“His body will never be found,” I say. There’s no need to shield her from these realities. She has chosen this world with her eyes open.
Lea nods, looking into the fire. “I should feel something, shouldn’t I? Relief, maybe. Something.” She turns to me, her eyes reflecting the dancing flames. “But I just feel... empty.”
I reach for her hand, entwining her fingers with mine. “The adrenaline is gone. Give it time. Eventually, it will pass.”
She studies our joined hands. “And then what?”
“Then you decide what comes next.”
Her eyes lift to mine. “Me? Not you? Not us?”
“I know what I want,” I tell her. “I’ve never been more certain. But you’ve had choices taken from you your entire life. By your mother. By circumstance.” I pause. “By me. I won’t do that anymore.”
A small smile touches her lips. “That’s very progressive of you, Nico.”
“Don’t get used to it,” I reply, returning her smile. “I still expect obedience in certain... contexts.”
Her face turns pink, and I feel a rush of pride at the effect I have on her. But that can wait. I need answers first.
“When you look at me,” I ask, “what do you see?”
She considers the question. “I see a man who has built his life on control,” she says finally. “Who craves order in a chaotic world. Who will do terrible things to maintain it.” Her hand tightens in mine. “But I also see someone who stopped when I broke. Who could have killed my mother but chose not to. Who risks his own life to save me from a bomb, while looking at me like I’m something precious and dangerous at the same time.”
“You are,” I tell her. “Both of those things.”
She meets my gaze. “What do you see when you look at me?”
I reach up with my free hand, tracing the curve of her cheek. “I see someone who walked into my world believing she could conquer it, and who nearly did. Who saw the monster and wasn’t afraid. Who pulled the trigger to save my life.” I lean closer. “Who makes me want to be worthy of her.”
Lea’s breath catches. “Nico?—”
“I need to ask you something,” I interrupt. “And I need your honest answer.”
She nods with a new alertness in her expression.
“Do you blame me for what happened to your father?”
“No,” she says without hesitation. “I’ve seen the evidence. I know it was her. I know you had nothing to do with it.” She pauses. “But even before I saw that proof, I think a part of me already knew. The way you looked at me when I accused you—there was genuine confusion. You’re many things, Nico, but you’re not that good of an actor.”
Something inside me unties. “And knowing what you know about me—about my world, what I’ve done—can you imagine a future with me in it?”
Her eyes search mine. “I don’t just imagine it,” she says softly. “I can’t imagine one without you anymore. That’s what terrifies me.”
This is the moment. I slide off the sofa, kneeling down on one knee before her. Her eyes widen. I extract the velvet box from my pocket, opening it to reveal the ring.
“Lea Song,” I say, my voice steady. “From the moment you walked into my club, you’ve challenged me, defied me, and saved me. You’ve seen the worst of me and stayed. You survived every test I set for you, and a few I never intended.” I hold the ring between us. “Be my wife. Rule beside me. Not as my asset, but as my equal. My queen.”
Her eyes fill with tears, but she’s smiling. “Is this how The Diplomat asks for what he wants? On his knees?”
I can’t help but laugh, the sound rich and genuine. “Only once. Only for you.”
She extends her left hand, her fingers trembling slightly. “Yes,” she says as I slide the ring onto her finger. “Yes, I’ll marry you. Yes, I’ll be your queen.” Her smile turns wicked. “And yes, I’ll obey you... in certain contexts.”
