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There was something I’d wanted to do for so long. I wanted her to truly know how much she meant for me. Of course, things got in the way; with the recent struggle with Vasquez, I wanted to make sure everything in my life was perfect and that Maria was okay before I did anything too rash… But I knew it was time now.
Maria
The sex was great, as it always had been. In fact, I was pretty sure it was getting better as time went on, and we trusted each other more. My head was still spinning, reeling from the excitement of it all. Angelo’s laughter was stuck in my head. Who would have thought I could bring out such innocent joy in a mafioso?
“Are you okay?” I ask softly, touching his stubbled face.
“Well, I think that after that I might just need a second dose of painkillers…”
“Well, Angelo, it certainly was amazing,” I said with a laugh.
His eyes suddenly lit up like he’d remembered something. Something he had wanted to do or tell me for a long time. He excused himself and disappeared for a minute, and in that moment, I could not help but wonder what was going to happen next. Angelo had been so full of surprises lately.
He returned an instant later, and his eyes were twinkling. I would have thought he was a little teary if I hadn’t known him. They truly were brighter than they’d ever been.
He took my hand and pulled me out of the water, careful not to reveal what was hidden in his other hand, and then he kissed my palm. All the while, my heart was beating erratically, thinking of what he had to say.
Angelo inhaled deeply and began, “Maria, I know how this might look, and I know I might be crazy. But I have to be honest with you, and with myself. I love you. I never thought it could happen, not to someone like me. But it has, and all I want is you, here, with me, for the rest of my life.”
“What are you…?” I went breathless, scared, and in some ways hoping I had not heard him wrong. I couldn’t be sure whether this was a dream. He was asking me tomarry him. This had to be a dream.
“Maria Doyle, will you marry me?” he asked again clearly. I pinched myself to make sure I wasn’t imagining this. Suddenly, tears were streaming down my cheeks. I didn’t know where they had come from, but I couldn’t get them to stop.
All at once, my life flashed before my eyes, as well as the reality of how everything was going to change when I finally took his name. Being his, officially, forever… For a long while, I simply stared at him through a thin veil of tears, while he held his breath in anticipation of what I was going to say back.
But who on earth could say no to a man like Angelo Preston? And, after everything we’d been through, there was only one answer I could give.
The tears were of joy, not anxiety, nor of fear. “Of course, you stupid man!” I screamed, scaring him as I pulled him in for a kiss.
He slipped the ring over my finger and smiled the most genuine smile.
I held my newly adorned finger to the sunlight and burst into another bout of tears. It was so beautiful and elegant. “Ofcourse!”
* * *
Nolan walked in through the elevators, and caught sight of Maria and me playing a game of chess. He was dressed smartly in one of the finest suits I had seen in a while. He had been sent by the Commission. He was the man who was supposed to replace Antonio after he had died. There had been a lot of bureaucracy to cover after he had passed, which was why they had not dispatched someone sooner. Even if they had, Vasquez would probably have had them all killed as well.
“Angelo. It’s good to finally meet you in person,” Nolan began.
I got to my feet and extended a hearty handshake to him as Maria welcomed him as well. “It’s good to meet you as well. I take it that you’re here with some sort of update for me?”
“Yes, this is not a courtesy call. We’re here to talk shop. Are you ready?” Nolan asked, picking up his briefcase.
“Sure, go right ahead,” I replied, moving my knight.
“I hate to be a burden, but I think it would be best if we discussed our dealings in private, Mr. Preston,” said Nolan, trying his best not to look at Maria.
“She’s part of this family now. Anything you want to say to me, you can say in front of her. So, please, carry on Mr. Nolan.”
Nolan cleared his throat before he turned and muttered an apology to Maria. I noticed the smile on her face, and I chuckled. She was going to fit right in.
“We’ve dealt with law enforcement for now, have spoken with the commissioners, and have explained everything that happened. Word will get to the mayor soon enough, and the higher-ups will make sure he quells the situation. We’ve made plans to distract the public from the case, as long as your men continue to operate under the radar for now, that is.”
“We’re just making sure that the city’s operations don’t grind to a halt. If we don’t step up and take charge now, then we might just have another monster like Vasquez stepping in,” I replied, shaking my head at the opening which I had just left available to Maria. She stole a pawn and smiled at me. “I was distracted, don’t do that and smile like it was some crazy plan you had from the start.”
“It was,” Maria replied. “So, what happens to Vasquez’s empire now?”
“Well, the Commission has agreed that you can continue to oversee all of their activities for now. However, considering that you are not exactly well-versed in tackling an operation of this size, you may choose someone from your family to represent the added turf at meetings, at least until we find a viable replacement for Vasquez.”
