AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I drop to one knee as I pull a small box from my pocket. I want to give my angel her fairy tale. She gasps and looks at Niko with excitement.
“Aria Leone, you’ve captured my heart since the moment I met you. I’ve loved you from that first moment on. Will you marry me?”
Behind her, Niko rolls his eyes. Clearly, he’s not a romantic. The excitement and love in Aria’s eyes tells me she is.
She laughs. “I thought we were already getting married.”
“Yes, well, that was my plan. I want to make sure that it’s your plan as well. Do you choose me to be your husband?” I hold up the ring. “This was my grandmother’s and then my mother’s. I want you to have it, Aria, as a symbol of my love and my commitment to you."
Aria's eyes glisten with unshed tears as she holds out her hand, allowing me to slide the ring onto her delicate finger. “Yes, yes… of course, I'll marry you!"
Overcome with joy, I pull her into my arms, holding her tightly. In that moment, nothing else matters—not the conflict with Niko, not the dangers of the Mafia world. All that exists are Aria and the promise of a future we'll build together.
As I reluctantly release her, I turn to face Niko, bracing myself for his reaction. To my surprise, his expression is not one of anger, but of… acceptance? He steps forward and envelops Aria in a tight embrace, whispering something in her ear that I can't quite make out.
When he finally releases her, Niko turns to me, his gaze intense. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re a dead man if you hurt her.”
“That goes without saying.”
Niko extends his hand, and I grasp it firmly, sealing the unspoken truce between us. At that moment, I know that Aria's happiness is the only thing that matters to both of us.
I pull Aria close, my heart swelling with joy and relief. “Ready to go home?”
Aria nods, a radiant smile lighting up her face. "Yes."
We say our goodbyes to Niko and board the plane. The minute we’re airborne, I tug Aria into my lap. “Did your brother hit his head?”
She laughs. “Yes, I whopped him.”
I snort.
“I don’t know what specifically changed his mind.” Aria runs her finger through my hair, her expression thoughtful. "He said that he didn't know how to be a good brother when I was younger. Maybe I should have realized how difficult it was for him to lose everyone in our family by the time he was twenty. He was so filled with hate and revenge. He sent me away, and it felt like to me he didn’t want me around. He says it was that he didn’t know how to do anything but protect me.” She inhales a breath. “I should have figured that out. His life’s goal was power and revenge. Until Elena, I didn’t know he had a soft spot deep in his heart.”
“But in doing so, he wasn’t looking out for your heart.” I press my hand on her chest, not in a sexual gesture, but to feel the beat of her heart. A heart that beats for me.
She nods. “I felt abandoned. I’d lost my parents and other brother, and then he shipped me off, losing him too. He says he did it because he couldn’t lose me, which doesn’t make sense.”
“I don’t know. If the only way I knew I could keep you safe was to send you away, I’d do it in a minute. I know you don’t like me talking like that, but it is what it is.”
“Mafia men can be so exasperating.”
I grin at her. “But sexy too, right?”
She laughs. “Sexy too.”
I tilt my head. “So it’s not me, per se, that was the problem?”
“No, except you’re in Italy. I think he realized how much we missed of each other’s lives and wanted to make up for it. That’s easier if I’m in New York. You’re taking away his chance to make things right. Or so he sees it. Did I ever mention he’s a bit dense?”
I smile. “Niko is a smart man. He loves his family, even if he’s dense sometimes.”
“Yeah, well he finally decided that my happiness was worth considering in his calculations. Not that he has any say.” She looks at me in earnest. “I know his blessing means a lot, but I don’t need his permission.”
I nod. “His approval means something to me, Mio Angelo. But your love is the most important thing.”
