Page 178 of Savage Don

“Think it over,” Ray says, finishing his own drink. “Go home and give that diamond ring to your girl and tell her it comes with a kingdom and a crown. Go to bed, and then get back to me tomorrow morning.”

“Do I really have a choice?”

Planting his hand on my shoulder, Aiden purses his lips and we both know the answer.

No. This is my duty. This is our world.

I’m going to California, and Francesca is coming with me.

“I hope this won’t affect my invitation to your wedding,” he smiles, his hand falling from my shoulder. “Elisa would never forgive me if we couldn’t be there for you two.”

Aiden and I shake hands and I can’t help but laugh. “As if it would ever come to that,” I smirk. “I’ll tell Francesca about California tonight. We’ll be on the next flight out of here.”

I can see the relief in Aiden’s eyes.

“No need to move that fast,” he says, before looking off into the distance. “You know, besides my father, you were always one of the few people I ever truly looked up to.”

“It didn’t feel like that sometimes,” I tease, remembering all of the times he’s chewed me out in the past.

“Well, you could get annoying,” Aiden chuckles. “And you did try to hit on my wife at one point.”

“She wasn’t your wife yet,” I remind him.

“She was always mine,” Aiden smiles, and I know exactly what he means. “Now, go. Tonight is a big night for you and Francesca. I don’t want to delay it anymore.”

Shaking hands one last time, I turn to leave.

“See you around, boss,” I say.

My mind is already locked back onto Francesca as I open the office door and step out into the hallway.

“See you around, king,” Aiden replies.

King.

The word sticks with me, even as I shut the door and walk down the empty hallway towards the elevator alone.

Yeah. King sounds about right.

But only because it makes Francesca my queen.

With that title, and this ring, it’s official.

Tonight, I’ll propose to the girl of my dreams, then I’ll take her on an adventure around the world before whisking her off to the golden state.

Hell, we’ll literally be riding off into the sunset. Even if our journey together is just beginning.

Maybe this isn’t so bad, after all; not so bittersweet.

Maybe, this is the fresh start we deserve.

Sure, it will be hard, but it will be worth it.

Francesca will see. Tonight, I’ll tell her everything. I’ll offer her all that I have to offer and ask her to be mine forever.

She’ll say yes. There’s no doubt in my mind. Even without my title or my power, she loves me.

Giving her a kingdom will just be icing on the cake.