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“I wanted you to see your new home.”
“This black cavern will not be my new home.”
“This building is as secure as Fort Knox.”
“Good for it. That doesn’t mean I will live here.” She picks up an egg roll and takes a bite. “My apartment is fine.”
I glance around the loft and sigh. “You can redecorate.”
“How generous.” She takes another bite of her egg roll. “If my father’s fortune lands in my hands, I will choose where I live and ensure that my best friend lives next door.”
A sharp pain slices through the back of my head. “Will you agree to live here for the time being?”
“What are you asking, Yuri?”
I lean over and pull a small box out of my jacket. “In the end, we only regret the chances we didn’t take.” I tug the ring out of the box. “I would like to be your sword and shield, Lina.” Sliding the emerald on her finger fills my chest with satisfaction.
“I think you’re supposed to wait for an answer before putting the ring on.”
“That’s not my style.”
“Beast.”
I knit our hands together. “I am your beast. And in your current situation, that’s a plus.”
She looks up with sad eyes. “I wish we could’ve gone on a date before all this family drama began.”
“Why?”
“Because we’re in no man’s land.” Shaking her head, she sighs. “You’re not a stranger, and you’re not my boyfriend.”
“This is the hand we got dealt, so we’ll do things backward and date after we’re married.”
“Even if it’s fake?”
“It won’t be fake, Lina.”
“And it won’t be permanent. It’s an arrangement.”
“Vlad likes listening to podcasts, and he told me the other day that love isn’t a feeling; it’s a verb. It’s a choice you make every day. An action you take to show your partner you have their best interest at heart.”
“Are you saying that you want to make that choice with me?”
I look at our entwined hands and realize that’s exactly what I want to do. With or without a fortune or relatives who wish to put us in a grave. Perhaps Gianna is right, and every man does have a woman he would burn down the world for. “Yes.”
“I see.” She runs her finger over the tattoos covering my knuckles.
“Marry me, Lina.”
“Again, with the statement.”
I pull her chair closer. “I rarely ask for anything, but this seems like the time to make an exception.” Lifting my eyes, I take in a long breath. “Will you be my wife?”
Ten seconds pass. Then thirty more.
“Yes. I will marry you.” She runs her finger over the large jewel. “Fear has been my constant companion. Even before I knew what it was, it slept beside me.” Looking up, a tear sits in the corner of her eye. “Please don’t let me die before I figure out how to live fully, Yuri.”
“You have my word, Lina.” I take her mouth in a gentle kiss that is so singularly perfect it shuts down the world.
