Chapter 36
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
Eleonora
I wake up wrapped in Nico’s arms.
There’s a deep, peaceful bliss settling over me that I’ve never felt before. His warm, solid body is pressed against my back, one strong arm draped possessively over my waist, holding me close like he never wants to let go.
His breath fans softly against the back of my neck. For the first time in a long while, I feel safe. Cherished. Home.
I stretch slowly, a contented sigh escaping my lips. When I tilt my head up, I find him already awake, watching me with those intense dark eyes. There’s a softness in them I’m still getting used to.
“Hey,” I whisper, smiling shyly.
“Good morning, baby,” he murmurs, his voice rough with sleep. He leans down and kisses me slowly, lazily, like he has all the time in the world. His lips are warm and gentle, coaxing mine open until I melt into him.
When he pulls back, I rest my hand on his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath my palm and tracing the beautiful tattoos that cover his skin. That’s when something catches the light on my finger.
I jerk my hand back slightly, eyes widening.
A stunning engagement ring sits on my finger. A large, brilliant-cut diamond surrounded by a halo of smaller diamonds, all set in a delicate platinum band with intricate filigree details. It’s elegant, and breathtakingly beautiful.
I stare at it in stunned silence, then look up at him, eyes wide with disbelief and joy. Nico’s lips curve into a small, satisfied smile.
I laugh softly, still in disbelief. “You… you put it on me while I was sleeping?”
“I did,” he admits, brushing his thumb over the ring on my finger. “Do you like it?”
“I love it,” I whisper, my voice thick with emotion. “It’s perfect.”
He searches my face. “So… you’ll marry me?”
I smile, leaning in to kiss him softly. “I already said yes, remember?”
“I love hearing you say it.”
“Yes, I will marry you.”
A groan rumbles through his chest as he kisses me deeper this time, rolling me onto my back as he settles between my thighs.
What follows is slow, sweet lovemaking nothing like the raw, desperate need from yesterday. This time, he takes his time, kissing every inch of me, whispering how beautiful I am, how much he wants me, how he can’t wait to make me his wife.
I moan softly beneath him, legs wrapped around his waist as he moves inside me with deep, rolling thrusts.
We come together, quiet and intense, clinging to each other.
Afterward, we lie tangled in the sheets for a while, his fingers tracing lazy patterns on my bare back.
“I could get Lea to bring up our breakfast,” he murmurs against my neck as he peppers my skin with kisses.
“I would love that, but I promised Sienna I was going to have breakfast with her.”
Nico continues to kiss every part of my exposed skin. “Alright, take a shower with me then.”
He doesn't seem the least bit offended that I'm ditching having breakfast with him in bed to spend time with my sister. And that makes my heart flutter.
“That I can do. But give me a few minutes, my legs are practically jelly right now.”
A proud smile appears on his face as he looks at me. “I got you.”
He scoops me into his arms and carries me out of bed and into the bathroom, where we spend a lot more time pressed against each other than actually showering.
When I eventually get downstairs, Sienna is already seated at the breakfast table, dressed in one of the sundresses I gave her, while Lea is serving her a plate of eggs, and toast. My sister looks pale and tired, but she’s at least trying to eat something.
Lea turns when she hears me and her eyes immediately drop to my left hand. The moment she sees the ring, her entire face lights up with genuine joy.
“Oh, my goodness!” she exclaims, clasping her hands together. “Congratulations!”
She comes over and pulls me into a warm, motherly hug.
I blush, smiling shyly. “Thank you, Lea.”
Nico walks in behind me, freshly showered and dressed. He slides an arm around my waist and presses a slow kiss to my temple.
“I have to go speak with Marco,” he murmurs against my skin. “I’ll see you later.”
I nod, leaning into his touch for a second before he leaves. When I turn back, Sienna is staring at the ring on my finger, her expression unreadable.
I walk over and sit beside her. “Good morning. How are you feeling?”
She gives a small shrug. “I’m… better actually.” Her gaze lingers on the sparkling diamond. “So, you decided to put yourself first after all.”
I smile softly. “Yeah. I took your advice.”
“I’m proud of you,” she says quietly, though for the first time since she’s here she actually looks relieved.
Part of me wonders if I’m being insensitive. Getting engaged while my sister is mourning the love of her life. She told me to choose myself, but seeing her like this makes me feel guilty anyway.
The next two days pass in a quiet, heavy rhythm.
Every morning, I wake up in Nico’s arms, steal a few moments of peace with him, then go check on Sienna. We have breakfast together, though she barely eats.
Sometimes we sit in the garden or the library, but she’s mostly withdrawn, staring into space. She cheers up a little when I share the letter Camila has sent me.
I stay close every time she cries, holding and reminding her that she’s not alone, trying my best to help her through the grief.
It’s painful watching her like this. And I so badly want to hurt Andrea and my father for putting her through this.
Nico
These past few days have been pure chaos.
Finding Sienna, Massimo discovering I only had one of his daughters, Domenico’s death, tightening security across all my territories… it’s been one storm after another.
Yet through all of it, there’s one thing that keeps me grounded. One thing that stops me from spiraling into the darkness I know so well.
Eleonora.
She’s my peace.
Coming home to her in my bed, feeling her warm body pressed against mine, wrapping her in my arms, it settles something deep inside me I didn’t even know was restless.
I’ve never slept this well in my life. Before her, three or four hours a night was lucky. Now I sleep for six, sometimes seven hours straight, only waking when she shifts closer to me in the morning, seeking my warmth even in her sleep.
She’s the missing piece I never knew was missing.
I never believed something was absent in my life until she came crashing into it. It’s like I had been sleepwalking through existence, and she woke up parts of me I didn’t know existed.
The possessiveness I feel toward her sometimes scares even me. I know little about love, but I know I care about her more than I’ve ever cared about anything. I would burn cities to the ground before I let anyone hurt her.
That’s why I arranged the burial for Domenico. If her sister is at peace, Eleonora is at peace. And if she’s at peace… then I am too.
A happy wife, a happy life, right?
Tonight, long after Eleonora had fallen asleep in our bed, I slip out of the room and head to my office.
Marco is already waiting inside, leaning against the desk with a glass of whiskey in his hand. The moment I close the door behind me, he straightens.
“We’ve got a problem,” he says without preamble.
I walk over to the bar and pour myself a drink. “Talk.”
“Rumors are spreading faster than we expected. Gallo isn’t backing down. He’s still pushing hard for Eleonora. He’s telling people Massimo promised her to him and that you stole his bride. Some of the smaller families are starting to whisper that you're about to start a war over a woman.”
I take a slow sip, letting the burn settle in my chest. “And the sisters?”
“Massimo’s moving them. He’s trying to hide Camilla and Daniela, probably to use them as backup bargaining chips if Gallo keeps pressing. We’ve got eyes on two possible locations, but nothing confirmed yet.”
I nod, already three steps ahead. “I’ve made some calls. I want them secured before Massimo can ship them off or hand them over. I don’t care what it costs. Get them under our protection, I don’t want Eleonora knowing how bad it is.”
Marco studies me for a long moment. “You’re keeping this from her?”
“She doesn’t need to carry this weight right now,” I say, voice low. “She’s already terrified for them. If she finds out how close Gallo is to getting his hands on another one of her sisters, she’ll try to run straight into the fire. I’m handling it.”
Marco exhales. “This is getting complicated, Nico.”
Before I can respond, the office door opens.
Eleonora stands there in one of my shirts, hair messy from sleep, eyes wide with worry.
“What?” she says, voice soft but sharp.
The room goes dead silent.
I set my glass down slowly, my jaw tightening. She wasn’t supposed to wake up. She wasn’t supposed to hear any of this.