CHAPTER 74
NINA MARCHESI
I stretch out my arm and find nothing but empty space beside me in bed.
Nero is already up, and I don’t even remember him saying goodbye.
Two weeks after we returned to Khione for good, my body seems to have surrendered to peace of mind and decided to enjoy it.
I’ve been sleeping too much—and too deeply, too.
Between leaving the hospital and getting a few things in order, it took a month for me to finally leave Pienza behind. I will always love that city and the beautiful way it welcomed me, but waking up in Khione is simply different.
I turn over in bed and bury my nose in Nero’s pillow. I breathe in his delicious scent, loving the feeling, trying to catch the sounds of our house to figure out whether I slept long enough to miss Kael leaving for daycare. I hear nothing but silence.
I open my eyes—then blink several times just to make sure I’m seeing this right. Nero left me an envelope? Why on earth would he leave me an envelope on the bed?
I sit up and reach for the paper envelope. I feel a small object slide inside it and frown. The natural light filtering in through the raised blinds means I don’t need to turn on the lights.
I open the envelope and find a note—almost a letter, judging by its size. I pick up the paper and tip the envelope into my hand to catch the loose object inside. My heart changes rhythm when my eyes land on my engagement ring. The same one Nero gave me years ago.
I unfold the paper in a hurry.
Hi, Little Fae.
Maybe I’m taking your “I don’t want to waste any more time” a little too literally, but I thought it was worth the risk.
I already asked you to marry me once. Today, I want to go beyond the question—I want to actually marry you.
Will you marry me, Little Fae?
I’ll be waiting for you in Téssera. We have guests and a wedding all set, but contrary to what this might look like, I’m not telling you this to pressure you. Quite the opposite—I want you to feel free to make the decision your heart tells you to make.
I’ll be waiting for you at the altar, and I’d love for you to come meet me there. But if you decide not to, I’ll still love you just the same, and I’ll still be yours just the same until you tell me you don’t want me anymore (probably even after that, too).
I love you,
Nero.
I read and reread the lines, blinking at them, unable to stop the tears sliding down my cheek. He wants to get married? Today? Now? With the entire island present? That was a low blow.
My eyes drift back to the ring resting in the palm of my hand.
Knocking sounds at the bedroom door pull me out of my thoughts.
“Are you awake? Are you dressed?” It’s Drako’s voice. “Can we come in?”
It takes me a moment to respond, too stunned to say yes or no.
“Nina?” Apollo calls my name, and I shake my head, forgetting they can’t see me.
“You can,” I finally say, still sitting on the bed in a silk pajama set. “What are you doing here?” I ask when two of my husband’s three brothers appear in front of me.
“We’re your ride,” Drako answers. “To get married or to run away—we’ll take you wherever you want to go, Nina. And believe it or not, I’m not joking.”
“Actually,” Apollo adds, “if you want to run away and leave him there to be humiliated alone, no one will judge you. They’ll call it justice. I know I will.”
“Me too,” Drako agrees.
“What?”
“It’s your chance to get revenge,” Drako explains.
“Revenge? Have you lost your minds? I love that man! He’s the father of my child!” I say, getting out of bed. “And I think you’d better not be planning to attend my wedding dressed like that,” I threaten. “Where’s my dress? He bought me one, didn’t he?”