Chapter Thirty-one
RONAN
Present Day
NEW YORK CITY
It was one of those days.
The kind where you feel like you’re walking through a fog that’s thick enough to swallow you whole. My mind kept drifting back to my parents. Their laughter and their presence had faded years ago, but sometimes, like today, it felt too real, too raw.
I sat in Dr. Saad’s office, staring blankly at the wall, trying to focus, but my thoughts kept circling. The guilt and the grief never really left, and I hated that. I hated feeling like this. Hated that I couldn’t shake it off, like I always tried to.
“Ronan,” she said softly, “What are you feeling?”
I took a deep breath. “Empty,” I muttered. “Like, no matter what I do, it’s never enough to make it better. I… I miss them. I wish they were here.”
Dr. Saad nodded. “Grief doesn’t follow a timeline, and your guilt is part of that. It doesn’t matter how much time has passed—you’ll still feel them and all the emotions that come with it. That doesn’t mean you’re not making progress; it means you’re human.”
I wanted to tell her that it was like an anchor, holding me down. But I didn’t. I couldn’t find the words. Instead, I sat there, silent, until our session ended.
Afterwards, I found myself heading straight to Lucio’s. I didn’t want to be alone today.
He greeted me with a look that said he knew exactly what kind of mood I was in. “Stai bene, fratello?” he asked, his voice casual but with an edge of concern.
I shrugged, not trusting myself to say much. He didn’t press me, though. Instead, we talked about everything and nothing—our childhood, the company, random crap that had no bearing on the world. But it helped. Being there with him, feeling the weight lift bit by bit, made me feel less broken.
By the time I left, I felt… less empty. If only a little. Enough to breathe, at least.
Later, I was lying in bed, the sheets tangled around my legs, staring up at the ceiling. I could still hear the words of Dr. Saad echoing in my head, but it was different now. Less suffocating. I had to believe things would get better, even if it didn’t feel that way today.
The next morning, I was on a flight to Italy. I had patients to see. Jet lag was already kicking in, but I pushed it aside. I had a job to do.
When I met with her, we talked about remission, her current treatments, and the plans moving forward. I reviewed her charts and made sure her doctors were aligned with the plan. It was a tough case, but she was strong. It was inspiring, honestly.
Afterward, I headed to another patient—Maria Delgado.
She had a rare form of cancer—Chordoma, a tumor affecting the spine and skull.
We talked through her treatment options, considering all angles.
I gave her some advice on her ongoing care, letting her know I’d ensure her doctors do everything possible to manage her condition.
The day stretched on, and I couldn’t shake the weariness of the flight. But something was pulling me forward. I was heading to Tuscany to see Nina. I had a gift for her, something I thought she might like.
I reached her boutique and immediately felt the energy inside—busy, bustling, chaotic. I didn’t see her in the front, so I walked past the racks, heading toward the back office. As I did, I ran into Inaya. She raised an eyebrow when she saw me.
Great.
“What are you doing here?”
I rolled my eyes and walked right past her. I wasn’t in the mood for small talk, especially not with her.
I found Nina in her office, and for a moment, I stood there in the doorway, taking her in. She was wearing a pink pantsuit that fit her like a glove, her natural hair pulled back in a ponytail. Damn, she looked gorgeous. It was almost like the whole room faded when she was in front of me.
“Ronan…” Her voice pulled me out of my daze. She looked up at me with those eyes that always saw right through me. “What are you doing here?”
I barely found my voice, sputtering my words as I handed her the box. “Here.”
She looked at it, then back at me, a little confused. “What is it?”
I smiled, feeling a rush of warmth as I looked at her, memories flashing in my head. “Three years ago today, you opened your boutique.”
“Huh?” She blinked. “No, it’s Friday.”
I shook my head. “That’s the grand opening anniversary. When you stood at the front of this place in that yellow floral dress, it was three years ago today.”
She gazed at me, a hint of disbelief wavering in her eyes. “But you weren’t even there.”
I couldn’t stop the words from spilling out. “You didn’t see me. But I was always there, Nina. I was always watching, always supporting you.”
Her eyes softened, and she looked at the box in her hands, clearly processing.
Slowly, she unwrapped it, and she gasped when she saw what was inside—a picture collage.
The first image was of her standing in front of the boutique on opening day, the second was from her second anniversary, in almost the same spot.
But the third space was blank, waiting for a picture from this year.
She looked up at me, her mouth slightly open. “How do you have this?”
I stepped closer, my heart thumping in my chest. “I told you, Nina,” I said, my voice a little hoarse, “I know everything. I was always there, whether you knew or not.”
She didn’t say anything at first, only stared at me, as if trying to process it all. But I could see the shock and disbelief in her eyes.
I watched her for a few moments, her hands gently holding the collage. “Grazie,” she said softly. “This is...”
I shook my head, almost instinctively. “Niente che tu non meriti, tesoro.56”
Her lips parted in surprise, and I added, “Three years in the business and you’re killing it.”
She shrugged, brushing it off with that humility that used to drive me crazy. “I’ve had some help,” she said, trying to downplay it. “A lot of help.”
I leaned forward, staring at her. “You’re letting the impostor syndrome talk. You did this. Your talent, not anyone else’s. You are the magic.”
She peered at me for a moment, like she was trying to take it all in, before her lips curled into a soft smile. “Thank you, Ronan.”
Before I could respond, her phone rang, pulling her attention away from me. “I’ll be back in a minute.”
I nodded, sitting down in the chair, feeling a little more at ease now that the tension had loosened between us. I ran my fingers over the armrest, looking around her office, feeling a calm settle over me for the first time since yesterday.
The door opened, and I froze, expecting to see Nina walk back in. Instead, it was Alejandro.
I couldn’t stand him. He had that look that made it clear he had more than a casual interest in Nina. It was the same look that made me want to punch him in the face.
He smirked as he looked me over. “Where’s Nina?”
I couldn’t hold back a sarcastic laugh. “You don’t knock before you enter?”
He raised an eyebrow, as if the concept of boundaries didn’t even exist for him. “We have a different relationship.”
I leaned back in my chair, my gaze narrowing. “Friendship,” I corrected.
His grin faded. “Why are you here?”
Taken aback by his audacity, I chuckled darkly. “Unless you’re stupid, which I’m starting to think you are, you wouldn’t be asking such an obvious question.”
He opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, the door swung open again, and Nina walked in.
“Ronan,” she said, her voice soft, and then her gaze shifted past me to Alejandro. “Alejandro.”
He walked over to her, wrapping her in a brief but meaningful hug. It was like a punch to the gut when I felt the subtle shift in her stance, her body language as she stood so naturally in his presence. I almost lost it right there—my hands clenched at my sides, my thoughts running wild.
Nina pulled back first, turning toward Alejandro with a polite smile. “I’ll see you, Alejandro,” she said, almost as if to dismiss him.
I didn’t move at first. He looked at her, an unreadable expression on his face, then glanced at me with a little too much familiarity. Finally, he gave a half-assed shrug and turned to leave, his eyes lingering on Nina for a moment longer than necessary.
As soon as he was gone, I couldn’t keep the words down anymore, jealousy threading through every syllable. “He wants you.”
Nina’s eyes lifted to meet mine. “Don’t start.”
I leaned forward, my voice low and thick, a warning in every word. “I see the way he looks at you, like you’re something he could devour. Like he’s trying to figure out how he can make you his.”
She tilted her head, confused. “What do you mean?”
I exhaled, my gaze never leaving hers. “His eyes tell you he wants to taste you, feel you under his hands. He sees a fantasy in you, Nina. The idea of you.”
Her lips parted, almost defensively. “And what’s the difference in the way you look at me?”
I closed the distance, my body vibrating with every step.
I let the words come out raw, no softness to them, only truth.
“I look at you like I can’t breathe without you.
Like you’ve ruined me in the best way possible.
I look at you because I don’t want anyone else, ever.
I want to feel every inch of you, always.
Not only in my hands but in my soul. I see you.
All of you. Not the polished version. Not the fantasy.
I want the real you that keeps me up at night, the one who won’t let me forget that I’m alive. ”
Her breath hitched, her chest rising and falling like I had knocked the wind out of her. I saw the shimmer of tears in her eyes, but she didn’t turn away.
I stepped closer, my body pressing against hers from behind. “Lastly, tesoro…” My voice was a dark promise. “I look at you like you’re the one who could ruin me completely, because you are… Because you have.”
She swallowed hard, her entire body trembling beneath my touch. My lips brushed against her ear, whispering, “You are the fire I don’t ever want to escape.”
I kissed her cheek softly, feeling the rapid beat of her pulse under my lips. The shiver that ran through her, the way her breath faltered, made it feel like I had the world in my hands. Spinning her slowly, I kept my hands on her, not letting her escape my gaze.
I leaned in closer, my lips hovering over her ear as I whispered, “Have a good day, tesoro.”
She didn’t say a word, but the tension in her eyes and the softness of her gaze spoke louder than anything she could have said.