Chapter 44
Lennon
It’s Friday. A whole week has gone by since I’ve seen Sandro.
It’s been quiet. My body is mostly healed from the car crash.
I had a breakthrough with a client this week.
I should feel happy. But the joy I should feel is just another unattainable thing.
I feel nothing. My world is void of color and I’m swimming in a gray soup, slowly drowning.
“This too shall pass,” I tell myself as I pull my hair into a high ponytail and reshape my curtain bangs to frame my face.
Adding concealer to brighten the dark circles under my eyes, I realize it’s not enough to hide the effects of my dark mood and lack of sleep, so I try a tinted moisturizer and some cream peach blush.
I look into my own eyes. Then I give up.
Nothing is going to hide the truth. And the truth is I’m devastated. Crushed.
I was doing just fine before Sandro came back into my life.
Were you?
“Shut up,” I whisper as I look for my sneakers. My bedroom is a mess, and I need to do laundry, but I haven’t found the energy to care about that either. “I was doing well enough.”
Life isn’t some fairytale where you live happily ever after. It’s messy. And painful. And you have to take joy where you can find it. We were lucky to have the time together that we had. Just because our story is over doesn’t mean it wasn’t an epic romance while it lasted.
And that’s what I will hold onto. That I once had a love that defied logic, that defied the world.
Holding onto that for dear life, I slip on my shoes and head to my shift at the diner.
***
Luckily, the diner has been packed all night. It’s kept me busy and out of my head. Just what I needed. There are only two tables left.
I approach Mr. and Mrs. Brighton with their check. I’m so glad they didn’t stop coming in after the near robbery. I’d miss hearing about their grandchildren and Geraldine’s garden. “You two going dancing after this?” I smile.
“Honey, the spirit is willing, but the body is weak,” Geraldine chuckles.
Bill cocks his head and then looks up at me, a twinkle in his eye. “How’s that knight in shining armor of yours?”
My smile fades. “Oh, he’s not… mine.” I feel something soft brush against my ankles. I glance down and gasp. It’s a fluffy yellow and white kitten.
“Mew,” it chirps. Its green eyes meet mine, and I have the strangest sense of déjà vu. It looks just like the kitten I found when I was fifteen.
“What in the world are you doing in here?” I bend down, scoop up its weightless body, and cradle it to my chest. “Are you lost?”
It immediately begins to purr like a tiny motor.
Something hard pokes me in the chest, and I dig into its fur to see what it is. It’s wearing a thin pink collar and on the collar…
I gasp.
“Oh my God, there’s a…” I hold the kitten out so I can get a better look. “There’s a ring.” A stunning four- or five-carat, cushion-cut diamond with five small emeralds hugging each side. Who would be so careless to lose a ring like this?
And then I feel him. The magnetic energy of his presence has the hair on my arms rising.
I turn, holding the kitten tight.
Sandro is standing just inside the door. He’s dressed casually in dark sweatpants and a form-fitting, gray T-shirt stretched across his muscular chest and arms. His dark hair is mussed like he’s been running his hands through it, and his expression is tight and serious.
He holds my gaze as he finally crosses the distance between us.
My body is trembling. I don’t understand what’s happening.
When he reaches me, he carefully takes the kitten and slips the ring from its collar.
“Sandro?” I whisper. It’s both painful and a relief that he’s standing in front of me. “What’s going on?”
His eyes are crackling bright blue flames in the fluorescent light. He reaches out and places his palm against my cheek, and I automatically lean into its warmth, its comfort. He’s searching my face and whatever he sees has him nodding.
Then he slowly lowers himself to one knee, places the kitten on the floor between us, and takes my hand.
I hear a gasp from Geraldine and a chuckle from Bill, but the sounds are far away. Because I feel like I’m untethered from reality and floating above my body.
Am I dreaming? Am I having a psychotic break?
“Lennon.” Sandro squeezes my hand. His voice is husky, my name said with so much reverence that I have no choice but to accept this is happening.
“From the time we were thirteen, you’ve had my heart, Angel.
There has never been, and will never be, another woman for me but you.
You are my light in the darkness, my salvation, my joy and my soul mate.
I need you like I need air to breathe. I promise you I will love you and protect you until my dying breath.
” He slides the ring on my finger. “Will you do me the honor of being my wife?”
I blink and the tears spill down my cheeks. “I don’t understand,” I whisper. “What about your... family? Giada?”
A ghost of a smile touches his lips, but his eyes still glitter with determination. “I’ll explain it all to you, but for now just know that’s all over. I’m yours if you’ll have me.”
I choke out a sob and fall to my knees. “Oh, Sandro.” I throw my arms around him and a strangled laugh escapes me. “I love you, too.”
He holds me tight, and I feel him blow out a long breath. “Is this a yes?”
I laugh then and pull back, cupping his face. “Yes! A thousand times yes!”
He gives me the most devastatingly handsome, dimpled smile before he pulls me to him and kisses me like a man starving.
I fall into him, letting everything go—my fear, my doubt, my anger. Because this, being in his arms, feeling his desperation and love for me, this is everything.
Clapping brings us out of our little bubble.
Geraldine and Bill, along with the table behind them and Rodrigo, are cheering and whistling.
My face is on fire as I scoop the kitten back up, and Sandro helps me to my feet.
Bill stands up and shakes his hand. “Congratulations, Mr. LaRocca. I hope you two will be as happy as Gerry and I have been for fifty-two years.”
“I will do everything in my power to make that happen, sir,” Sandro says.
I’m wondering how Bill knows who Sandro is when Sandro turns to Rodrigo. “You can finish closing up.” It’s not a request.
Rodrigo gives him a small nod and disappears back to the kitchen.
Sandro smiles as he looks at the small ball of fur curled up in the crook of my arm. “Get your stuff. The three of us, we’re going home.”
My stomach flips like I just dropped over the edge of a rollercoaster.
Home. Together.
If I’m dreaming, I don’t ever want to wake up.
An amused chuckle rumbles in Big Tony’s chest as we climb in the car. “So, you said yes, huh?”
I shrug playfully. “He can be pretty persuasive.”
“That’s one way to put it.” With a wink, he drives us back to Sandro’s place.
Sandro’s holding my hand in the back seat and stroking the diamond ring, looking very pleased with himself.
I keep sneaking glances at it, too. It’s bigger than anything I would normally wear, but not big enough to be gaudy. It’s perfect actually.
He moves our hands to rest on his thigh. “There are ten emeralds. One for each year we were apart.” His gaze flicks up and meets mine. “Sorry the proposal wasn’t more extravagant, Angel. The ring was just finished tonight, and I couldn’t wait.”
I squeeze his hand. “You know I’d rather have low-key and authentic over embarrassing extravagance any day.”
“I know. But you will have to get used to some pampering. You’re going to be a Don’s wife after all.”
I groan. “You’re going to have to give me some time to get used to that role.”
He lifts my hand and presses a kiss to my knuckles. “You control how involved you want to be. I will always tell you the truth about our business, but if you’d rather not know, I’ll protect you as much as possible."
I consider that. Will I worry more if I know what’s happening? No, I have a pretty good imagination, and it tends to run to worst-case scenario. “I think I’d rather be informed.”
He searches my face and then nods. “Okay then. Let’s start with what’s happened to allow us to be together.”
As I listen to him explain, I stroke the sleeping kitten for comfort. It’s a lot, and my new reality begins to sink in. This is the life Mom tried to protect me from. And here I am jumping in with both feet.
Would she be disappointed? Horrified? Or would she understand?
Milo is gone. Like gone gone. I take a moment to probe my feelings about that. Mostly relieved but guilty, too. I know what I told Sandro about that day on the roof impacted how he dealt with Milo.
And Giada will be marrying the crazy Russian who kidnapped me. Again, relieved but guilty. I wouldn’t wish that psychopath on my worst enemy. Even Giada.
Killian and Sully will be staying in Tampa and working with Sandro. My half-brothers. I guess it’ll be a good opportunity to get to know them. If that’s what I want. I still haven’t decided.
The one bright spot in all this—Sandro getting permission for our marriage from New York—is tainted by the fact that it depends on an alliance with my father. And my father’s stipulation is a relationship with me.
I don’t appreciate the fact that he’s forcing himself into my life. That, to get the one thing I want, being with Sandro, I have to accept him, too. I need time to think about that.
Before I know it, we’re pulling into Sandro’s penthouse garage. I snuggle the kitten to my chest and feel like I’m floating on a cloud as we step into the elevator.
A squeal of surprise escapes me as Sandro scoops me up in his arms. His blue eyes burn intensely as he holds my gaze. Then slowly, his mouth dips down, his tongue sliding against mine in a sensual, savoring kiss.
I’m instantly swept away with an overwhelming love and desire for this man. My fiancé.
“Mew,” the kitten chirps.
Sandro huffs out a laugh and presses his forehead to mine. “Goddamn, I’m a happy man right now.”