31. Luca #2
She’s trembling—not from fear, not from hesitation, but from something deeper. Something I feel in my own bones.
This is real.
This is ours.
The moment stretches between us, just the two of us locked in this quiet, perfect stillness.
Then—
A tiny voice breaks the silence.
“Did we do it?”
I blink, lifting my head slightly.
Rafa.
He’s tugging at the hem of my jacket, his little brows furrowed. His hands still clutch the empty ring box, his tiny fingers curling around the velvet as he stares up at me with wide, serious eyes.
I let out a breath of quiet laughter, my chest shaking as I pull him into my arms. “Yeah, buddy,” I murmur, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. “We did it.”
Rafa beams, wrapping his arms around my neck in a tight, tiny hug. His weight presses against my chest, small but warm, grounding me in a way nothing else ever has.
This is why I fought.
Not for power. Not for revenge.
For this.
For them.
Gilly’s hand finds my shoulder, her fingers tracing lightly over the fabric of my suit as she watches us. When I glance at her, there’s something unreadable in her eyes—something deep and knowing, something she’s wanted me to see for a long time.
I see it now.
I press one last kiss to Rafa’s curls before setting him back down, ruffling his hair as he grins up at me. Then Matteo steps forward, clapping me on the back.
“About damn time,” he mutters, shaking his head. “I was starting to think you’d find some new war to fight before you ever figured this out.”
I smirk. “That an official toast, fratellino?”
Matteo grins, but there’s something softer behind it. Something I don’t think I’ve ever seen from him before.
Peace.
“I mean it, Luca,” he says, quieter this time. “This life—it suits you.”
I hold his gaze for a long moment. He means it.
And for the first time, I don’t argue.
I just nod.
“Come on,” Matteo says, stepping back. “I think the bride deserves a drink.”
Laughter ripples through the small crowd as the tension eases, as something light and golden settles over all of us.
Gilly’s fingers lace with mine as she tugs me toward the small reception area—a long wooden table set beneath a canopy of soft string lights, the glow casting everything in a warm haze.
There’s no grand ballroom. No elaborate feast.
Just us.
Just family.
We take our seats, and Claire raises her glass first, clearing her throat. “Well,” she says, grinning at Gilly, “I think I speak for everyone when I say—these two were meant for each other.”
Applause echoes through the room.
Gilly groans, shaking her head. “God, why do lawyers always have to be right.”
Claire smirks, nudging her. “No threats this time. No deals. No one trying to kill anyone.”
“Not yet,” Matteo mutters.
Gilly glares.
He raises his hands. “Kidding. Kidding.”
Another ripple of laughter rolls through the table, the kind that settles deep in my ribs, the kind that feels light in a way I never thought I’d experience.
Claire lifts her glass again, her expression softening. “To new beginnings,” she says. “To love. To family.”
The words settle in my chest, deeper than I expect.
Everyone lifts their glasses.
And for the first time in my life, I know exactly what that word means.
Family.
Because it’s not just blood.
It’s not just duty.
It’s the people who choose to stand beside you even when they don’t have to.
The people who love you even when you don’t deserve it.
I turn my head slightly, glancing at Gilly. She meets my gaze, a small, knowing smile curving at the edges of her lips.
She chose me.
And I will spend every damn day proving that I choose her, too.
The night stretches on, soft and warm, filled with quiet laughter and low murmurs. I keep Gilly close, my hand never leaving hers, my fingers tracing slow, steady circles over the inside of her wrist.
I don’t rush anything.
For the first time, I don’t feel like I have to.
Eventually, the table clears out, people wandering off toward their rooms or slipping inside the house. Matteo stretches, groaning slightly as he leans back in his chair.
“Alright, lovebirds,” he mutters, standing. “I’m gonna go find a bottle of whiskey and a place to put my feet up.” He claps me on the back as he passes, then turns to Gilly with a smirk. “You sure you’re ready for this one, Gilly?”
Gilly just raises an eyebrow. “Pretty sure I tamed him, Marchesi.”
Matteo barks out a laugh. “That I’d love to see.”
He disappears into the house, shaking his head.
The courtyard is nearly empty now.
Just me.
Just her.
Just us.
I exhale slowly, shifting in my seat. Gilly watches me, tilting her head slightly. “You okay?”
I nod. “Yeah.”
It’s the truth.
For the first time in years, it’s the truth.
I reach for her, pulling her toward me until she’s straddling my lap, her dress pooling around us.
Her breath catches, but she doesn’t pull away.
I press my forehead to hers.
“This time, it’s real,” I murmur.
She nods. “Yeah,” she whispers. “It is.”
I tilt my head, capturing her lips in a slow, deep kiss. Her fingers slide into my hair, her body pressing against mine, warm and steady and so damn right.
The violence is over.
The past is gone.
And for the first time, I don’t look back.
Only forward.
Only at her.
Only at the life waiting for us.
Together.