36. Calista
Chapter 36
Calista
“ Y ou’re fucked up, Smith.”
He looks at me like I’m the crazy one and he points at himself with his good arm. Not that the one where he got shot is bad. I mean, the bullet hit the brachial artery, and he could have bled out, but it was a clean shot, right through, no bone. So I refuse to soften toward him and his weird-ass, pigheaded, stupid hunter ways.
Even hunters should show some level of… softness. Skill. Pretty, comforting words.
And this is a sophisticated man.
But he’s acting like he’s in grade school, like he doesn’t know how to tell the girl he’s crushing on he likes her.
“Me?”
I cross my arms. “You.”
“I got shot for you. How am I wrong here?”
“Most men,” I say, “when they propose, mention love, you asshole.”
“I’m not most men. I’m a dickwad, a jerk, and whatever else you’ve called me since we met. ”
A sudden rush of anxiety consumes me. And I take half a step to him. “That was a real proposal, right? I mean, my life’s in fucking shreds right now.”
“No, you don’t have one. You’re dead, remember?”
He closes the gap between us and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear.
“I know.”
He doesn’t say anything more, doesn’t back it up with the word I want, and pain lances me.
“I guess…” I take a breath. “I guess I misunderstood.”
He goes utterly silent and wipes a finger beneath my eye. I can feel the stupid, wet slide of the tear as he goes.
“No, Calista, you didn’t. And it was real. But I’m not the roses and pretty bouquets kind of guy.”
“Do I look like a woman who wants that?”
“You look like a woman who’d cut me if she got a chance, jump me and fuck me if she got half a one, and then run, taunting me into chasing her down to show her just who she belongs to and who’s boss.”
“Me. I’m boss.”
He kisses me. “I’m your fucking master, sweetheart.”
“So was that a proposal?”
“Calista, to blow up your life, I blew up mine. On paper, I no longer exist. I went down with you in that car. We don’t exist.”
The words hit. For the first time, they sink in deep. We’re out of water, except he already has money, and he no doubt has various aliases. I don’t have money; it’s going to take me a while to set something up. And…
“Oh shit. Smith, I can’t get a job, even with a fake name. If they see me, then… How do I make money?”
“Sweetheart, you know I’m a billionaire and I’m very good at making money. ”
“Yes, but?—”
“I’m not asking you to pay your fucking way if you’re with me.”
“Let’s go back to the flower thing,” I say. “I’m not a housewife.”
“Thank fuck for that. Like I said, the people I work for, they could use someone like you.”
“Really?” I chew my bottom lip. “I thought you were just saying that to throw out your horribly pathetic proposal.”
He groans. “I’m sorry. It’s not how I meant it to come out. But if we get married, you can sidestep a lot of the red tape involved in passing all their tests and vows of secrecy.”
“This isn’t Fight Club , is it?”
“What? No. I’m saying getting married cuts the tape.”
“Is that all it’ll do?” I ask the question, holding my breath to hear his answer. Because I don’t want to become his wife out of convenience. I want him to want me in that way, to cherish me in his way.
“Fuck. I want to marry you, Calista. How is this so fucking hard?”
My mouth twitches as my heart soars. I know he did it again, proposed in a lame way, but Smith’s only getting on one knee if he’s going to fuck me in a really interesting position.
Because maybe he’s not the “I love you” type of guy. Maybe this is it.
But I don’t know if it’s enough.
“Are you sure, Smith? Because I fell in love with you, and I’d like to think you might love me back.”
“About that.” He slides around me, walks into the kitchen, and opens a drawer. “I fell in love with you, too.”
My knees shake, but I stay with my back to him because I don’t want to think I just made that up in my mind. I need it to be real .
“Calista?”
I slowly turn.
Smith’s standing there.
“Dakota came to see me. She wants me to go to the wedding. As long as I bring you.”
I can’t stop the smile. “Does she like me?”
“Who wouldn’t? You’re a pain in the ass, you don’t stay down as a sub, you fight me just the way I like, and I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather be with. Apparently, my kid agrees. Not the sex shit. But about you.”
“We don’t need to get married,” I say. “It’s a big step. But there’s no way I’m sticking around unless you can say the words, Smith. I put myself out there. I risked rejection and felt it at the hospital and every day since.” My pulse hammers against my throat, voice shaky. “I deserve to feel cherished, and I know that’s not the guy you are, but it’s what I want. And I won’t settle, not even for?—”
“Calista.”
“Yes?”
The corners of his lips quirk upward, and he sinks to one knee.
Holy shit.
He’s just done the unthinkable.
“You had me hooked from the second I cornered you in Germany. I can’t even fucking have sex fantasies without thinking of how good you feel in my arms. I want to explore with you, go on jobs with you. Shit, I want to hit Whole Foods and see what you think makes a good meal. I want to introduce you to all the jazz joints in this crazy city, and I’m even intrigued by breaking pottery to glue back together with gold. I want to fight and make up with you and learn all the parts of you for the rest of my life. If that isn’t being in love, then love doesn’t fucking exist. ”
He opens the box he’s holding, and in it’s a ring, an oval black diamond.
I don’t know where he got it from or when, but I love it. I almost swoon.
“Smith…”
“Marry me. Not because of any of that lame shit I said. Marry me because I’m crazy in love with you. I’d die for you, Calista. And I’ll live with you for the rest of my life, making you feel happy and cherished the way you deserve if you say yes. I love you, more than I can even begin to put into words.”
I choke on a gasp, then I drop to the floor too. I take his face in my hands and kiss him, long and slow and deep. “Yes. I want all that too. I want your forevers, your every days. I want it all. So yes. A million yesses.”
He kisses me again and whispers words of love against my lips.
In that moment, I’ve finally come home.
To him.
To love.
I hope you loves Smith and Calista’s story! And if you’re desperately craving more dark and sexy mafia men, then get ready for the Corsano Mafia Series! The Mafia Enemy’s Bride is a dark mafia romance with a twisted as heck masked man, enemies to lovers, and arranged marriage tropes that will have you gripping the edge of your seat.
Check out the sneak peek below ? —