Page 156 of When She Tempts (The Fallen)
His smile fades away. “I did wrong by you, Mari.”
“Yeah, you did.”
He swallows, like he’s waiting to hear what else I have to say.
“But I guess I would be a hypocrite if I expected you to act perfectly in every situation life throws at you.”
Something like hope flickers in his eyes.
“You hurt me, Giorgio, and those letters alone haven’t fully erased that hurt. But after tonight, I realized just how much I still care for you. Knowing you were injured threw me into a fit. I couldn’t imagine never seeing you again.” My fingers twine with his. “I couldn’t imagine never holding your hand again.”
He makes a choked sound. “Piccolina…”
I take the book off my nightstand and hand it to him. “Open on the earmarked page.”
He does, and his eyes scan the highlighted text. The tension in his face eases. “And now you teach me the meaning of true happiness,” he says, his voice hoarse. He lifts himself onto his elbow and cups my cheek. “I love you so damn much,piccolina.”
“I love you,” I whisper. “And I’m willing to give us another chance. But let’s take it slow. Let’s be together and enjoy each other without any secrets or lies casting a shadow over us. Let’s not jump into marriage just for the sake of it. After everything that’s happened, let’s take our time.”
Understanding swims in his warm gaze. He drags his thumb over my bottom lip and nods. “However long you need. You are worth the wait.”
He wraps his palm around my nape and gently pulls my face toward his. Our lips meet. The kiss is different—slow, steady, intentional. He slips his tongue into my mouth, and he makes a satisfied sound in the back of his throat, as if he’s been waiting for this. The kiss spreads a familiar kind of warmth through me, and my body is soon buzzing with pleasure.
“Not a day will go by without me reminding you what you mean to me,” he murmurs. “That’s a promise.”
I smile against his lips. “I’ll hold you to it.”
EPILOGUE
TWO MONTHS LATER
MARTINA
Reader,I married him.
We didn’t do it right away, but it turned out I wasn’t really interested in being patient once we were finally, officially, undoubtedly together.
After Sal’s end, everything moved quickly. We left the safe house the day after and drove straight to Casal, where the capos pledged their loyalty to my brother. Not all of them, of course, but enough to cement his claim in stone. We settled down there for a few weeks while Dem handled negotiations, promotions, and the restructuring of the organization. It gave me the perfect chance to reconnect with the place where I was born.
Giorgio and I moved into a house next door to Vale and Dem’s. It was a temporary arrangement. We didn’t want to make any permanent decisions while everything was in flux, including where we would live. Of course, Dem made his preferences clear—he wanted me close to him—but when I told him I missed Ibiza, he pursed his lips and said he understood.
One evening, about three weeks after we arrived in Casal, my brother called me and invited me to come over. Said he wanted to talk to me about something. When I got to his house, the living room was full of fabric samples and papers etched with designs for a wedding dress.
“This will be Vale’s?” I asked, picking up one of the sketches.
Dem stood leaning against a wall, his hands in the pocket of his slacks. “Yes. We want to have our proper wedding sometime next month. Her family is making their travel arrangements.”
They were already married, but their first wedding was practically an elopement, with only Ras, Gemma, and I in attendance.
“Even her parents?”
He sniffed. “Yes, even them. I told her we didn’t need to invite them, but she wanted to. She said she wants them to see how happy she is now that her life is in her own hands.”
Vale’s relationship with her parents is strained, but I get the sense that she doesn’t want to cut them off completely. Maybe because of her concern for her younger sisters, or maybe because she believes they can mend things to some extent down the road. At the very least, I know she's developed some sympathy for her mother.
One night, after a few glasses of wine, Vale got a bit emotional and told me she felt sad that her mother had never known unconditional love. Maybe that’s why she never showed it to her kids. It sounded like her mom had spent her life being devoted to her ruthless husband, doing whatever necessary to ensure his continued rule. Wiping away her tears, Vale said she was grateful that her and Dem’s kids would know what it’s like to have parents who love each other.
“Will you have the wedding here?” My eyes skated over the elegant design. The fabric looked light and breezy, perfect for a beach wedding. My eyes widened at the realization. “Hold on. Ibiza?!”
