Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 32664 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 163(@200wpm)___ 131(@250wpm)___ 109(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 32664 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 163(@200wpm)___ 131(@250wpm)___ 109(@300wpm)
The breath he lets out is massive, and when he chuckles, it's resigned. "You really are an angel, huh? For everyone."
Hope flares within me.
Dominic focuses back on his son. "I'll let you live. For her, not for you. You'll walk out of this house and turn yourself over to the man outside who’s been aiming at your head this entire time."
Carlo and I both look out the window by the front door and see Ashton, his gun aimed, motionless. He's been there the whole time. I should have known.
"He will take you to the bank, where I will wire you $50,000, but only on the condition that you disappear for fucking good and never darken my doorstep again." He flicks his eyes towards me. "Our doorstep. If I let you live, we'll never see each other again. This is my only offer, Carlo."
Carlo scrambles to his feet. "Okay. Yeah. Yes. Done. Just...don't shoot me. Daisy, thank you. Thank you so much."
Dominic and Carlo stare each other down for a long moment before Dominic shoves the gun in his pants. "Go."
Carlo doesn't waste a second, bolting out the front door, Ashton appearing seemingly out of thin air to grab him. Carlo yelps, and then it cuts off, leaving Dominic and I alone in the foyer.
I take a few tentative steps forward, my fingers reaching for his arm. "Dominic?" He whirls around, and the look on his face is so unhinged, so raw, that it stops me in my tracks. "I'm sorry. I—"
Dominic rushes forward and grabs me, his lips devouring mine. Every emotion runs through his kiss, his arms tightening around me and crushing my body to his. Tears run down my face while Dominic kisses me with more fervor than ever before, and when he breaks away, we're both breathless.
"You," he growls, resting his forehead against mine. "You have nothing to be sorry for. Nothing. Thank you." Dominic pulls me against him, hugging me so tight I can barely breathe.
But it's not important because he's safe. We're both safe, and my heart beats against Dominic's chest.
He pulls back, and his thumbs wipe away my tears. "Stay here. Don't move."
This time, I actually listen. He jogs to his office and returns, none of his energy dissipated, but now with something small and red in his hands. "I meant to fly you to Italy, to do this on the beach with you in a bikini and the sun in your fucking hair, Daisy. But I can't wait. I'm sorry. I can't wait." He drops to his knees in front of me, the sound of them hitting the floor making me wince.
Somehow, I still haven't figured out what's going on…not until he holds the red velvet box up and opens it.
The ring is massive and beautiful. A princess-cut diamond with sapphires on the sides, the band lined with a row of tiny diamonds. It's gorgeous, extravagant, and so perfect.
"Marry me," Dominic says, his voice husky, his eyes locked onto mine.
"What?!" I squeak.
"Will you marry me, angel?"
My vision goes blurry. "You want me to marry you?"
"Yes, Daisy. Fuck, I wanted to marry you the first time I saw you. You're perfect, and I love you, and I know you love me too. Please, angel. Please do me the honor of being my wife."
My head spins, and I reach for Dominic to steady myself. "Are you sure? What about—"
"There's no what-ifs," he says, his voice serious. He stands, taking my face in his hands. "I want you, Daisy. I love you. There isn't anyone else for me, and there won't be."
"Yes," I whisper, fresh tears falling down my face. "Yes, Dominic. Yes."
"Yes?"
"Yes, yes!"
Dominic crushes his lips to mine and lifts me, spinning me around the room.
And despite the events of the night, my laughter is genuine and filled with joy. With Carlo gone—alive and given a second chance at life—the last thing holding us back is gone.
And the life Dominic and I are about to live together will be nothing short of heaven.
EPILOGUE
DAISY
One Year Later
We made it to the beach in Italy where we eloped. And with Il Fiore Raro in the shockingly capable hands of Elena and Marie, we stay there for weeks. I think it might have been months if I hadn't kept getting sick every morning, and Dominic hadn't woken me up one sunny day with a pregnancy test in his hands. "Take this."
I did. And it was positive.
Our daughter, Bella, was born a month ago, and it's been non-stop since then. Dominic has been spoiling her rotten, and I'm sure she'll be the most pampered child in existence. She's already well on her way.
Today is the first time we've left her behind—with my mother, of course, who came to stay with us for a few months after Bella was born. I hate leaving my baby, and I can tell Dominic is on edge about it too, but Mom and Elena schemed to send us both to a couples spa for some much-needed relaxation time.