Page 116
Story: A Bossy Proposal
It’s all so much to take in. I’ve gone from having no one to suddenly being surrounded by people who are claiming me as their own.
My heart aches with happiness. “Amelia,” the older man says, his voice choked with emotion. “I’m Marco. I’m so sorry to hear about your parents. My brother. Your father. I’m so sorry.” He holds out his arms.
I rush into them, overwhelmed by a sense of belonging I thought I’d lost forever.
When I go back to West, I take his hand again. “West, this is my family and this—” I look back at my newfound family, my heart swelling. “This is West, my fiancé.”
Marco steps forward, extending his hand to West. “It’s an honor to meet the man who’s captured Amelia’s heart. And a man who’s brave enough to take a bullet for her.”
“My bodyguard also did that.” West turns to Callum, who is sitting quietly with Jackson. A sling on his arm.
Marco strides over and shakes both men’s hands. “Well done for getting them out of there.”
“I still can’t believe I have a family,” I whisper, fighting back tears and looking at everyone. “I’ll have people on my side of the church.”
I glance at Gabe and Luca and ask, “Will you both give me away?” I probably should ask Marco, him being the senior member of the family, but, “I feel you gave me my life back.”
Gabe points his thumb at Luca. “You might not want Luca to give you away. He’s currently trying to get off a charge of murder. Your new family might not approve.”
Luca grumbles. “I was set up, and my new lawyer will get me off.”
His new lawyer. The mere mention of hurting the woman made his face contort with such anger that he killed for her. “You wish,” Gabe mutters under his breath and laughs.
“I still want you both to give me away.” I turn to West with pleading eyes. My family is mafia and I doubt that is going to go down well with his father.
“I won’t stop you from getting what you want, you know that?” West replies.
“Thank you.” I squeeze his hand. He lifts it and presses a soft kiss on my palm.
Luca punches Gabe in the chest and says, “Looks like we need to get a speech prepared.”
I laugh, loving how they are with each other.
“Are you okay?” West asks softly a little while later when he comes to stand next to me as I watch everyone chatting.
I nod, trying to gather my thoughts. “It’s just...a lot. I never thought I’d have this. A family. People who knew my parents. It’s amazing, but...”
“But overwhelming,” he finishes for me, taking my hand and squeezing it to reassure me.
I look around the room at all these unfamiliar faces, these people who are my family. They’re all watching me with such love in their eyes, and it’s beautiful, but terrifying at the same time.
Chapter 33
West
For years, East and I have gathered information about my father. For East’s sake, I should continue with the direction we planned, but it’s no longer my priority.
I know what I want now.
But I can’t stop East from getting what he wants.
I stride into his office, a thick file tucked under my arm. My brother looks up from his computer, eyebrows raised in question.
“What’s that?” he asks, leaning back in his chair.
I toss the file onto his desk. “Everything we need to take down our father.”
East’s eyes widen as he flips through the pages. “Holy shit, West. How did you get all this?”
My heart aches with happiness. “Amelia,” the older man says, his voice choked with emotion. “I’m Marco. I’m so sorry to hear about your parents. My brother. Your father. I’m so sorry.” He holds out his arms.
I rush into them, overwhelmed by a sense of belonging I thought I’d lost forever.
When I go back to West, I take his hand again. “West, this is my family and this—” I look back at my newfound family, my heart swelling. “This is West, my fiancé.”
Marco steps forward, extending his hand to West. “It’s an honor to meet the man who’s captured Amelia’s heart. And a man who’s brave enough to take a bullet for her.”
“My bodyguard also did that.” West turns to Callum, who is sitting quietly with Jackson. A sling on his arm.
Marco strides over and shakes both men’s hands. “Well done for getting them out of there.”
“I still can’t believe I have a family,” I whisper, fighting back tears and looking at everyone. “I’ll have people on my side of the church.”
I glance at Gabe and Luca and ask, “Will you both give me away?” I probably should ask Marco, him being the senior member of the family, but, “I feel you gave me my life back.”
Gabe points his thumb at Luca. “You might not want Luca to give you away. He’s currently trying to get off a charge of murder. Your new family might not approve.”
Luca grumbles. “I was set up, and my new lawyer will get me off.”
His new lawyer. The mere mention of hurting the woman made his face contort with such anger that he killed for her. “You wish,” Gabe mutters under his breath and laughs.
“I still want you both to give me away.” I turn to West with pleading eyes. My family is mafia and I doubt that is going to go down well with his father.
“I won’t stop you from getting what you want, you know that?” West replies.
“Thank you.” I squeeze his hand. He lifts it and presses a soft kiss on my palm.
Luca punches Gabe in the chest and says, “Looks like we need to get a speech prepared.”
I laugh, loving how they are with each other.
“Are you okay?” West asks softly a little while later when he comes to stand next to me as I watch everyone chatting.
I nod, trying to gather my thoughts. “It’s just...a lot. I never thought I’d have this. A family. People who knew my parents. It’s amazing, but...”
“But overwhelming,” he finishes for me, taking my hand and squeezing it to reassure me.
I look around the room at all these unfamiliar faces, these people who are my family. They’re all watching me with such love in their eyes, and it’s beautiful, but terrifying at the same time.
Chapter 33
West
For years, East and I have gathered information about my father. For East’s sake, I should continue with the direction we planned, but it’s no longer my priority.
I know what I want now.
But I can’t stop East from getting what he wants.
I stride into his office, a thick file tucked under my arm. My brother looks up from his computer, eyebrows raised in question.
“What’s that?” he asks, leaning back in his chair.
I toss the file onto his desk. “Everything we need to take down our father.”
East’s eyes widen as he flips through the pages. “Holy shit, West. How did you get all this?”
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