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“Of course it’s a fucking yes,” I say, half-laughing, half-crying. “Who else would put up with me puking in their bathroom and still want to marry me?”
Relief floods his face, quickly replaced by that possessive look I’ve come to crave. He slides the ring onto my finger—it’s heavy, substantial. Real. Like everything about us.
“Boss,” a voice calls—TJ, Dominic’s head of security. “Sorry to interrupt, but there’s been an incident.”
Dominic’s expression hardens instantly, the lover replaced, his expression sharpening into something lethal. A Made Man stepping into the weight of his name.
He straightens his tie, checking me over to make sure I’m presentable before opening the door. “What is it?” he asks, his voice calm but carrying an underlying threat.
“It’s Luca,” TJ says, his eyes flicking nervously to me before returning to Dominic. “He’s been spotted at the harbor. With Gabriella Grimaldi.”
“That fucking goomba. And?”
“Emmanuel’s men are closing in. It’s going to be a bloodbath. We need to move now.”
Dominic turns to me, his eyes softening for just a moment. “Go home with TJ. I’ll handle this.”
“No,” I say, surprising myself with the firmness in my voice. “I’m coming with you.”
“Alessa—”
“I’m going to be your wife, Dominic,” I say, touching the ring on my finger. “The mother of your child. The queen to your kingdom, remember? That means I’m in this. All of it.”
He studies me for a long moment, and I can see it in his eyes—that tug-of-war between wanting to lock me away somewhere safe and knowing I’d never forgive him if he did. The man wants to protect me, but he also knows better than to treat me like I’m made of glass.
“Fine,” he finally says. “But you stay in the car. And if I tell you to leave, you leave. No arguments.”
I nod. Got it... Boss.As we walk out, his hand stays glued to my back, guiding me through the crowd. It hits me then - this is my life now. Danger, blood, passion. Family meetings that could end in gunfire. My kid’s going to grow up with a father who has blood on his hands and a mother who pulled the trigger on her own dad. And somehow, as fucked up as it sounds, it feels right. Like I’ve finally stopped running from who I was always meant to be.
And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
This is my choice. This is my family now.
And if anyone has a problem with that… well, I’ve already proven I know how to use a gun.