Page 165 of My Sweetest Obsession

“It's not that… it’s just...”

“Chicago’s your home now,” she finished for me.

“Yeah,” I admitted, returning her smile. “It really grew on me. Malik, Liam, and Dante are all here, and I’ve made friends with Mya and Tabi.”

“And don’t forget Nico,” she teased, a playful glint in her eyes.

I felt my cheeks flush with embarrassment.

“It’s okay, you know,” she reassured me.

“For what?” I asked.

She leaned in slightly, her voice taking on a secretive tone. “To love a man where death follows you. To be cherished by the devil himself. Because at the end of the day, you will always be loved and treated like a queen. He is your king who will always protect you. Who will do anything to keep you safe. I think he’s already proved that.”

“Does that make me dark and twisted?” I shot back, half-joking, half-serious.

“No, sweetheart. It makes you human.” She let out a soft sigh. “You carry the blood of the mafia, yes, but that doesn't define you. Did I wish for this life for you? Absolutely not. But love is unpredictable, and we don’t choose who we fall for. I didn’t. And he was the best thing that ever happened to me because he gave me you.”

“Sounds like a tragic love story, Mom,” I remarked, shaking my head in amusement.

She chuckled. “Yes, I suppose it does. But what’s a story without love and sacrifices? After all, it’s the struggles and the heartache that truly make the journey worthwhile.”

She was right.

Nico had held my hand through the fires of hell, and had been willing to burn with me. Now, it was my turn to guide him out of the darkness into the light. To show him that even the most tormented souls were worthy of forgiveness and that they could find peace, just like Mom and Dad.

“You never answered my question, Mom,” I said, giving her a pointed look. “Are you going to live with Dad?”

“We were planning to talk to you about it tonight,” she replied. Her expression softened before breaking into a wide grin. “I’m going back with him.”

I squealed like a giddy child. I leaped into her arms, sending us both tumbling back onto the bed in a fit of laughter.

“You’re okay with it?” Mom asked, still smiling.

I propped myself up on my elbows, gazing at her. “Of course! He’s amazing, Mom. And he makes you happy. You deserve that more than anything.”

Her eyes glistened with tears. “I love you,” she whispered.

“I love you too, Mom,” I murmured back.

We held each other close, letting that precious moment of true happiness surround us, knowing that everything was finally falling into place.

With Demon walking by my side, I descended the stairs. Piano music floated through the air, drawing a smile to my lips.

I leaned against the music room’s doorframe, captivated by the sight of Nico lost in the music, playing an unfamiliar yet undeniably beautiful melody.

Nico glanced over his shoulder as if he could sense me. “Don’t just stand there, Angel,” he called out in that deep, sexy tone that sent a thrill through me.

I chuckled, stepping closer as Demon sat on the floor by the door, guarding his territory. It was then I spotted my violin leaning against the piano, waiting for me.

“Play with me,” he urged, his voice low and inviting. I picked up the violin, cradling it under my chin and waiting for him to finish his song. He took a sip of whiskey, the glass glinting in the soft light as he set it back atop the piano.

“What should we play?” I asked.

“Whatever your little heart desires,” he replied. I chose “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” a song that conveyed what he meant to me.

He often saw me as his light, but he didn’t realize that he was also my guiding star.