Page 42 of The Italian Reckoning (A New York Criminal Empire #3)

EPILOGUE

SARAH

“ S arah?” Rocky’s voice drifts through the apartment, followed by a yell and a hiss, then a clatter of claws. “Iris! You scared the shit out of me!”

It’s difficult to hold in my laughter while applying the last of my mascara, and when I lean away from the mirror Rocky is standing in the doorway looking somewhat flustered.

“You good?”

“Iris decided to hide under the couch and attacked my ankle on the way past,” Rocky groans, leaning against the doorframe on one leg while massaging his ankle. “I never should have taught her that.”

“It is your own fault for spending however many hours teaching her hide and seek so you one hundred percent only have yourself to blame.” A final dab of lipstick and I’m ready.

I turn around as Rocky limps into the room and his eyes drift down me as a smile grows across his lips. “You look beautiful in blue.”

“Thank you.” When he’s close enough, I lightly pat his shoulders and slide my hands down the lapels of his suit jacket. “This had better be worth it.”

“Don’t you trust me?”

“I do. What I don’t trust is that it’s the middle of March and I’m pretty sure I saw rain on the forecast.”

“Nah,” Rocky murmurs, leaning in close to nudge his nose against mine. “I warned the weather away.”

“Oh, you did, did you?”

“Mmhmm.” His lips press lightly against mine, then the pressure increases for a few brief seconds as his arm circles my waist. “Your lipstick doesn’t taste good.”

“It’s not supposed to!” Laughing, we part, and I catch Rocky’s face before he moves away. “Red is a good look on you, though.”

“Really?” He lifts a brow as I slide my thumb across his lower lip and remove the trace transfer of lipstick.

“Yeah, I almost have competition.”

“Never.” Rocky steps back and takes my hand. “Come on.”

As we leave the apartment and head up the stairs to the roof, I detail Rocky on the most recent success of my new task force.

After closing twelve missing person cold cases in the past six months—with the help of a few unlawful friends—my promotion gave me my own team to direct as I please.

Closing our first case with the missing person being alive and well starts us off on a high.

Not all the results in this line of work are happy, but it’s much better than Homicide. I can’t stomach that, not anymore.

“I’m proud of you,” Rocky says while holding the door to the roof open with one hand. “You’ve been throwing yourself back into things and I admit I was a little worried about how well it would go.”

“Not having a serial killer breathing down my neck makes a difference,” I tease lightly. “Besides, after that terribly awkward dinner with your father, I feel like I can take on the world.”

“Yeah, sorry about that. I’d give him credit for making an effort but honestly, that’s being too generous.”

“Yeah, well…” Stepping past Rocky, I trail off in shock and my heart suddenly picks up pace.

There’s a table and two chairs laid out on the roof, complete with covered meals, a bottle of champagne on ice, and a nearby cooler.

Hundreds of multicolored lights string from the roof antenna to the door and back, then swoop upward to a temporarily installed pole.

From there, the lights fan out in all directions and connect to various spots on the roof, creating a tent of color.

“Rocky, what is this?”

“What do you mean?” he asks, walking next to me with a cheeky smile on his face.

“I thought we were coming up here to watch the super moon or something, but this is…”

“This is dinner,” Rocky says, indicating to the table. “And atmosphere.” He points upward. “And… music.” He holds out one hand to me and waggles his brows. “May I have this dance?”

My cheeks flush red hot while my mind races.

Did I miss something? A birthday? An anniversary? Is this a special occasion I forgot? Nothing jumps to the forefront of my mind as I take Rocky’s hand and he sweeps me in against his body. With a click of his fingers, soft music drifts up from underneath the table and I can’t hide my giggle.

“When did you have time to do all of this?”

“I have my ways.” Rocky holds one of my hands while his other winds around my waist. We sway back and forth in time to the music, and just as I touch his shoulder, he spins me out and then brings me back in.

“When did you learn that?”

“That would be telling.” Rocky grins. “But I wanted to spoil you. Show you how much I appreciate you.”

“I’ve never doubted that,” I say, gazing lovingly up into his eyes. “Not once.”

“I know, but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t show appreciation. I want you to know all the time how deeply I feel for you.”

“Rocky Barati getting emotional,” I tease. “Who even are you?”

Rocky rolls his eyes as he leans forward slightly and dips me backward. He holds me there for a few seconds and runs his lips down the curve of my throat, then brings me back up with a smile. “I’m a man in love.”

“Wonders never cease.”

Love doesn’t even feel like a strong enough word to describe how good Rocky makes me feel.

He’s gorgeous, sure, but he listens. He saved my life more times than I can count.

He is so good with Iris, he gives the best massages, he makes me laugh, and even when I have the occasional nightmare, he’s right there to soothe me through it.

He’s so much more than the cocky persona he displays to everyone else and I’m honored I get to see him in his true self.

“Are you sure I’m not missing something?” I ask softly. “It’s not your birthday, is it?”

“Next month.” Rocky smiles. “I don’t need a reason to spoil you.”

Rolling my eyes, we twirl slowly around the rooftop and then stop right under the apex cluster of lights.

“Well,” Rocky says in a low voice, “there is one thing.”

“I knew it!”

“It’s a good thing, though.”

“Out with it!” I demand with a laugh. “You’ll get me twisted up for no reason.”

“Marry me.”

“What?”

“Marry me, Sarah. I could list countless reasons I’m in love with you, and trust me, I will later when we’re in bed.

But you saved me more than you could ever know.

You’ve made me a better man because of how much I want to impress you and provide for you.

I know you don’t need it but I want to anyway.

You’re the highlight of my day. Getting a text from you makes my heart skip.

I’ve shown you sides of me no one else will ever see and I feel you’ve done the same for me.

I love you with everything I have to give and I want to keep doing that.

And I want you to be mine. I want you, Sarah.

In every single way that I can have you. ”

I’m speechless.

Marriage isn’t something I’ve given serious thought to outside of some mild fantasy while soaking in the bath or watching Rocky cook dinner. But his words are gentle and honest, pouring out of him like a waterfall, and I have no immediate response.

I’m utterly stunned.

“You don’t have to give me an answer now,” Rocky says earnestly. “I’m a patient man?—”

“Yes.”

“What?”

“Yes, I’ll marry you!”

He loves me. I love him. My haunting past is dead and buried and somehow, I’ve found someone who adores me, trauma and all. He’s never asked me to give up on myself, never done anything but be there in the most irritating yet wonderful way. Without him, I wouldn’t be here.

There’s no doubt in my mind that we’re meant to be together.

“I’ll marry you,” I repeat as Rocky stares at me in shock. A second later, a droplet of something hits my forehead. Then another. Then a downpour crashes down on us in heavy sheets of rain, followed by a crack of thunder.

Then he gathers me up in his arms and spins me around while laughing, his eyes shining and reflecting the gorgeous colors above us. It’s impossible not to laugh along with him and within seconds, we’re both soaked to the bone.

But it doesn’t matter.

We’re getting married.

I love Rocky Barati with my whole heart. Almost as much as I love dancing.