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“Flattery will get you everywhere, Don Vitale,” I teased, though my heart swelled at his words.
Dinner passed in a blur of laughter and shared memories. Matteo‘ s playful side
shone as he recounted stories of his
younger days, and I found myself leaning forward, hanging onto every word. It was easy, natural, like we had known each other far longer than we had.
As the meal ended, Matteo stood abruptly, extending a hand to me. “Dance with me.”
I laughed. “Here? On a yacht in the middle. of the water?”
“Why not?” His grin was contagious, and I found myself taking his hand, letting him pull me to my feet.
The music that played was soft and melodic, and Matteo held me close as we
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My breath caught in my throat as he pulled out a small velvet box, flipping it open to reveal a dazzling emerald ring. The gem. caught the light with its vibrant green sparkling against the night.
“Amara Saints,” he began. “We‘ ve been through hell together. From the
moment I first met you.
when bullets flew
I knew you were
and tempers flared I knew y different. That night, you caught my
attention in a way no one ever had. You were fierce, fearless… unforgettable.”
He paused, his eyes locking onto mine as if he were pulling me into the depths of his
confession.
“What started as a business arrangement, a proposal to take you away from Luca under the guise of revenge, was never just that for me. I wanted you in my life,
Amara. I’ve always wanted you.”
My hands flew to my mouth, tears stinging my eyes as he continued.
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“You‘ re strong, stubborn, infuriating at times,” he said with a teasing smirk, “but you‘ re also everything I didn’t know I needed. I love you, Amara. And I want to
spend the rest of my life proving that to you.”
The tears spilled over as he looked up at me, his eyes filled with something raw, something vulnerable, and he was showing me all of him.
“Will you marry me? For real this time. No business contracts, no obligations. Just us.”
A first, I couldn’t speak, still surprised at this. But then I nodded, my voice breaking as I said, “Yes. I’ll marry you, Matteo.”
His face broke into the widest smile I’d ever seen, and he slid the ring onto my finger before standing and pulling me into his arms. I laughed through my tears as he spun me around with his joy as
unrestrained as my own.
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When he set me down, his hands framed my face, and he kissed me. It was soft at first, tender, but it quickly deepened as the world around us faded until it was just him and me.
As our lips parted, the sound of fireworks erupted in the sky, their colors painting the water in shimmering hues. I glanced up, my breath hitching at the sight, but Matteo’s voice brought my attention back to him.
“It’s just the beginning, cara mia,” he murmured, his forehead resting against mine.
I smiled, my heart full in a way I never thought possible. “Just the beginning,” I echoed, knowing that whatever came next, we would face it together.
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