Chapter 69- True Hearts
Lucis The so–covered city peaceful in the evening. I stood at my small apartmem window, watching steam rise from the coffee cup Dante had prepared with characteristic precision.
Perfect temperatuure. Perfect strength. Perfect everything, as always.
“Have you really thought about it?” I asked quietly, not turning from the window, “About what I need? What this incans!”
He moved behind me, close enough that his warmth radiated against my back but not quite touching. Always calculating the perfect distance, even
“Every moment since you walked away. His voice carried none of its usual careful cont
control. “Every second of every day without you has been an education in exactly what I need to change.
Turned finally, studying the man who d crossed an ocean to find me. His perfect suit showed signs of travel now, the Italian silk slightly rumpled. Dark waves of hair fell acros ha forehead instead of being rigidly controlled. Small imperfections that somehow made him more real.
“Tell me
He moved to the leather annclair the one piece of furniture I’d brought from his penthoane, unable to leave behind the spot where we’d spent – countless evenings discussing drezni and plans and possibilities. Where he’d find kissed me nutside of our careful public performances.
“For thirty–two years he started slowly. “I lived by one rule: control everything. Every detail, every interaction, every poouble variable that could
affect the outcome I wanted”
The perfect Romanobrir.” I numired, remembering stories his sisters had shared about his childhood.
The perfect everything.” Hia laugh held an humor. Perfect son perfect businessman, perfect political candidate. Everything in its place, every emotion carefully contained, every relationship reduced to tactical advantage”
He stared at his hands – those elegant fingers that could reshape cities or destroy enemies with equal precision “I thought I had it all figured out. Thought I knew exactly how iny life would progress, each step carefully planned and perfectly executed.”
“Uncill”
“Until you.” He looked up finally, raw honesty in his dark eyes. “Until you walked into my life in that red dress and completely destroyed everything
Heat nished to my cheeks at the memory of that night. “I wasn’t trying to destroy anything ”
“That’s what made it so terrifying” He ran a hand through his hair, the gesture uncharacteristically agitated. You were just… you
“And that scared you!” 1 moved closer, drawn by the vulnerability in his voice
Terrified me.” The admission seemed to cost him something. “Suddenly I couldn’t sleep without knowing you were safe. Couldn’t focus in meetings because I was wondering what you were doing. Couldn’t maintain perfect distance when that Viking child looked at you like you hung the moon‘
A small laugh escaped me. “Are you actually admitting to jealousy?”
I’m admitting to completely losing my mind.” He reached for me, pulling me to stand between his knees. “Do you know I had Taylor track coffee orders? Just so I’d know if you were getting enough caffeine churing foundation board meetings!”
“You didn’t.”
your
“I did.” His hands settled on my hips, thumbs tracing absent patterns. “Had Marco monitoring your security feeds too. And Julia reporting on your lunch meetings And Sofia keeping tabs on your foundation staff to make sure no our was causing you stress.”
“Control freak, 1 accused, but fondness crept into my voice.
“Completely ” His smile held self–deprecation instead of its usual careful charm. “I thought I was going insane. Everything I’d bath my life around Just disappeared whenever you were involved.”
“And that’s why you couldn’t say it? Understanding began to dawn. “Because love meant losing control?”
“Because love meant being vulnerable.” His voice roughened slightly, “Meant giving someone else power over everything I’d spent years protecting. Meant admitting that all my careful walls mean nothing compared to the way you smile when you’re sketching building plans.”
“Dame.”
“But then you left.” Real pain colored his words now. “And I realized something even more temnlying than losing control,”
“Losing you.” His hands tightened on my hips. “Watching you walk away and knowing all my careful plans, all my perfect control, meant nothing if I couldn’t have you in my life.”
Tears burned behind my eyes as he continued, each word carrying the weight of carefully maintained walls finally crumbling
“Love is terrifying,” he admitted softly. “It’s messy and unpredictable and completely beyond careful calculation. It makes me worry about Indiculous things like whether you’re eating properly in this frozen country. Makes one jealous of twenty–one–year–old Viking children who can make you laugh. Makes me reorganize entire city development plans just to build the dreams you mentioned in passing.“
Fresh tears spilled over as he reached into his pocket, pulling ou something that made my jenn stop.
-Hearts
Chapter 69–Thie
The ring was nothing like the massive diamond that had marked our business arrangement. Simple gold, worn smooth with age. tiny flowers etched into the band with loving care
*My great–grandmother gave me this when I was eight,” he said softly, turning it so morning light caught the delicate engravings. “I thought it was just a toy then. Something to play with while she told stories about true love and destiny and all the things I was too focused on control to believe
“Darur…” My voice shook slightly as he stood, still holding the ring
“I know we’re already married on paper. His own voice carried none of its usual perfect control. “I know this probably seems ridiculous given everything that’s happened. But I need to do this right. Need to show you that this isn’t about contracts or calculations or careful political
arrangements
He sank to one knee, still holding the ring that carried generations of love in its worn surface. “This is about me choosing you over control. Choosing love over careful plans. Choosing to lie vulnerable because a life without you isn’t worth all the power in the world.”
Tears fell freely now as he looked up at me, more honest emotion in his dark eyes than I’d ever seen.
“Lucia Valemmi Romano,” he said softly. “I love you more than control. More than power. More than my own carefully constructed walls. Will you marry me? Not for politics or family alliances or carefully negotiated terms. Just for love. Just for us,”
