Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 56365 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 282(@200wpm)___ 225(@250wpm)___ 188(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56365 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 282(@200wpm)___ 225(@250wpm)___ 188(@300wpm)
“No, I bought the place.”
I gasp. “You bought the Lyric?”
He kills the engine, parking at the side of a busy street in a perfect space. I can only assume he somehow made sure this spot would be empty. The city is bustling, as usual. “I did it for you,” he says. “I remember what you said last week about wanting to work your way up. That’s why I’m not giving you the theater, but seeing your passion has ignited a little of my own. Do you want to go inside?”
“Uh, yeah.”
He opens his door and then walks around to my side. This is something that’s taking some getting used to. Dario always insists on opening my door for me. It adds to the whole princess feel. Opening the door, he offers his arm. I join arms with him, resting my cheek against him as we walk through the big, golden entrance.
“I used to dream about coming here as a kid,” I say, aware that people are watching us swagger into the Lyric as if we own the place. Wait, we do.
“You told me that last week,” he murmurs, kissing me in that special place below my ear that produces so many tingling, enticing feelings. “Why do you think I bought it?”
We walk through the empty lobby into the ground-floor seating area. A gasp of joy and love escapes me when I see he’s covered every inch of the place with rose petals. The overhead lights shine against the petals. A table and chairs are on the stage, and a bottle of champagne is in a bucket of ice.
He turns to me, taking my hands in his, his eyes glistening with emotion. “Elena,” he says huskily. “I love you more than a man like me could ever explain … so I had to show you. Every petal represents my devotion to making you happy, supporting your career, and supporting you in our lives. I will spend the rest of my life trying to deserve you. I …” He clears his throat.
I place my hand against his chest, feeling his heart pounding. “I love you too.”
He reaches into his pocket, taking out a ring box. A laugh escapes me.
He grins, raising an eyebrow. “I know. Ironic, right?” He lowers to one knee, opening the box to reveal a giant, glittering princess-cut diamond sparkling in the overhead light. “Elena Rossi, my perfect actor, my Mafia princess, will you make me the happiest man alive? Will you marry me for real?”
“Yes,” I shout, tears streaming down my cheeks.
“Yes?” he says.
“You don’t have to ask twice!”
He cheers as he takes the ring from the box, sliding it onto my finger. It’s like he can barely contain his energy. Leaping to his feet, he pulls me into his arms and spins me around and around. I hold onto him tightly, feeling like I’m flying, and any second, we could just soar toward the ceiling and keep going. We’ll fly into the sky, right into our happily ever after.
Finally, he puts me down and kisses me like only my husband-to-be can.
EPILOGUE
DARIO
One Month Later
Irise to my feet, clapping my hands so hard they almost hurt. Beside me, my mother and father join in on the standing ovation. On the other side, Giulia and Rosa are also clapping, though Rosa can’t stand yet. However, she has far more energy than just a month ago. The small theater is filled with admiration for the play’s first production, and I know that most of it is because of my woman’s performance.
“Wasn’t she amazing?” I beam, turning to my mother and father.
My father, who’s noticeably less grumpy now that his land grab is complete, is smiling from ear to ear. “Fantastic, son!” he yells over the clamor.
“Wasn’t she great?” I grin, turning to Giulia.
Elena’s friend smiles at me, nodding. “She always has been, but that was next level!”
The curtains close, and the actors walk onto the stage to take their final bow. Elena looks gorgeous in her fifties-style dress, her hair styled as if she just stepped out of an old-timey magazine advert. She nailed the whole thing right down to the accent.
I think that’s it. I’m ready to go backstage, but then Elena steps forward with a microphone. A hush falls over the theater. She looks right at me.
“Dario,” she says, her sweet voice carrying. Her voice, not the character’s. “Remember what we talked about when the rain made it hard to hear?”
My thoughts float to two weeks ago when we discussed the possibility of having a family. We haven’t been using protection.
“Would you be mad?” she’d asked.
“I’d be the happiest man alive.”
Now, she smiles—a secret smile just for me. “We’ve got our wish.”
I move down the row, then rush down the aisle toward my woman. Leaping onto the stage, I pull her into my arms. She drops the microphone and throws herself at me.