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I shake my head, a weak laugh tumbling out. “It’s not that, silly.” Framing his face with my hands, I tug his lips to mine. His scowl immediately falls away as he yields to the gentle kiss. “They were tears of happiness,” I finally admit when he pulls back.
He scrutinizes me for a long moment, as if he doesn’t quite believe what I’m saying. “So you’re really all right?”
My head dips. “I’m happy. Last night was incredible, and now that Jasper and Qian are out of our lives?—”
“We can move forward,” he finishes.
A long moment of silence descends over us as we remain locked in each other’s gazes.
“You know I never had any intention of going through with the engagement to Jia, right? That’s why I never told you.”
I swallow hard, that tightness in my chest returning. I’d doubted him for a few terrible hours yesterday.
“From the moment I saw you in that shipping container, I knew. You were it for me. I only kept up the charade with the betrothal to keep Qian in check. Obviously, those efforts proved futile once I informed him it wasn’t happening.” His thumb gently grazes my cheek. “I should’ve told you, but I never thought it would come to that.”
“It’s okay. It’s over, and we’re both alive. That’s all that matters.”
Nico presses a kiss to my forehead. “Grazie a Dio.” Thank God is right.
“Enough of all the dark and gloomy. I vaguely remember you mentioning something about a surprise yesterday?”
His brilliant blue eyes flicker with amusement. “Mmm, yes, I did say that, didn’t I?”
“Please don’t tell me it’s Jasper’s head in a box.” A swirl of nausea crawls up my throat at the disgusting thought. He hadn’t given me many details about my ex’s demise, but knowing Nico’s temper I’m sure it was horrible and violent. Just what the jerk deserved.
He pops up, giving me a front row view of his perfectly sculpted male form. I blatantly ogle him as he saunters to the walk-in closet. That beautiful phoenix stretched across his broad shoulders vibrates with life with every twitch of his carved muscles.
Nico disappears inside the closet, and a pathetic sigh seeps out. Goodness, I’m way too obsessed with this man. A second later, he re-emerges, holding a small white box with a big red bow strategically positioned in front of his male parts.
I can’t help the laugh that bursts free as he stalks closer. “That’s definitely too small for Jasper’s head. It barely covers up your…stuff.”
He grins wickedly. “My rock-hard cock?”
“Yes.” Heat burns my cheeks as I take him in.
Nico sits on the edge of the mattress and places the gift box between his legs. “You know I love it when your cheeks get flushed like that. They turn the same enticing hue as when I’m buried deep inside that pussy, and you’re seconds away from coming.”
The heat intensifies and I swallow hard, focusing on the present instead of the warmth now pooling at my apex. I snatch the little box and eye it warily. “It’s not his eyes, is it?”
“Well, open it and find out.”
“If it’s eyeballs, I’m not going to be amused.”
“Just open it, little fox.”
My stomach churns as I turn the box around in my hand, scanning all the corners. I shake it and something hard hits the sides. Definitely not eyeballs. Drawing in a breath, I tug on the ribbon and the four flaps of the box fall open.
A pink key sits in the center with the word HOME engraved across the top.
My now stinging eyes dart from the key to Nico and back, my throat tight with emotion.
“I need you to move in with me permanently, little fox. I want to make a home with you. I can’t imagine a life where I don’t wake up to you by my side every morning. Before you moved in, this penthouse, like my heart, was a dark, fathomless void. You’ve filled it with so much love, so much joy that the thought of losing that is completely unacceptable. I adore you, Maisy Jordan, and I want to spend the rest of my life showing you exactly how you deserve to be treated.”
I clutch the little metal key in my palm as a tear spills over. As much as I’ve missed my townhouse, home is wherever Nico is.
“So what do you say?”
“You’re actually giving me a choice?” I tease. “I thought you’d just keep me captive in the penthouse forever.”
