I shook my head.
“No, you didn’t. Aria knows you’re her mom and she loves you. But nobody loves you more than me.”
A breath of silence stretched when she finally rasped, “You really love me?”
My love for her was tangible, something I planned to cherish and nurture. “I love you, Violet Freud. I want you in my life, in our children’s lives. I want you as my wife.”
She raised herself up on one elbow, her eyes never wavering from my face. She laid her other hand on my chest, sending a small shudder down my spine. It was always like this. Her touch made my head fuzzy and my throat tight, because I had never needed anything. But I needed her.
“Are you proposing?”
I let out a sardonic breath. “I should have made it romantic. I wanted to treat you to a candlelit dinner, but I can’t wait that long. I want you as my wife tomorrow.”
“It’s more than romantic,” she murmured. “It’s perfect. Yes, Lykos. A thousand times yes. I love you so much.”
She leaned over, her lips brushing against mine. God, the hold this woman had on me. She still didn’t know how deep my obsession ran.
“I have one request, though… sort of,” she murmured.
“Anything.”
“When we work on the documentation for Aria… to reinstate me as her mother, could we—” She faltered, her voice catching as uncertainty flickered across her face. “Could I…?”
I softened immediately, brushing my thumb along her cheek.
“Tell me, golden one,” I murmured, gently catching her bottom lip between my teeth in a teasing nip. “Anything you want, it’s yours.”
She locked her eyes on me, then squared her shoulders with determination. “I’d like to adopt Dimitros too… if that’s alright. If you and he would be okay with it.”
I stared at her, caught off guard.
“You want to adopt him?” I asked, my voice threaded with surprise.
She gave a small shrug, suddenly shy under my gaze. “It’s not a big deal if it’s complicated or if he doesn’t want?—”
I didn’t let her finish.
“Hey.” I cupped her face, my expression softening. “I love you for wanting that.” I leaned in and kissed her, slow and tender, letting her feel every ounce of my love. “You can ask him yourself,” I added, resting my forehead against hers, “but I’m pretty sure he’ll be over the moon.”
Her eyes searched mine. “Really?”
“Yes,” I whispered. “Really.”
I nipped her bottom lip again, softer this time, and she melted into me with a quiet sigh. And then I kissed her again, pouring everything unspoken into the space between us, until the rest of the world faded and all that remained was her.
FORTY-EIGHT
VIOLET
Awhirlwind of events had swept through my life since the moment I’d set foot in Greece, leaving me dizzy and breathless, as if I’d been here for months instead of mere weeks.
And now… I was about to get married. Today.
Everything I’d known, everything I’d feared, and everything I’d dared to hope had led to this one, impossible, perfect day. It felt surreal, almost scaring me that something would ruin my happiness.
The sunlight glinted off the stone terraces, warm sunrays all around us catching on the rims of our glasses and making the drinks shimmer. The sea stretched just beyond the low stone wall, its steady hush blending with the faint rustle of linen in the breeze.
The table we were seated at was simple, filled with still-warm bread, tomatoes slick with olive oil, slices of cheese, and figs.
