Page 145 of Disgrace

Siena was still happy.

She only had one person to thank for that, too.

“Siena.”

She spun on her heels to face John at his call of her name, but she had to look down. He was down on one knee, and had one hand outstretched toward her. He opened up his palm, and sitting inside was the prettiest princess cut diamond resting on a thin, interwoven gold bands.

Her heart thundered.

Her muscles froze.

Her breath caught.

John smiled. “I’m sorry it took so long for me to do this, babe.”

Siena shook her head. “Never apologize for you, John.”

“I love you, Siena. You know that, don’t you?”

God, he had to ask?

“I love you more than life itself, John.”

“I know—look at all you’ve done for me. My father used to tell me that everyone has one person who is their person. One single soul meant for theirs. I didn’t really believe that until I met you.”

She quickly wiped the one tear that escaped from her eye. “You’re my one person, John.”

“And you’re mine, mia amore.”

“Hurry up and ask.”

John laughed. “Siena, will you be my wife?”

“Yes.”

He was up off the floor before she had even finished speaking. His lips found hers as he pulled her impossibly close to his body. Love thrummed through her soul. Happiness buzzed through her mind.

Unfortunately, Siena knew …

Reality was never far behind in her life. She never seemed to hold onto happiness for very long before something came to take it away.

She hoped that wasn’t the case this time.

God.

She hoped …

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

JOHN LEANED BACK against the bar, and grinned wide at the sight of the man coming through the front doors of the Brooklyn pub. Andino brushed invisible dirt from his black tweed jacket as the door swung closed behind the three men who followed him in.

Andino’s gaze swept the floor—a predatory gaze, in ways—as he looked for the fucker who had demanded a meeting with him for no other reason than because they said so. A meeting that needed to happen this very day. On Andino’s release from jail. There couldn’t be another time.

John hadn’t given any other information about the meeting, either. Not that it was him who called it, or why he thought he had any kind of clout to call in a meeting with a Cosa Nostra Don. Knowing his cousin like he did, John figured Andino would show up just to make a point to whatever dumb fuck called him in that he answered to absolutely no one.

Seemed he had guessed right, after all. His cousin didn’t look very pleased.

John smiled wider.