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“I guess it’s the same for you too. Have you thought about speaking with your father’s lawyers yet?”
I sigh and shake my head. Dad left me everything. The total of it all is probably close to two billion in value. That’s what his lawyers want to speak to me about and I don’t want to talk about it because I know Fontaine money is wrapped up in a substantial amount of it.
“Salvatore… it doesn’t feel right to take it.” It doesn’t and it crossed my mind to give it to my money-grabbing relatives in Calabria who’ve also been trying to contact me.
Aunt Francesca couldn’t make it to the funeral because she’s broke yet I heard from Uncle Franco that she was having a boob job and her lips done. So when she called me to express her sorrow for my father’s passing and in the same breath asked me if I could be considerate of her when the will was finalized I stopped talking to everybody.
“Baby… All money is dirty…” He raises a finger and I smile as he pauses for effect. “Except mine. Mine wasn’t dirty. That three mill came from me working my ass off legit straight up from my Rainy Day saving account.”
I can’t believe I’m laughing. He smiles at me when he sees my reaction.
“Babygirl.” He holds my gaze. “Take the money and the empire. It’s the least he could do for you, maybe that’s why he left you everything.”
I look down at his hand holding me to him and climb my gaze back to meet his eyes.
“Okay… I guess we have other things to worry about.” I’ll call them tomorrow. It’s our turn to see Gabe in the morning at the hospital.
I keep thinking—what if he doesn’t wake up? My mind shifts from remembering him lying on the ground in a pool of blood to how lifeless he looks in the hospital bed.
“Hey…” Salvatore taps the side of my cheek. “We don’t worry when we’re in here remember? That was the agreement.”
I nod. “Yeah I remember.”
“Good because you need to be in a good mood for what I’m about to do next.”
I perk up and smile at him. “Are you making pancakes with that chocolate sauce? I would love that if you are.”
He gets up with me but sets me back down on the chair.
“I can do that, but I have something else I want to do first.”
I watch him, curiously as he goes over to the walk in closet and returns with a little pink jewelry box.
It’s salmon pink like the color he painted my office at the restaurant. My favorite color.
“You brought me a present?” I ask.
“Yeah, basically,” he replies and snaps open the little box.
At first I look at the little ring inside and I gasp because I think it’s beautiful, but then it clicks and I realize that it’s an engagement ring.
A princess cut diamond that sparkles so bright it has that after twinkle is set in the center of a delicate gold band.
I look from Salvatore to the ring as he doesn’t just get on one knee, he gets down on both knees and takes my hand.
“Salvatore…” I breathe. It’s the first time in weeks that the tears that threaten to fall aren’t caused by grief.
“So back on the boat, I kind of asked you to marry me. It was probably the worst proposal ever with the bomb about to go off and all.” A lopsided grin fills his face.
“It was beautiful.”
“Well I’m glad you think so since I didn’t have this then. I didn’t want you thinking I was just talking out of my ass. I wanted you to know I meant every word I said, all of it. So I’m doing this part properly.” He nods. “Maria Cipriani, you are my everything. I know I have no right to be selfish and want to keep you with me when so much danger has happened around us, but I feel like as long as I live I can keep you safe. As long as there’s life in me I can keep you safe. That’s what I’m going with. Please be mine. Please be my wife.”
I’m nodding before he can finish. “Yes. Yes always, Salvatore.”
I throw myself into his arms and we fall back onto the floor. He turns me around and takes my hand so he can place the ring on my finger.
It looks good there.
