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Aringbox.
The air cuts from my lungs when he lowers to one knee before me and pops open the box, revealing a beautiful, princess cut diamond engagement ring.
“Dante…” His name echoes from my heart, dancing on the edge of a whisper.
He reaches for my hand, and I give it to him. “I went to the club one night, and I saw this girl dancing for me. Just for me. No one else. She saw me, and I saw her. At that moment, I knew she had to be mine, if only in my dreams. Then my dreams became a reality. Now she’s sitting in front of me, asking me what kind of contract I want.” He holds the ring up. “This is what I want. I want the kind of contract where we take our vows to be man and wife before God and the universe. The kind where I give you my name and fill your belly with my babies. I want the kind where I’m not your forbidden Romeo anymore, but maybe just your Romeo. Or your Dante. So, I guess what I’m saying is I love you, and I’m asking you to marry me, Serenity. Will you? Will you marry me?”
Thrills race up and down my body, igniting every cell in me with the fire that comes with true happiness. I’ve only ever had one answer for him, and I’ve never had to think too hard.
“Yes. A million yesses.”
“Notredyet?” He gives me a wolfish grin.
“Never, because I love you, too.”
He slips the ring onto my finger, and as we meet for a kiss, the people around us cheer and clap.
I’d forgotten they were there.
Dante and I pull apart for a moment to acknowledge them, then we fall into another kiss.
Oh, carpe diem. Look how far you’ve taken me.Now I have the guy.
I feel like I’m waltzing onto another path life has sketched out for me. One where I can seize the moment in ways I’ve never been able to before.
This is my real second chance at life, and I get to take it with him.
Not my forbidden Romeo.
My Dante.
ChapterForty-Eight
Dante
I gaze around the boardroom at the members of the Creed who have gathered here tonight to witness my initiation as their new leader.
They just saw me take the blood oath and sign with the same blood, where I solemnly swore my allegiance to our fellowship.
I’m standing at the head of the table, getting ready to give my first speech as their new leader.
I’m the youngest leader the Creed has ever had, and I’m a Levitsky. A lot of responsibility rests on my shoulders. I have even more things to prove about myself than any other leader who has come before me.
The trust the members once had in my family has dwindled because of Igor’s treachery. I also know they will question my engagement to Serenity because of Jason.
More deceit has been revealed about Igor and Jason’s plots in the weeks that have followed since Igor’s death.
Today marks exactly three months since the showdown. During the upheaval it caused, we paused everything to complete a thorough investigation, but that’s given them three months to scrutinize me. Now it’s up to me to clear the negative residue Igor left behind so we can start fresh and move forward.
Tonight, the men all voted me in because they had to. I still have the most power and wealth in the group. But that’s not why I want them to choose me.
I want them to choose me because they believe in me and believe that I deserve the position I hold.
I glance at Virgo before I start, appreciating our friendship more than I ever have, then I begin.
“Thank you for gathering here tonight.” I lift my chin higher, making sure I’m looking every man in the eye. “I won’t gloss over the recent events with Igor and Jason. I want to assure you that I will not desecrate the value of our alliance. I hold it with the highest respect, knowing that we benefit as leaders when we work together. Each of you is a leader in your own right, so I will respect that, but I want you to trust me to be the leader of the Creed. I know to do so, I have to earn it. Tonight, I promise you I will do whatever it takes to accomplish that.”
“Hear, hear!” Virgo is the first to raise his hand in my support.
