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He began to speak, and his voice carried no emotion. “First, I have news about your brother...”
“Half-brother,” I hurriedly corrected.
“Okay. Your half-brother,” he breathed out, rubbing his eyes. “He’s dead, Grace. Turns out Aiden made more enemies than allies in prison.”
I placed a hand on my chest, trying to process the news. He wasn’t my favorite person, but at least he was human. I sighed. “How?”
He shrugged. “Staged fight with other inmates. Then strangled in his sleep to make it appear that he had killed himself.”
“Christ!” Even if he was a total prick, I would have never wished him such a brutal death. “That is...”
“Horrifying, I know,” he added. “Aiden is out of our lives for good now, but you know what that means.”
I did.
“That means my position as leader of the Irish mob is permanent.” He smiled. “I mean, it always has been, but Aiden’s perpetual absence only confirms it.”
I folded my arms across my chest and nodded curtly. “Right. Understood.”
Then his eyes lit up and he pulled out some plane tickets from his pockets, and I couldn't help but wonder what he was up to.
“Plane tickets?” I looked at them and back to his face.
His expression and the tone of his voice conveyed a sense of adventure and anticipation as he revealed his plan. “Grace,” he said with a smile, “I've taken some time off from work because I think it's time to go on that long trip you've always dreamed about.”
I was silent for a while, unmoving, while I let his words sink in. “Trip?” I asked. “We're going on a trip?”
“Uh-huh,” he nodded. “Yes, we are. Through Europe, the Caribbean, wherever you want to go.”
I felt an overwhelming rush of joy. It was a dream come true. The happiness I felt was indescribable and I couldn't contain my excitement. It was surprising how much my life resembled that of the heroine in the first and only mafia book I’d ever read, and I realized that Nessa was right. We really couldn’t help who our hearts chose.
Mine chose Igor, a mafioso from the Bratva, despite everything, the highs, and lows, the ugly and beautiful times. I threw myself on him, sat on his lap, and hugged him tightly. My heart was filled with gratitude and love for the man who had managed to turn my life upside down, into the perfect life I had always dreamed of.
He cradled my cheeks and covered my lips with his. Then, he pulled back, gazing deeply into my eyes. “I love you, Grace, much more than you know.”
I cupped his face and kissed him back. “I love you too, Igor. Although I don't think we should ever tell Sasha how we actually met. It's not the most romantic story and we don't want her to think it's okay to be kidnapped.”
He laughed heartily and pecked my cheeks. “Noted,” he said, his eyes shining with love and admiration. “Also, I would kill anyone who dares touch a hair on my daughter’s head.”
I chuckled and rested my head on his shoulder, my arms wrapped securely around his neck. “I know you would.”
“You know I have other plans for this trip, right?” he asked, and I peered at him through squinted eyelids.
“Other plans?”
“Mm-hmm,” he grinned and rose from his chair to take me in his arms as if I were no heavier than a feather. “We’ll finally have time for more babies.”
“Ah,babies. Just like you’ve always wanted,” I repeated and giggled when he kissed my nose.
“Yes, Grace,” he pressed a kiss against my forehead, and when he pulled back, he held my gaze firmly. “We’ll make more babies, and this time, they’ll all look just like you.”
I nestled my head against his chest and smiled languidly at him. “I think I’ve fallen even more in love with you, Igor.”
He laughed, the sound deep and rich like classical music to my ears. “I thought we’d worked that out already, loving me is your only option.”
*****
THE END
