Arranged love

CHECKING MY WATCH, I see it’s almost one o’clock in the morning when I enter Luca’s hospital room to see him sitting up in his bed. He’s looking better than when I saw him last. I haven’t spoken to him since I informed him I was going to kill his family. He eventually stopped texting and calling me.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

He mutes the TV and glances at the clock on the wall after seeing me enter. “Little late for visiting hours, don’t you think?”

“I knew you’d be awake.” You don’t spend all your life working throughout the night and then automatically sleep. Our bodies aren’t programmed that way. “All alone?” I look over at the bed they have in here for Haven and notice she’s not there.

“She’s at your house.”

“Oh, yeah. Girls’ night.” Mia had reminded me twice this week. Things have been crazy since we returned from New York last week. The fact that we set the pizzeria on fire has kept things to a minimum when it comes to the shit show I was expecting. But we’ve still got a lot going on. And Luca has a long recovery ahead of him. With John and Matteo dead, Nite will take over the family business. No one has any clue right now as to where the twins are. Probably in a penthouse suite somewhere snorting cocaine off women’s asses-doing what they do best.

I toss a small black bag onto his bed, and he reaches inside, pulling out a small box. His body tenses, knowing exactly what it is. Setting it back in the sack, he looks up at me. “Is this you coming to ask my permission to marry my sister?”

I snort. “As a friend and business partner, I respect you, Luca. As a brother to the woman I love, I don’t.” His jaw sharpens. “I’m not asking. I’m here to tell you I’ll be asking Mia to marry me.” I thought he deserved at least that.

He lays his head back on his pillow and lets out a sigh. “I didn’t want this life for her.” Tilting his face, he meets my eyes. “She deserves better.”

I can’t argue with that. “I agree. And I’m going to give it to her.” I pick up the sack and turn my back to him as he speaks again, making me pause.

“My father had the police in his pocket. They may never find out what happened to him and my mother, but once they realize their checks aren’t going to arrive, they will keep looking for an answer.”

I turn back to face him. “It’s taken care of.” And with that, I exit his room.

MIA

IT’S BEEN TWO weeks since we returned to Vegas from New York. The girls and I have been spending all day at a spa getting ready for tonight. Grave has a fight at Kingdom. It’s weird for life to seem so normal. Or at least what I think normal is.

I get to pick up my phone and call any one of them whenever I want. Just yesterday, I was cooking dinner, and there was a knock at the door. It was Alexa bringing over a bottle of wine she thought I might like to try. And she was right. It was pretty good.

It’s like a dream. Better than a dream, really. Dillan has been giving me driving lessons, and I think I’m starting to change his mind about a chauffeur.

It feels good to be free. To get to make my own decisions.

We pull up to Kingdom in the limo that the Kings had sent to pick us up. We thank the valet workers and make our way up the stairs and through the glass doors. Alexa and April are laughing about something Jasmine said, and I’m holding hands with Haven, who is smiling over at me.

I take a quick look over the large lobby and its grand staircase. It has black carpet littered with gold flecks that match the floor. The railing is also black, and a chandelier that looks like falling stars hangs down from the second-floor ceiling in the center of the staircase. The gold circle and K in the center are underneath my Gucci heels. I’ve been here more times than I can count over the past couple of weeks, but I’ve never seen it look like this.

Red roses are everywhere. So many, the smell of them is overwhelming. I love it. It reminds me of April’s flower shop. Petals are sitting on the floor and stairs. They also look to be wrapped around the railing that leads up the staircase.

“Like it?” Jasmine asks me.

“It’s gorgeous,” I say and look at her to see she’s already staring at April. “You did this?” I ask her, and she nods. She’s been so busy for the past few days that I haven’t gotten to spend much time with her. “It’s stunning.”

“I was hoping you’d approve,” she says. Her purple-painted lips are smiling so wide that it shows off her glowing white teeth.

I frown. “Why?”

All of their heads turn to look up at the stairs, and mine follow at their silence. My breath gets caught in my lungs when I see Dillan standing at the top dressed in a black button-up with the sleeves rolled up to show off his tatted arms and matching slacks with his hands tucked in the front pockets. He’s so gorgeous.

Lights start to flash from cell phones and cameras as people gather around. I take a quick look around and then focus my attention back on him when he starts making his way down the stairs. He takes the last step, and I realize my heart is pounding.

“Mia.” He takes my hands, and I hold my breath. The room is too silent for how many people have gathered around.

“Dillan.” I manage to breathe his name.

He shows me that smile that gives me butterflies in my stomach and makes my knees weak. “I’m sorry.”

I frown at the apology. My legs start wobbling while my brain tries to process what the hell is going on and why everyone is watching us.

“I once walked away from you.” He takes a step back, letting go of my right hand, and it drops to my side like a boulder off a cliff. “But if you give me the chance.” He reaches into the pocket of his slacks with his free hand and then drops to his knee. I hear someone gasp, but I’m not even breathing. “I promise I’ll spend the rest of my life by your side.” Letting go of my other hand, he pops open the black box in his hand, and I see the large red pear-shaped diamond in the center with a diamond halo around it.

This time, I gasp as my hands fly to my mouth. “Dillan.” His name is spoken softly on my trembling lips.

“I told you that you’d get to choose, Mia. I’m just hoping that you choose me.” He gives me a soft smile, before adding, “I love you, Mia. Will you-”

“Yes!” I shout, nodding my head quickly as I feel tears running down my face.

People start hollering, some laughing at how impatient I was and cutting him off. But he just gives me a big smile and slides the ring on my finger. He then stands, picks me up, and spins me around before placing his lips on mine and kissing me. My hands tangle in his hair, and I let him devour me as I moan into his mouth.

He pulls away too quickly and sets me back on my heels. “I can’t believe it.” I sniff, looking around at the flowers once again that he had the lobby decorated with. “All these people …” Flashes are going off while they take pictures, and some are recording us. I never thought Dillan would be the kind of guy who would put on a show for others.

He reaches up, pushing a piece of hair behind my ear. “I want everyone to see how much you’re loved, Mia. You are my someone, and I wanted the world to know that.”

My body melts even more into his, and he wraps his free arm around my waist to hold me up. After spending a life in the dark, this King will show me what it’s like to be seen for who I am-his.