After we both showered and ate breakfast, we made our way back to the bedroom. Zara stared at me with a serious expression on her face.
"So…" she mumbled, swallowing down a lump in her throat. "What now, Luca?"
"I killed Marcello yesterday," I shrugged. "Took out his whole organization. You don't have to worry about your life anymore, baby. You're going to be safe now."
She began trembling slightly, taking steps closer to me. Taking my hands into hers, forcing me to look her in the eyes.
"But what about us, Luca?" she asked, gulping. "I want you… And I'm so thankful that you saved me." She trailed off her sentence. "But I don't want to leave everything for the mafia, and begin working for something that I know nothing about. I don't blame you for taking part in it… But I can't be a part of it. Not after finding out that it destroyed my father."
She swallowed down a lump in her throat, a tear rolling down her cheek.
"I had big dreams. Dreams to be a chemical engineer… To have a business of my own. I want to finish my degree. I've worked so hard for years and years… I don't want it to go to waste because of what happened in Italy. I don't want my life to have to be put to a stop because of this. With time, I'll eventually learn to get over my father's death… But I don't want to give up on my education."
I pressed my lips to her forehead, feeling like my heart was going to explode as she spoke. She was so perfect…
So fucking perfect.
Perfect in every way.
Independent, motivated…
With her head screwed on in the right place.
I loved that about her.
"Baby, I'm not asking you to leave everything for me," I whispered. "I know that you want to complete your education. I would never stop you from doing that."
I heaved my chest, as she looked up at me with hopeful eyes.
"When I killed Marcello's father… I had him sign the rights of your father's Oud fragrance business back to you," I explained. "So you'll have something to remind you of your father. Knowing that he didn't die in vain. Carry on his legacy… Make him proud while he's gone. Knowing all of his hard work didn't go to waste."
Her eyes welled with tears.
"Oh my God, Luca…" she trembled. "Thank you. Thank you so much."
She convulsed, her breathing labored.
"It's good to know that I'll be able to take care of whatever he left behind for me now that he's gone," she breathed.
"That's not all, baby girl," I whispered, squeezing her hands reassuringly. "We're going to go back to England. You're going to finish your degree. And you're going to become a chemical engineer… Just like you want to be."
I placed a soft kiss on her mouth.
"You don't have to worry about the mafia. I've left it behind," I admitted.
Her eyes widened, shocked at this revelation.
"Y – you left it b – behind for m – me?" she stammered shakily. "But the mafia is your life. You can't leave it for me."
"After handing The Camorra to the Cosa Nostra on a silver platter, I bought my freedom. Freedom for me and my friend Fizz," I heaved. "Baby, I want to leave it. It's been destroying me for a long time."
She furrowed her eyebrows, before her tensed shoulders began to relax, and she rested her head against my chest.
"You turned my life upside down ever since you entered it, Zara fucking Amelle." I let out a low chuckle. "I'd do anything for you. I know we haven't known each other that long… But time doesn't dictate how I feel about you. We have the rest of our lives ahead of us… And I don't want to wake up another day without you by my side. Be mine, Zara. Be mine…"
She stared up at me with her pretty big eyes, lifting one of her hands to stroke my face.
"I've always been yours, Luca. Always," she whispered. "I want you every day for the rest of my life, too. Thank you for showing me the light at the end of the tunnel. I've spent my whole life alone, I've spent my whole life with trust issues. But you've given me hope. You've made me realize that maybe love exists, after all. You've made me realize that not everybody has bad or ill intentions towards me. You have genuine intentions. You're all I need, Luca."
I could feel my own eyes well with tears, as I watched her open up to me. Feeling like my heart had been exposed to her.
I loved this woman.
I fucking loved her.
Even in a story where she was the beauty and I was the fucking beast…
She made me realize that fairytales didn't just exist in stories.
They existed in real life, too…
Even for monsters like me.
I brought my mouth down on hers, kissing her with such an urgency that the wind knocked out of my lungs.
There wasn't a day that would go by where I wouldn't want to kiss her.
Claim her.
Mark her.
And now I could look forward to that, not just now…
But every day for the rest of my life.