Chapter Thirty-Five

Mom watched me take one hard-earned step after the other. I worked even harder now that Amo was in New York. I wanted to make progress so he wasn’t so worried about me anymore. I wanted this to be his Christmas present.

“Do you have a moment?” Mom asked.

I limped over to her with my crutches and sank down beside her. “Is something wrong?”

Mom shook her head quickly and took my hand. “I talked to the doctors who did your surgery and also a few other specialists.”

I frowned. Had she not told me everything? Was there more? What if my injuries were even worse than I thought?

“Don’t look so scared. This is positive. I think it is.” She let out a nervous laugh, and touched my cheek. “When they did the surgery on you, they didn’t have to remove your ovaries.”

I nodded, because I knew that. It was why I didn’t have to suffer through an early menopause.

“That means you can have your own babies.”

“I could, but I can’t carry them.”

Mom nodded, her hold on my hand tightening. “You could use a surrogate.”

I began to shake my head. That would require an amount of trust in a person that was difficult to achieve. The idea that a stranger had my baby inside of her and could possibly hurt it…

“If you trust me, I’d gladly carry a baby or babies for you.”

My lips parted in utter shock. “Mom.”

Tears welled up in her eyes. “I talked to the doctors. My age won’t be a problem because we’re not using my old eggs, only my womb and that’s still fine.”

Mom was only forty-one. Chances were high she could still conceive too. “You hated being pregnant.”

“It wasn’t that bad.”

“It was. You threw up so much when you were pregnant with Giulio and you told me your first pregnancy with Nevio and me was incredibly hard on your body.”

“It doesn’t matter. Let me give you this gift, okay? Nothing’s worse than seeing your child suffer. Trust me, I want nothing more than to give you the chance to become a mother yourself, and you can experience the pregnancy through me, can be there when I give birth.”

“You really thought it through.”

I was completely overwhelmed. I hadn’t spared another thought on children, hadn’t dared to do so. I’d focused on walking and maybe dancing again, because that was something in my grasp.

“You don’t have to decide today, or tomorrow, or even next year. Just know that I want to do this for you.”

I threw my arms around her. “I can’t think right now. Thank you, Mom. Thank you so much.”

It was the day before Christmas and I was practicing walking with my crutches under Kiara’s watchful eyes in Mom’s yoga room again when Nevio stepped into the room. Surprise washed over me. I hadn’t expected them to be back again.

Nevio stuffed his hands into the pockets of his black cargo pants, hovering in the doorway. He had avoided talking to me since the attack. I had heard only figments of what had gone down in New York. Nevio looked as he always did when he was with me, not like the monster he let out more and more.

“Can you give us a moment?” he asked. Kiara nodded. She touched his arm briefly as she walked past him.

I resisted the urge to ask where Amo was. Nevio obviously wanted to be alone with me, and he deserved my full attention. He wasn’t used to sharing it.

“Won’t you come closer?” I asked.

Nevio strode toward me, his eyes lingering on my cast before he met my gaze. “I know you don’t want to hear it but I killed everyone who did this to you. I poured all of my rage into it. For you.”

I smiled and released my crutches to hug him. Nevio quickly wrapped his arms around me, obviously worried I’d fall. “I know that’s how you show me your love.”

“You’re really going to leave Las Vegas?”

I peered up into his haunted eyes. “I have to follow my heart. We can see each other all the time now that there won’t be war anymore.”

“It’s not the same. You’ll have a new family.”

I let out a tight laugh, though I felt more like crying. “I’ll never replace you and our family. And creating my own family won’t be so easy.” I touched the bandage over my abdomen that was hidden by my wide dress.

Nevio’s mouth twisted. “Fuck, Greta, that’s not what I meant. I wish I could do something.”

“Don’t let the dark swallow you just because I’m not there to watch over you. One day you’ll find someone who’ll shine brightly.”

Nevio shook his head with a dark laugh. “I’ll try to dip my feet into the light on occasion, but don’t expect me to have feelings for anyone, Greta. Even if I hadn’t been averse to the idea of it before, seeing what your feelings for Vitiello did is a huge deterrence.”

I rolled my eyes.

“So you’re not mad at me?”

“I was never mad at you.”

“Really?”

He shrugged. “I’m raging mad at Vitiello.”

“Don’t be. I want you to try to get along.”

“You’re asking a lot from me.”

“I know. It could be my Christmas present.”

Nevio’s gaze slanted to the doorway. He must have heard steps because Amo stepped in a moment later. I gave him a weak smile, my heart filling with longing. After having spent two weeks together in hospital, being separated for several days had seemed like eternity, which was irrational considering we’d been apart longer than that before.

Nevio released me slowly. “Can you stand?”

Amo crossed the room before I got the chance to answer and put his hand on my back to steady me. “I can take over.”

A look passed between them and Nevio stepped back with a strange smile. “Take good care of her. You saw what I did on stage.” He gave me a wink and disappeared. Those words, though part threat, had been his way of a peace offering. The best Christmas present ever.

Amo cupped my cheeks and lowered his lips to mine. The kiss was gentle and careful. I still felt a little frail so I was glad for his consideration. “How are you feeling?”

“A little better every day. I can’t wait to be rid of the cast so I can start mobilizing my knee.”

“You will dance again.”

I nodded, because I believed it too.

Amo cleared his throat. “I know today isn’t the best time and this isn’t a good place but I don’t want to wait anymore.”

My brows puckered then darted up when Amo got down on one knee. He pulled out a ring from his pocket and held it up between us. My lips formed an O as I stared at the beautiful piece of jewelry. It was a delicate rose gold ring with an amethyst center stone in a color that was a beautiful pinkish lilac tone. It was surrounded by smaller white diamonds.

“When I saw it in the shop window, the color of the stone reminded me of the tutu you wore when I first saw you dance in your studio.”

He shifted the ring so it caught the light and became a bit lighter in color—indeed almost my tutu.

My smile widened but my heart still felt as if it might jump out of my chest.

Amo cleared his throat and locked gazes with me. “Greta, I don’t want to spend a single day without you. I want you by my side. I’ve always admired my parents’ bond and their unwavering love, and I know our marriage will be like that. Will you marry me?”

It was the first time these words left my lips and it felt as if it marked a new beginning, wiping out the many wrong turns I’d taken in the past. I had no doubt Greta was the path I was meant to follow.

She covered her mouth with her fingers and swallowed audibly, before she finally nodded. “Yes. Yes!”

I pushed the ring on her finger, relieved when it fit perfectly. I didn’t even have it altered. I’d stumbled upon it by chance like I’d stumbled upon the gorgeous ballerina.

I pushed to my feet and wrapped my arms around Greta’s waist, lifting her off the ground with as much care as I could. Her arms snaked around my neck and we kissed.

After a while we pulled apart. “I thought maybe we can marry this May. By that time, you should be healed enough to walk down the aisle without trouble. Of course I wouldn’t mind carrying you either but I guess that’s not how you imagined your wedding day.”

Greta gave me a sheepish smile. “I never imagined my wedding.”

My eyebrows rose. “That’s a blow to my confidence.”

She laughed. “I never allowed myself to dream about it because it seemed out of reach.”

“It isn’t anymore. We can marry. Our fathers agreed on peace. The Famiglia stands behind the decision and the Camorra probably won’t doubt your father’s decision either.”

Greta narrowed her eyes in thought. “Did you have to kill many to make this happen?”

“A few had to die, but most of the Traditionalists allowed us to persuade them with certain concessions.”

“Concessions?”

I shrugged. “They cling to their traditions, hence the name. Dad agreed to make the bloody sheets obligatory once more and to put a stronger focus on arranged marriages again. The sanctity of marriage was a big point.”

“So we’ll have to present sheets after our wedding night.”

I grimaced. “It’s expected, yes. Maybe we could figure out a way around it—”

Greta gave a resolute shake of her head. “No. I don’t want an exemption. I want to show your men that I’m willing to respect their rules.” She bit her lip. “But that means you’ll have to wait before we can have sex.”

“I would have waited anyway. I want to do this right. A few more months won’t kill me.”

Greta tilted her head up and I bent down to kiss her. “Did you talk to my parents yet?”

“That’s next up on my list. I wanted to ask you first.”

“Do you want me to come with you for moral support?”

“I’ll be fine. You keep practicing so you can walk down the aisle.”

I walked out. Kiara was still in front of the door. “I’m glad you two found each other even if the way to be together was painful.”

I dipped my head in thanks. “Where can I find Remo?”

“I’ll take you to him,” Nino said, appearing out of nowhere.

I gave him a smirk. “I guess I’m not allowed to roam the mansion on my own yet?”

“You just talked to my wife alone. That’s a great show of trust.”

“You were close by.”

Nino gave me a cold smile but he didn’t look particularly unfriendly. “Some habits are difficult to lose.”

“Trust must be earned, I agree. But none of your women will ever be in danger around me.”

Nino didn’t comment but he led me into the common area of the house where most of the Falcone clan had gathered. It was a chaotic assembly. To top it off, Gemma was trying to stop her little daughter, who was laughing hysterically, from tearing at her hair.

I tore my gaze away and turned my attention to Remo.

“Can I have a word with you?”

Serafina came in from another room in that moment. “And you too?”

Serafina immediately came toward me and Remo followed. “Where can we talk in private?”

Serafina gave me a smile as if she knew exactly what I was going to say. Remo’s enthusiasm was nonexistent.

“There are no secrets in this house. You might as well pop the question right here and spare us the less accurate retellings later,” Savio said. Gemma shoved the toddler toward Savio so he could bounce her on his leg and calm her.

I shrugged. “I asked Greta for her hand and she said yes.”

“Some might consider it disrespectful not to ask me as her father first.”

“That’s a rule we follow in the Famiglia but I know you’re more progressive in the Camorra so I tried to adapt to your local customs.”

Remo gave me a sharp smile. “Ahh, already being rude when the ink on our truce hasn’t even dried yet.”

Serafina touched my arm and gave me a warm smile. “I’m happy for you and Greta. Now you better make her happy.”

“This isn’t the Christmas present I was hoping for,” Remo muttered.

Nevio sauntered over to me, and I couldn’t help but be wary. I remembered how he’d separated Greta and me last time.

“You heard my mother. Be good to her or I’ll be very unpleasant.” He didn’t mention his actions on stage again, and he didn’t have to. I’d remember that meeting all my life, for various reasons.

“No knife in my side this time?”

Nevio shook his head. “Not from me this time.” He clucked his tongue.

“I’m sure there are enough people out there who would love to stab him,” Massimo said dryly.

“He’ll be family. I’ll have to protect him, I guess.”

My lips curled in a condescending smile. “Thanks, I can protect myself. As long as you keep your crazy outbursts away from me, I’ll be fine.”

Nevio bared his teeth in that crazy fucker grin of his. “Will try my best.”

The sound of crutches carried over to us and a moment later Greta came in with Kiara. “Everything all right here?” She looked between me, her father and brother.

Remo walked past me and kissed her forehead. “Now I’ll have to make sure New York is a safe place for you.”

Greta smiled and hugged him.