Page 168 of Mafia and Gold Digger

I shake my head. “No, Em.Youmake me a better man. Without you, it’s not possible. Because I’d do anything for you, Emerald. Get you out of jail. Buy a whole fucking boutique because there was no way the owner would drop the charges otherwise. Take care of your siblings. Learn to fucking French braid hair and fix lunch. Key the car of the guy who cheated on you. Commit coldblooded murder of a man who tried to touch you without your consent.There’s no line I wouldn’t cross to ensure you’re safe and happy. And I’ve never lied about that.”

She grins at me.

“Em, if you need support, back up, or whatever the hell you want to call it, I’m here. You need someone to bail you out of jail, I want to be your call. You need a ride to the casino, I’m the man. You need someone to challenge you in chess, it’s me. It’s only ever going to be me, Emerald. And I’m not going anywhere. You want me to go, you need to give me a damn good reason because it’ll be like cutting off a limb. Do you understand?”

“I can’t believe you actually learned how to braid hair,” she says slowly.

I chuckle, shaking my head. “Yeah, I’m a pro at the braiding now, and I even got the Giulietta stamp of approval and all.”

She holds me tighter, and those broken jagged pieces of my heart start to come together again.

I’m certain she can hear the thumping in my chest and the way everything feels like it’s spinning out of control, and yet, it’s the freefall I didn’t know I needed.

“You keep saying you’re terrible at this stuff, Saint. That you’re some coldhearted man. But look at what you’ve done for me. I’m just a girl you didn’t even like when you first met me. But all the stuff you’ve done since then.” She pulls back a little to look at me. “No one who is unfeeling or coldhearted would do all that.”

“Only for you, Emerald,” I say softly. “Only for you. There isn’t a person on this planet I’d do any of that for but you. And for the record, I probably did like you when we first met.”

“Really…?”

“Yeah, Em. There was something about that moment when you wanted me to make a birthday wish…” I see the tears rimming her eyes. “Why are you crying, Em?”

She shrugs. “Can’t help it.”

“I know this won’t be enough, Em, but?—”

“Yes, Saint.”

“Yes?”

“Yes, I’ll stay. And not just for the night…”

I think I’ve stopped breathing. My brain hasn’t caught up to what she just said, to the words that have just left her lips. “What?”

She gives a laugh, shaking her head. “I said, I’ll stay.”

I can’t help the smile that tugs up the corner of my mouth. “Okay. But Emerald?”

“Yes?”

“I’m not letting you go. Ever.”

She smiles at me. “Good.”

“I’ve been looking for a home all this time, Em. But I’ve been looking for the wrong thing. I’ve been looking for aplace. But now I realize that home is actually aperson. And I want you, Emerald, to be that.My person. My home.My love.” I tug her even closer before I claim her lips.

“You guys, get a room!” Milena giggles.

I laugh against Em’s lips, letting my forehead rest against hers, before pulling Emerald under my arm as we move into the house fully.

“You’re back!” Jaspar says, noticing me and jumping up, followed quickly by Giulietta.

“Yeah, I’m back, and I’ve missed you guys so much.”

“Did you bring us presents from the Bahamas?” Jaspar asks.

“Uh, no. Sorry…”

“Aw!” the younger kids whine, and I swallow down a laugh.

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