Page 64 of His Prize

“Ready to go?” she asked.

I nodded. “Yes. I want to get out of here and never come back.”

Israel took my hand. “Wait just a second.”

I looked up at him. “What is it? Is everything okay?”

He cupped my cheek. “Your uncle will never be the kind of man your father was. But, you’re exactly the kind of woman your father always hoped you grow into.”

Shock filled my veins. “How do you know that?”

He slid his thumb along my lower lip. “Because if we ever have a daughter, nothing would make me prouder than to have a daughter that’s as strong, as intelligent, and as cunning as you.”

My eyes watered. “Oh, Israel.”

He kissed my lips softly. “Come now. Let’s go home.”

He helped me dip into the car. “Do we even have a home right now?”

He slipped in beside me. “For now, no. But, by the end of the day today? We’re going to have a new one.”

“Why do I get the feeling you’ve been working on something behind my back?”

Ash snickered. “Ready for the first stop, Mr. Rossi?”

Israel nodded. “Ready when you are, Ash.”

I furrowed my brow. “Wait, you’re in on this, too?”

But, all Ash afforded me was a bark of laughter before Gary pulled us away from the courthouse. Weaving us through town and driving as safely as he could as Israel held me close. With both Giovanni and my uncle now in prison, we were free to live our lives together. We were free of the burden that came with all the fighting, and we could progress forward in the only way we knew how—with love, adoration, trust, and respect.

I looked up at Israel. “I don’t care where we live, so long as I’m with you.”

He smirked. “Well, a nice house might do us a bit of good either way.”

Gary’s voice piped up. “We’re here.”

Ash turned around. “This one’s my favorite if it’s any consolation.”

And as I gazed out the window at my uncle’s estate, my brow furrowed even tighter.

“What did you do, husband?” I asked.

He chuckled. “I figured if you needed an office space, we might as well own the space where you’re working.”

My head whipped over to him. “Own?”

He nodded. “That’s right. If you want it, that is.”

“But—but what about—?”

“It turns out, your aunt isn’t on the deed to the house. And since Pava’s just been sentenced, his entire estate goes into escrow. The house is being auctioned off this weekend unless someone wants to put in a bid for it.”

I grinned. “You sly, sneaky little thing.”

“I mean, it’s a great piece of property.”

I gazed back out the window. “It really is.”

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