Page 128 of The Proposal

“Is it possible to call a truce?”

“Why? Are you scared we’re going to come back and finish the job?”

“You can try,” is my only reply.

I hear him sigh down the line. “I’ll think about it.”

“Okay,” I reply because I can’t ask for more than that.

As I go to end the call, I hear him say, “Dante.”

“What?” I ask.

“I appreciate you reaching out. It took some balls.”

Long after I ended that call, I was still unsure if I had made the right decision, but later that night, my phone dinged with a message.

Diego: I agree to the truce.

There was no further contact, but that was enough. It was all I needed. I’m a firm believer that you should be selective with your battles. Sometimes, peace is better than being right.

It doesn’t make me less of a man because I chose to be the bigger person and tried to put an end to the toxic drama. I’m sick of looking over my shoulder, and there is nothing I wouldn’t do to keep my family safe.

Chapter 30

Dante

As I zip up my suitcase, I glance at Arabella and notice her bottom lip trembling. “Do you have to go back there?”

“I do.”

“But why?”

I blow out a long breath. “We’ve already been over this.”

“I want to come with you.”

“There’s no way you or your sister are going to step one foot back inside that country until I know with all certainty that it’s safe for you both to do so.”

“But is it safe for you?”

I stop what I’m doing and sit beside her on the edge of the bed, where she’s anxiously chewing on her thumbnail, and drag her onto my lap.

Two months have passed since Stefano’s demise, and the authorities in Italy have officially listed his death as the result of a house fire, with no suspicious circumstances. That was the green light I needed to finally return.

I had no contribution to that finding, so I can only presume that higher powers were at play. I need to sort things out before any other organised criminal gang starts to move inon his territory. It’s only a matter of time before they do if I leave things without a clear leader. My presence needs to be known.

“I’m taking some of my men with me. Romeo will stay here at the house to look after you and Lucia.”

“I don’t need looking after,” she bites back.

“I know you don’t, Arabella, but I have a lot to sort out when I get over there. I need my head in the game and can’t be distracted by worrying about you. You and Lucia will be safe with Romeo here.”

“How long will you be gone?”

“A week … two weeks tops.”

“Two weeks,” she shrieks. “That’s too long.”

---