Page 73 of One Savage Union

“Are you OK? Did anyone touch you? I should have killed that fucker Leo myself!”

The tears in his eyes are unsettling. I stroked his face to calm him down. “Shhh, I’m fine, Rocco. No one touched me, you got here just in time. You always come when I need you, even before I realize it. Thank You.

He scoffs and turns his head. “Don’t thank me. This is all my fault. I should never have lied to you, and I should have done everything in my power to keep you safely on that boat with me. I just felt like I had to prove to myself that I could let you go. That you were just a pawn.”

I sniffle, remembering the way he just let me go. Every few steps, I kept looking back, expecting him to follow me and drag me back on the boat. But he didn’t. That’s when I knew he meant more to me than I meant to him. I love him and hate him at the same damn time.

He slips his fingers under my chin and forces my eyes up to his. “But you know what, Lucia?”

“What,” I whisper.

“You aren’t just a pawn. You’re my queen, my wife, la mia piccola palla di fuoco. I love you more than anything. I’d burn down this entire world for you if you asked.”

“Would you?” I run my fingers through his thick hair and drown in his icy blue stare.

He laughs. “I have already come very close. Those men represent the heads of the eight largest crime organizations in this city. The man I killed was the head of the Mexican Cartel, so our dealings with them are not finished. Your father is also on the run, and I won't rest until I’ve killed the coward. Those men will be compliant for a while because we have them by the balls. What I did tonight probably made my uncle the most powerful man in the underworld. But this type of power does not comewithout a price. Soon, the Russians, Armenians, and even the Triads will want blood.”

“So… you went to war just for me?”

He nods and pulls me close. “And I’d do it again in a heartbeat. Forgive me, Lucia. I will never lie to you again. If you want to annul our marriage, I understand. Maybe we can find a way for you to perform again. You will always need security, but I can make anything happen for you. I can’t live without you. Give me a chance to show you how good I can be.”

I pause.Isn’t this what I wanted?To be free of this forced vow and restart my career? Now that he’s offering it to me, I realize that's not my life anymore. He is.

I shake my head. “No. I am the daughter of Don Matteo Ricci and the wife of the Romano family’s consigliere. My life is full of danger, but it’s also full of love. Together, we will take my father down and take down what’s left of his kingdom. I love you, Rocco Fieri, and you can’t get rid of me that easily.”

“Never,” he growls while he wraps his arms around me and takes me into a deep kiss.

As he reclaims me, I think back on how much my life has changed since this man kidnapped me. Joy wraps around my heart as I realize my life didn’t end when Rocco Fieri chained me in his basement.

That’s when my life truly began.

THE END

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EPILOGUE

LUCIA

ONE MONTH LATER…

White Lilies blanket every inch of Duomo di Ravello’s ceiling and walls. It’s my wedding day, and the historic church at Ravello’s center never smelled so sweet. The flowers’ scent calms me, and their beautiful petals delight me as I walk into my future. The lily is Italy's national flower, and Rocco insisted that our Amalfi wedding pay tribute to it, as he also likes the purity it represents.

To him, my innocence redeems his sins, but I know better. Only God can judge us and forgive our sins. I’m no deity, but if it makes him sleep better at night, I’ll be anything he needs.

Walking down this aisle with Uncle Thomasso at my side is unreal. The older man is still injured from the blast at his house a month ago and he’s using a cane. Regardless, he’s walking tall, and proud as a peacock.

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