Page 172 of Flawed

"No. Not at all. I'm just warning you," I stated.

He shrugged. "Let her be. I'll put her back in her room without dinner and disconnect her cell service if she can't act pleasant. If she wants to act like a two-year-old, I'll treat her like one. And I've already warned her and won't repeat myself."

A grin overpowered my face. I walked around the counter and threw my arms around his neck.

He tugged me closer to him. "Now, this is a nicer thing to think about."

"Thank you."

He arched his eyebrow. "For punishing our daughter?"

I softly laughed. "Yeah. It's nice that you always have my back, even though it's selfish of me to let you be the bad guy."

He gave me a chaste kiss. "I think you've had that role long enough. Let her be angry with me. Are you hungry?"

I kissed him again and replied, "Starving. It smells amazing."

"Great. Let's eat. I'll go get our princess," he commented and winked.

I added the sauce to the ravioli and took that and the salad to the table.

Luca and Zara appeared a few moments later. She sat beside me and, in a sincere voice, declared, "I'm sorry, Mom. I appreciate all you do for me and all the things I have because of you."

I squeezed her hand. "Thank you. Are you hungry?"

"Yes."

We had a nice dinner, which was another surprise. And I added it to the list of things I was grateful for about Luca. He isn't just a good father. He's an exceptional one.

And after a few months of planning our wedding, our day is finally here.

Zara orders, "Mom, open it!"

I laugh. "Not with you looking over my shoulder."

"But he said you had to read it," she relays.

I glance at my hair stylist. "Can you excuse me for a moment?"

She nods, and I go into the bathroom. I carefully open the envelope and pull out a note card.

To my dear stellina,

Words will never explainwhat it's been like waiting for you. You've given me everything I could ever want, and the joy you bring to my life is unexplainable.

I woke up this morning wondering if this was all a dream—a fabulous, unattainable dream that would get snatched away from me. And the hole I felt all these years started growing in my heart again.

Then Zara called me, gushing about today. The hole quickly filled. Every ounce of love I have radiated within me.

I'm the luckiest, happiest, most grateful man in the world today. And I will always be.

You let me into your lives without holding my flaws against me. I don't deserve the love you unconditionally give me, but I could never walk away from it.

So I vow everything to you. My heart. My body. My soul. Until the day I die, I'll love, cherish, and protect both of you. To the best of my ability, I'll overcome any remaining flaws to always do what's in your best interest.

Thank you for loving me.

Thank you for giving me a second chance.

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