Page 227 of Forced Vows

"Say the words, Miceli." I need the words.

"T'amu. I love you." He kisses me softly. "Sempre e per sempre. Always and forever."

Another kiss. My lips try to chase his, but he's not done.

"Sei mio. You are mine." This kiss is a little more forceful but no less emotionally devastating. "Io sono tua. I am yours."

"I love you so much, Miceli." My voice cracks on his name and a tear of joy slides down my temple.

He swipes it with his thumb, licking it off like even that single tear is precious to him.

"This…" He waves between the two of us. "It's not about blood alliances. It is about how my heart beats for you and you alone. I would give up the mafia for you."

Before, I thought that was what I wanted, but I realize now it's not. One, because my uncle is right. I am a Shaughnessy and nothing will change that. Which means that without the protection of a syndicate, I'm not safe.

Whatever children I have are not safe. And Miceli would definitely not be safe.

But two, a mafia underboss soon to be don is who I want to marry. "I don't need you to change for me to love you. And I don’t need you to give up the mafia to make me happy. I am happy with you."

"I do not know what deity gifted you to me, but I will make offerings to them for the rest of eternity."

"To be clear, then, there will be no more of the love isn't a word I use crap? Because you are going to love our children."

"Every bit as fiercely as I love you," he vows.

My eyes burn with more joy-filled tears. The words are everything I need to hear. The final piece that assures me I made the right choice agreeing to marry this man.

"I fell in love with you that night in Portland," I tell him in a choked voice. "When I saw you standing in your brother's office and knew you were the man I was supposed to marry, I felt so betrayed. Not only by fate, but by my own feelings."

"You hid those feelings pretty well," he says with a wry twist of his lips.

"Self-preservation, but there is no one I ever want to touch me but you and I knew that then."

His eyes burn with violent intensity. "Good, because I would have to kill anyone who touched you."

"You're such a sweet talker."

His expression turns so serious. "I'm not a sensitive guy, no matter what people think about artists. You are the only one who touches my heart so deeply that I believe part of my soul still exists. I love you with everything inside of me and everything I have. Róise, you are my world."

His use of my name in this moment, with that admission feels like another claim on my heart.

~ ~ ~

Pusheen yowls at the door until Miceli lets her in. Then, she bounds up onto the bed, settling her long Maine Coon body along the side recently occupied by Miceli.

"She's a pushy beast, but I understand her need to know you are safe." He reaches down and pets our cat.

"She doesn't know I was kidnapped," I point out.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that."

I roll my eyes, but Miceli shakes his head. "Didn't you say that Troy was the soldier she jumped on in the hallway?"

It takes a second for me to remember what he's talking about. "Um, yes."

"Well, guess who was one of the men on sonar watch detail?"

"What a smart cat you are my beautiful Pusheen." I scratch her head and then yawn.

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