Page 26 of Ruthless Match

Matteo grabbed me and kissed me deeply. When he pulled away, he whispered, “I hope so, My Love, I hope so.”

As I turned to walk toward the kitchen, Matteo swatted my ass playfully. When I turned around to scold him, he was grinning like the Cheshire Cat. Only my Cheshire Cat was the head of a notorious mafia family and… so much more. For the first time, I realized that Matteo Santoro was more than I had ever imagined, and I couldn’t wait to explore.

CHAPTER 15

Matteo

Over the next several days, everything changed. Aurora and I were no longer roommates; we were a couple in every sense of the word. Part of me still couldn’t believe she had forgiven me, but I was grateful.

In an unusual act, I had spent the last few days in a whirlwind of introspection. The events that caused my marriage to Aurora and everything that happened after were tumultuous, to say the least. But they were also beautiful.

The period of reflection allowed me to see that although I had always considered myself a master strategist, someone who could manipulate any circumstance to my advantage, a part of me had always been missing.

I had money, power, and the fear of half the city, but I didn’t have the one thing I always needed – genuine love- the most crucial piece of my puzzle.

I had felt in during our honeymoon to the Caribbean but pushed it aside. It was the first time I saw Aurora as a person, not a pawn, in the delicate game between her father and me.

Now, I know better. I see Aurora for who she is. A strong, capable woman who is meant to be my partner in every sense of the word.

Deep down, I’d known for a while that I was in love with her, that it was no longer about my need for winning, but the night I brought her home from her father’s house, and we made love, I knew for certain.

Something clicked that night. For the first time in my life, I saw a future with someone I could be proud of, a future filled with mutual respect, understanding, and love.

Not only did I need that, but I also wanted that. I wanted Aurora. Soon, I found myself in my office, staring at the beautiful four-karat, emerald-cut diamond and sapphire ring I had custom-made. I chose sapphires as the perfect representation of Aurora’s mesmerizing eyes.

I knew she already had a ring, but that was given to her as a business transaction. I didn’t want her to spend the rest of her life remembering that when she looked at her ring. So, I decided to do it right. I wanted to ask Aurora to marry me for real—a celebration of our love and not a business obligation.

I slipped the ring into my pocket and took off to find Aurora. It was a beautiful day, so I knew where to look. As I walked outside, the morning sun cast a golden hue over the garden. The scent of fresh flowers filled the air, and the birds chirped happily in the trees.

When I saw Aurora, I stopped. It occurred to me that no matter how often I saw her, I would never get used to her beauty. She was sitting quietly at a wrought-iron table, eating her breakfast. Her golden blonde hair danced in the sunlight, and her ocean-blue eyes reflected a sense of peace I hadn’t seen before. For the first time since I’d met her, she looked content.

As I quietly approached the table, my heart pounded with raw excitement and nerves. When Aurora realized I was there, she looked up, smiling. I should be used to it by now, but her smile still took my breath away.

I leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her lips.

“Good morning, my love.” Despite the whirlwind of emotions raging inside me, I did my best to keep my voice steady.

Her voice was music to my ear as she replied. “Well, good morning to you, too.”

I pulled a chair and asked, “Mind if I join you?”

Her smile grew. “Not at all.”

I took my seat and watched her for a moment, taking in her beauty and strength. As much as I loved her now, I knew it would only continue to grow. I’m not naïve; I knew that no relationship was perfect. We were bound to have disagreements, and I knew that. But I also knew that together, we would work them out.

Reaching across the table, I took her delicate hand in mine.

“Aurora, my Bella Rosa, Mi Amore, I need to ask you something.”

Immediately, Aurora looked at me with curiosity and concern. I couldn’t blame her after everything we’d been through to get where we were.

“What is it, Matteo?”

I took a deep breath and slowly dropped to one knee beside her. Aurora’s eyes widened and filled with unshed tears as her hand flew to her mouth.

“Wh – what are you doing, Matteo?” she asked, her voice trembling.

My eyes filled with emotion as I looked at her. Until now, it had never occurred to me that this was how it was supposed to be.

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