Page 65 of No Mane, No Gain

She frowned. “What?”

“Your attack in the alley. We were able to get the guy you knocked out to talk. He was hired by Vanessa. I guess she thought if she got you out of the way, she’d have a shot at me.”

Olive gasped. “Geez, Mr. Hunky Lion Amato. I never expected finding love would mean putting my life on the line.”

“Olive, I am so sorry.”

“Relax, handsome. I was just kidding. It’s not your fault you’re surrounded by crazy bitches.” She stopped by her passenger door and kissed him. “So what did you do about her?”

“The police were called. They’re handling her. You are being kind with Tia, much more than I want to be, but we’re not doing that again.”

“Okay. Wow, this has been a long few weeks, huh? What do you say we focus on something more fun? Like, oh I don’t know... a wedding?”

Chaos stopped in his tracks, turning to face her. “Olive Russo, are you proposing to me?”

She grinned, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Well, we are technically already engaged. But I thought maybe we could make it official. On our own terms this time.”

Chaos’s heart swelled with love for this amazing woman. He pulled her close, pressing his forehead against hers. “Nothing would make me happier.”

As they kissed under the starlit sky, Chaos knew that whatever challenges lay ahead, they would face them together. They had overcome so much already – family drama, arranged marriages, near-death experiences. What was a little wedding planning compared to all that?

Later that night, as Olive curled up next to him on the couch, her laptop balanced on her knees, Chaos couldn’t help but smile. She was drafting a new vlog post, sharing their engagement news with her followers.

“You sure you’re ready for this,bella mia?” he asked, only half-joking. “Once you post that, there’s no going back. My lion’s out of the bag, so to speak.”

Olive looked up at him, her blue eyes shining with love and determination. “I’ve never been more ready for anything in my life. Besides,” she added with a smirk, “I think my followers can handle a little paranormal romance in real life. They’ve been reading about it long enough.”

After Olive hitpost,comments immediately began flooding in, Chaos pulled her close, marveling at how perfectly she fit against him. From a reluctant arranged match to true love, their journey had been anything but conventional. But then again, he thought with a grin, when had anything involving Gerri Wilder ever been conventional?

THIRTY-ONE

Olive Russo stood in the center of a bridal boutique, surrounded by a sea of white tulle and lace. Her honey-blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders as she twirled in yet another wedding gown, the soft fabric swishing around her ankles. She caught her reflection in the mirror and couldn’t help but grin.

“Is it just me,” she mused aloud, “or is this like a romance novel come to life?”

Athena lounged on a plush velvet couch, a glass of champagne in hand. “If it is, you’re definitely the protagonist,” she quipped.

Olive laughed. She turned to face the camera perched on a tripod nearby, its red light blinking steadily. “All right, vlog followers, what do you think? Is this the one?”

As she posed for her audience, Olive marveled at how surreal this all felt. Just months ago, she had been dreading an arranged marriage, skeptical of true love. Now here she was, preparing to marry Chaos Amato – tech tycoon, lion shifter, and the man who had stolen her heart in the most unexpected way.

“You know,” Athena said, setting down her glass, “when you first told me about Chaos, I thought you were exaggerating. Buthe really is like something out of one of the romance novels you read, isn’t he?”

Olive’s cheeks flushed pink. “He’s even better,” she admitted. “Because he’s real.”

The boutique owner, a petite woman with a shock of silver hair, bustled over with another gown. “Try this one, dear. I think it might be perfect.”

As Olive disappeared behind the changing screen, her phone buzzed with a text from Chaos.

How’s the dress hunting going? Found anything that can compete with my dashing good looks yet?

Olive grinned, typing back a quick response.

Wouldn’t you like to know? How’s suit shopping with Baxter?

The reply came almost instantly.

Baxter keeps suggesting I go with a lion print tie. Says it’ll bring out my “wild side.”

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