Page 95 of Beneath the Thorned Crown

"Do you ever stop?" she asks, her voice quiet, curious.

I know what she means.

I smirk, turning back to the skyline. "No."

She laughs softly, shaking her head, but there’s something knowing in her smile.

She already understands.

Or does she?

I reach into my pocket, fingers closing around the DeLuca ring. For a moment, I second-guess.

For the first time in my life, I hesitate.

Because this isn’t just a gift. It’s not a meaningless piece of jewelry or a token of appreciation.

It’s a claim.

It’s a promise.

It’s a weighted chain I am about to place on her finger, and I don’t know if she’ll accept it.

The thought of her refusing it fills me with fear.

I’ve never promised a woman anything. Never let someone in, never wanted to.

But Isabella isn’t just anyone.

She’s everything.

I pull the ring out, letting the golden band catch the morning light.

Her laughter dies instantly.

Her expression shifts—shock, recognition.

I watch her, searching for her reaction.

Does she want this?

Does she want me?

"You kept it," she breathes, voice barely above a whisper.

I nod, my grip tightening around the ring as if I might lose it again.

"It’s the most important thing I own."

She swallows, her throat bobbing.

She’s hesitant now.

That hesitation is a knife to my gut.

"Dominic, I—"

I don’t let her finish.

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