Page 135 of Merciless Monster

“Honestly, I thought at the beginning that this was all you. But now that it’s done, I’m happier than I thought I’d be. I have a whole new future planned for us. It’s exciting, actually.”

“I’m glad you feel that way. What are you thinking of doing now?”

“The first thing I want to do is this.”

Dante reaches into his pocket and pulls out a little box.

“I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time, but the timing never seemed quite right.”

My heart is thundering in my chest as I open the box.

“Oh, Dante. It’s beautiful!”

“I’m glad you like it.”

He gets down on one knee and takes my hands in his.

“Before I met you, Mia, I never thought I’d want to be a husband. Now I cannot imagine a world in which I’m not. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife, Mia, the love of my life, the mother of my son, and the owner of the sexiest ass I’ve ever had the pleasure of biting into.”

“Yes, you beautiful, crazy, man. I’ll marry you.”

He slips the ring onto my finger. It’s a perfect fit. We’re the perfect fit.

30

DANTE

“Where shall we live, my darling fiancé?” I ask Mia.

We’re back in LA. I thought a clean break from Italy would be best. At least for a while until the organization starts to forget about me. Granted, it may take a good few decades, but I’m a patient man. Besides, LA isn’t so bad. I may even open an Italian trattoria.

Today, we’re out shopping for a permanent home, or a forever home, as Angelo likes to call it. He’s given his parents very specific criteria for this home too. He would like a pool, lots of space for Splash to dig holes, oh, and a beach if that’s possible. How cute is my kid?

Of course I’ll give him any and everything he wants. He’s my son!

I wish my father was alive to meet his grandson. Angelo is everything I ever could have dreamed of. I’m so proud of Mia for raising our child so well. Tonight we’re having dinner with her folks. We’ll share our good news with them then. I wanted to ask Mia’s father for his permission, even though Mia has already said yes. Arnold was good to me when I needed an understanding and forgiving heart.

We thought it best not to tell Angelo about our wedding yet, either. He’ll blab for sure, because that’s what six-year-olds do.

“I really like this one,” Mia says as we’re walking through a newly built, ten bedroom home with a pool and private access to the beach. “But I’m not sure we need all these rooms.”

“We do if the De Luca clan decides to descend on us for the holidays. You’ve seen the mob, no pun intended. They’re huge.”

“And what are we supposed to do with eight of them during the rest of the year?”

“Well, you could convert one into a pottery studio. The other seven we’ll use alternatively for rampant sex, experimental type stuff. A new one for every night of the week. Starting with this one,” I purr and pull her in for a kiss.

“Ooh, I like your thinking.”

“Ma’am, we’ll take it!” he says and pats me on the tush.

* * *

“You’re not nervous are you?” Mia says as we pull up outside her parents’ home.

“No.”

“Then why are there tiny beads of sweat on your brow?” she giggles.

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