Page 149 of Chicago Sin
I draw a breath and nod. “It’s solved. I’m not a target anymore. And I swear to Christ I will not let anything like this touch you or our baby again.”
She throws her arms around my waist and hugs me fiercely. “It’s solved? Oh my God, Armando, that was horrible. I thought you were going to die.”
“I know, beautiful. But it’s over now, I promise.”
She pulls away and lifts her face. “Yes.”
I don’t breathe. Is she saying yes to my proposal?
“Yes!” She nods vigorously as tears stream down her beautiful face.
“I love you.” I look into her warm brown eyes when I say it. Hold her gaze, so she knows it’s the goddamn truth. I’m her man, and I’m going to stand by her for life. Loyalty is my gig.
I look over to where Marco and Leo stand, sandwiching Emilio between them, like prison guards.
When Marco sees me looking, he mutters something and comes over, his curious gaze sweeping Hannah.
She swipes at her tears, wipes them on my shirt, letting out an embarrassed laugh.
“I hope you took him back. He’s been a big baby since you kicked him out.”
I don’t even punch him because I’m too fucking happy. “Hannah just agreed to marry me.”
Marco’s face stretches into a grin. “That right? Congratulations!”
I hear Leo growl something like, “If you fucking run, I will hunt you down and eat your goddamn liver,” to Emilio before he comes over and holds his hand out. “Did I just hear that right?”
“Yes,” Hannah says with a watery laugh.
“She’s now my fiancée,” I fill in. “And she’s having my baby.”
“Whoa!” Marco grins.
Leo’s brows wing up. “Way to lock it in, Mando.”
There are smiles all around. Hell, I may even be smiling—that would be new.
“Mando.” Hannah looks up at me under her curled lashes. “That’s what they call you?”
I nod. “Yeah. Childhood nickname.”
“I like it.”
“I like you.” I pull her against me and kiss the bridge of her nose.
Emilio stands and watches us, shoulders slouched, misery and fear lining his face. Frankly, I’m surprised he hasn’t made a run for it, but he probably knows Leo told the truth. We would hunt him to the ends of the earth if he ran. Besides, he has a fiancée waiting at home for him.
Maybe he thinks he’ll still make it out of this alive.
Arturo yells to Lorenzo in Italian to watch him, and I feel somewhat vindicated. It’s not just Marco and Leo on my side. It’s everyone.
I don’t know what the don will do, but that current of loyalty, the strength of family that’s been missing since I got out, turns back on. All but one of these men have my back.
It takes most of the sting away from knowing one of our own tried to buy my death.
Chapter Thirty-One
Hannah
