Page 123 of Dangerous King
"No," I answer, never taking my eyes off her. "She's wearing it out."
Her lips twitch into a smile that makes my chest feel too full.
"Would you like to see the wedding bands next?" the jeweler asks politely.
I glance at Cat. "You ready for that?"
She lifts her chin, grinning now. "Only if I get to pick yours."
I grin back. "Deal."
We spend another half hour with Signore Volare, examining bands, some sleek and modern, others hand-engraved with old-world flourishes. Cat settles on a slim platinum band to match her engagement ring, and after much teasing, she makes me try on three before settling on a heavy matte gold one that makes her smile for some reason I don't quite understand.
"I like the weight of it," she says. "It feels serious. Permanent."
"It is," I say, kissing the back of her hand.
When we finally step out into the night, the air is cool, and the stars are starting to peek through the velvet sky. She slips her hand into mine, warm, steady, new ring gleaming under the streetlights.
"Was this your plan all along?" she asks as I open the car door for her.
"Maybe," I smirk. "Had to distract you from Eliza's wedding boot camp somehow."
Cat laughs and slides in. "Mission accomplished."
As I walk around to the driver's side, I look up at the night sky, thinking:
This is it. This is the moment I'll remember for the rest of my life.
Not just because I gave her the ring. But because she wears it like she was never meant to have anything less.
The next day…
I've been up all night. I've got a plan, and my father won't like it, but I know what I have to do. I pull out my new phone. Edoardo wants a war? He fucked with the wrong Sartori. Toni has been warning me about Edoardo for months. I didn't want to go against my father, but this? I shake my head, pushing Toni's contact on the screen to call him. This is one step too far.
I'll see Toni in an hour during the quarterly meeting with the other bosses and capos, but this needs to be said now, away from prying ears.
A few seconds later, I'm talking to Toni on the phone while Silvano sits in the passenger seat. I guide the Hummer through the winding road, away from our mansion and toward the city.The windows are cracked just enough to let in the cold wind that I need to keep me from boiling over. My knuckles tighten on the wheel as Toni's voice cuts in and out. On the other end of the line, I hear rotors—a helicopter. Of course, he's taking a call from the air. Fucker.
"Toni," I snap. "Are you still there?"
There's a beat of silence.
"Yeah, sorry. Got distracted."
"Well, get fucking undistracted and listen," I bite, sharper than intended, but I don't have time to coddle anyone. Not today.
"The fucker has decreed that I cannot marry a woman outside the family," I grind out. "Whatever you're planning, I'm listening."
"Hold on, what? When did you decide to marry?" he interrupts.
Of course he does. I should've expected that. "What are you, my goddamn bestie? You want to have a slumber party and have me tell you all about my fucking life?"
Silvano's shoulders shake once with silent laughter beside me, but he wisely keeps his mouth shut. I can practically hear Toni smirking. He knows me well enough to know I don't get riled up like this unless it's serious. And this? Catalina is not a game. She's my future.
"I haven't planned anything yet," he says. "So far, I've been the only one standing up against Edoardo. But if he overstepped with you, there is hope the others will follow."
"We need to make that happen," I snarl. "I'm going to marry that girl no matter what he says."
