Page 21 of Bruno
“Never,” he says to the top of my head. “I’m not going anywhere. Not unless I’m dead.”
Chris hesitates before joining the hug, and Bruno wraps an arm around him too, reinforcing his promise. For a moment, we stand there, holding each other tightly, grateful to have survived this ordeal.
“Good,” I say, my voice muffled against his shirt. “Because we were scared you might have been.”
“Attia, Chris, I’ll do everything in my power to protect us, to keep us together,” he vows, his voice filled with determination. “No matter what it takes.”
Marco opens the door and enters with a smirk on his face. His dark eyes twinkle mischievously as he takes in the scene—me, Chris, and Bruno still embracing each other.
“Look who’s too stubborn to get killed,” he says casually, leaning against the doorway. “Don Falcone, a true Mafioso, doesn’t take risks with his life. You were supposed to stay in the safe room with Attia and Chris.”
Bruno shoots Marco an unimpressed look while holding onto us. “I’ll do whatever it takes to protect my family,” he sneers with fierce determination.
“Family?” Chris blinks at him. “Wait, were you guys married?”
“We never had the chance,” I reply, avoiding his gaze. “We… got separated before it could happen.”
“Separated or not, she’s mine.” Bruno’s grip on me tightens. “And I’m claiming her now. We’re getting married, Attia. Right away. This is a permanent arrangement.”
My heart skips a beat.Oh-kay. That’s quite a proposal. But looking into his eyes and seeing his love and commitment, I can’t refuse. Every fiber of my being yearns for this second chance.
“Okay.” The word comes out choked, tears threatening to spill from my eyes. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”
“Good,” he smirks, brushing away a tear with his thumb. “Not like I was giving you much choice anyway. You belong by my side as a Falcone, Attia.”
Then he turns to Chris, who seems unsure under the sudden attention. “And you, ragazzo, will also be a Falcone. If you’ll have me.”
“Um, do I get to decide?” Chris asks with uncertainty.
Bruno hesitates for a moment, clenching his jaw. But finally, he nods. “Yes, you have a choice. You can choose to give our relationship a try.”
Chris looks between us, furrowing his brow in thought. Then, with a slow nod, he agrees. “Yeah, okay. I’ll give it a shot.”
“Good,” Bruno says, his face softening as he pulls us both into another tight hug. “Together, we’ll be unstoppable.”
Resting my head on his chest and listening to the steady beat of his heart, I can’t help but believe him. We’ve been given a second chance, and this time, nothing will tear us apart. Together, we’ll face any challenges that come our way—as a family.
Epilogue
The zipper is hard to manage, as if it’s determined to frustrate my fingers. Attia stands in front of me, radiant under the chandelier light in our Sin Towers bedroom. I lean in and kiss her neck, feeling the faint scent of cinnamon and citrus from her perfume.
“Sweetheart,” I whisper, “you look amazing.”
She tries to smile, but it doesn’t reach her deep brown eyes, which always see into my soul. I hold her hands and zip up her dress, although my basic instinct is always going to be to unzip her. She’s stunning in crimson, the color complementing her flawless skin, like a goddess in my arms.
“Talk to me, Attia. Why are you nervous?” I turn her around and look at her, searching for clues in her expression.
She bites her lip, and I can see the weight of her thoughts before she even speaks them. “I’ve met your brothers, their wives… but tonight, Bruno, your father…” Her voice trails off, and I know where her mind is—back to a conversation we had in college when our biggest concern was textbooks.
“Hey.” I hold her face in my hands, forcing her to look into my eyes. “Forget what I said back then. This is now, and Chris… he’s a Falcone. Nothing can change that—not even my father.”
“Can you promise me that?” Her voice is a blend of hope and fear.
“Attia, my love,” I say with all the conviction in my heart, “I would do anything for you and our son.”
She nods, finally wearing a fragile smile. With one last kiss, I silently vow that tonight, nothing from the past will overshadow our family’s future.
I smooth the dress down, licking my lips at how it hugs Attia’s curves flawlessly—a work of art made of fabric and skin. My fingers trace down her back, but I pull away before our closeness ignites into something we won’t have time to finish.
