Page 116 of The Bonventi Hitman
I nod, understanding what he meant. Enzo's 'forgiveness' came with a price—one that we've yet to pay.
"Have you spoken to Livia?" I ask cautiously.
Gabriel shakes his head. "Not yet. I... I don't know how to tell her, Anna. How do I tell my sister that she needs to marry a man 16 years older than her to keep us all safe?"
I reach across the table and take his hand. "Maybe just be honest and upfront with her. She's your sister, she knows your world. I don't know," I say, trailing off, "We'll figure it out, I guess."
He forces a smile, but I know it's fake. He's carrying the weight of this decision, and I wish I could shoulder some of it for him.
"Anyhow," he says and raises a glass of water, "Let's toast and focus on us tonight."
I grab my glass and cheers him. "You know you can have some wine, I won't be jealous."
He shakes his head. "No, you can't have it, I don't have it."
"Okay, and what about all the other stuff pregnant women are not supposed to have?" I ask with a smile.
"One step at a time, Bella, Jesus," he says, smiling.
We both laugh.
After dinner, we decide to take a walk. The night air is cool and crisp, and the main street is full of people and performers playing music. We stop for ice cream to cap off our celebratory evening.
As we walk back toward the town center, I can't help but feel a mix of emotions. Joy at our engagement, gratitude for this peaceful interlude, and a creeping dread about what awaits us back in Chicago and what Gabriel has to do.
"When do we have to go back?" I ask, even though I'm not sure I want to know the answer.
Gabriel is quiet for a moment, finishing his ice cream before he responds. "We should head back end of next week."
That's right. We need to be there when Livia plans on arriving. We need to prepare her for what's coming.
We stop by the fountain again, now lit up beautifully against the night sky. I look down at the ring on my finger, then up at Gabriel's face—the face of the man I love, the father of my child, my future husband.
"Whatever happens," I say firmly, "we're in this together. You, me, and this little one."
Gabriel pulls me close, kissing the top of my head. "Together," he agrees.
As we stand there, wrapped in each other's arms with the sound of the fountain in the background, I try to burn this moment into my memory. Because I know that all too soon, we'll be thrust back into a world of danger and difficult choices.
But for now, we have this.
We have love, we have hope, and we have each other. And somehow, I know that will be enough to face whatever comes next.
