Page 154 of Thrill Me (Dark Odyssey 3)

He laughs. "I think that would have worked. But I'm getting to be an old man now Maria Cipriani, and I can't keep chasing after you."

"You are not old." I chuckle.

"Baby, fucking hell, by the time that plan of yours comes to fruition I'll be using a walking stick. I like… I like my version of that plan better. Or rather my plan. In my plan we get to the part where I give in to you a lot faster. I sell the apartment and we buy a nice big house in the suburbs.”

“You’d sell your apartment?” I raise my brows.

“Yeah. We get married next spring and have four kids. It’ll be way too small babygirl.”

My God… I want that. That sounds like a dream my whole being would kill for.

“We have four kids?” I ask, touching his face. I don’t need to ask about anything else. If he says we’ll be married next spring, that’s what we’ll be doing.

“Two girls who look just like you and two boys."

"I love it. Yes, let’s go with your plan.”

He nods his agreement and we smile at each other but when his smile recedes mine does too and we look down at the timer together.

Three minutes.That’s all we have left.

Three minutes.

He presses his forehead to mine then kisses me.

"I love you Mimi," he tells me. “I’ve always loved you baby.”

"I love you, too," I tell him. “Always.”

Blowing out a sharp breath, he lifts the edge of the blue wire and holds the knife to it. But his eyes are on me.

One quick snap of the wire and we both look down to the timer…

It's… it’s turned off.

Oh God…It's off!

We look back to each other and he reaches for me again, grabbing me and hugging me hard against his chest as I break down.

A gasp falls from my lips and on that release of air, I break.

I’m grateful. I’m definitely grateful for the second chance at life we both have, but I break down and cry for everything.

Everything.

All the loss, the grief, the pain.

But he holds me.

Salvatore holds me, steadying me like an anchor. His touch reminds me that I may be broken inside, but I have him and as long as I do he will always fix me and make me whole.

No matter what happens.

My boy will always be there to save me.

* * *

The next threeweeks are undoubtedly the hardest I’ve ever faced in my life.

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