Chapter 9 - The Promise Kept
That evening, the family drove out to a secluded bluff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean near Cape May. It was a beautiful summer night, the sky painted in brilliant shades of orange, pink, and purple as the sun dipped below the horizon.
Leo was playing happily in the grass a few yards away, chasing fireflies under the watchful eye of Marco, who had transitioned from a underworld lieutenant to a fiercely loyal family protector and trusted uncle figure.
Luca and Claire stood near the edge of the bluff, the ocean breeze catching her sundress. Luca reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, velvet box. He turned to her, his expression suddenly nervous—a look she had never seen on his face before.
“Claire,” he said, opening the box to reveal a stunning, brilliant-cut diamond ring that caught the last rays of the evening sun. “Two years ago, I brought you out of the darkness because I couldn't bear to see a beautiful soul destroyed. But along the way, you saved me too. You showed me that I could be more than the monster my father raised me to be. You gave me a son, a home, and a purpose.”
He took her right hand, his gray eyes shining with absolute devotion. “Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife? For real this time. No fake certificates, no hidden agendas. Just you, me, and a lifetime of promises kept.”
Claire’s eyes filled with happy tears. She looked at the ring, then at the man who had smashed through her door when she was at her lowest point, the man who had kept every single word he had ever spoken to her.
May you like
“Yes, Luca. A thousand times yes,” she whispered.
He slipped the ring onto her finger, a perfect fit, and pulled her into a passionate embrace as the stars began to appear over the ocean.
