Vittorio
He was fucking nervous.
Vittorio led Sharon up the stairs, his heart pounding in his ears as they climbed higher. He had faced down mafia hits, men that wanted to see him dead, and a few close calls with the police, but none of that had made him nervous.
But tonight…? Tonight he was nervous.
“Where are we going?” she asked, her heels hitting the metal steps as they walked upward. “I thought we were going to dinner.”
“We are,” he said, gripping her hand tightly as they reached the landing. “I just didn’t say where.”
“What?” she asked as he threw open the door and led her out onto the rooftop.
It was the perfect spot, recommended by Marcello of all people. He had finally warmed up to Sharon being in Vittorio’s life, though he drew the line at her attempting to set him up.
Vittorio felt sorry for his friend, he really did.
“Oh!”
Vittorio turned and watched as Sharon took in the sight, her face softening.
“It’s a rooftop garden.”
“It is,” he said, pulling her farther into the green space, satisfied with the candlelight and overwhelming smell of roses. The night was perfect, not a cloud in the sky, the city below them. In the center of the garden was a small table for two, with a pair of champagne glasses and a bottle in the chiller next to it.
“It’s lovely,” she breathed, coming to stand next to him. “Really, Vittorio, I’ve never seen anything more beautiful, thank you.”
Vittorio turned to her, taking in her short red dress and fuck-me heels that he knew she wore for him and him only. The best part was the lacy underthings he knew would be under the dress, the same ones he had watched her put on two hours before in the comfort of their bedroom.
But it wasn’t the same bedroom they had slept in two months ago. No, he had sold the fucking penthouse where the shootout happened and let Sharon help him pick them a new home. She had been hesitant at first, but he had pestered her enough, to the point where she had finally made up her mind. It wasn’t as big as his last one, but he knew she was happy and that was all that mattered.
And now he hoped she would still be happy after tonight.
“What?” she asked, searching his eyes with hers. “What is it?”
He gripped her hands in his, ignoring the twinge of pain in his wrist as he did so. The cast was gone and he had moderate use of his hand, a constant reminder of how close he had been to losing his life and her. His body had healed but the nightmares remained for the both of them.
“I have something I want to talk to you about.”
“O-okay.”
Concern flooded her expression and he swore under his breath. He wasn’t good at this shit. Give him a fucker to kill and he could do that. But fucking propose to a woman again? He couldn’t find the right words.
“I love you,” he started, figuring that was the best place to start.
“I love you too,” she said, her expression softening. “Very much so.”
“I know,” he said, meaning it.
She showed him every day how much she loved him. Against his better judgement, he had let her decide if she wanted to return to her classes or not, which she had, but online instead of actually attending the classes. He had picked up the pieces of the fractured Anafesto family and, together, they were starting to rebuild, no one truly missing Rocco. Things were a lot quieter now without him around and Vittorio hadn’t killed anyone since his death.
Maybe, just maybe, his life was turning around. That is, if he could propose to Sharon.
Clearing his throat, he knelt before her, seeing the surprise on her face as she realized what he was doing. Carefully, he reached into his pocket for the multi-carat emerald diamond that was there, holding it up for her to see.
“This is just a ring,” he started out, the words just coming to him. “But it symbolizes my love for you. I never thought I would do this again, love another person to distraction that would keep me up at night worrying about how to protect them. I never thought I would have a relationship that would mean a damn, one that I could see being the last one I ever had. But then you came into my life and turned it upside fucking down until you were all I could see.”
“Vittorio,” she breathed, tears glistening in her eyes.
“I love you,” he continued, gripping her hand tightly. “And I will love you until the day I am put in the ground. I promise to keep you safe and happy if you will let me. Marry me, Sharon.”
She looked at him, and he could see the love in her eyes and feel the love he thought he would never feel again.
“Yes,” she said softly, her hand trembling in his. “Yes!”
Relieved, he slipped the ring on her finger before gathering her into his arms, kissing her tears away.
“I fucking love you.”
“I know,” she whispered, pressing her lips to his. “I fucking love you too.”
“Dirty mouth,” he laughed, holding her close. “Just the way I like it.”
Sharon laughed and he spun her around, unable to contain his own happiness. There had been many times in his life when he thought that he would never have happiness like this again, that his world was meant to be violent and cold. But she had changed it for him. Sharon had shown him that he could love again and find it in the most unlikely place. She had dropped in his life and no matter how hard he had fucking tried to break her, she wouldn’t budge.
She was everything to him.