Stephan

We drove through the coastal town of Calabria with the convertible top down on one of my grandfather’s Mercedes. The heat was killer as we rode through the mountains, the wind blowing through Isabella’s long, dark hair. She looked more beautiful than ever in the passenger seat next to me. For once, she was at ease.

I’d almost never seen her this way back in the States. Her father was a constant source of fear for far too long. This was the girl I fell in love with all those years ago. Isabella could finally be herself. No one would find us here. My grandfather made sure of it, though my father wasn’t thrilled with Nino and me.

Isabella glanced over at me. “Are we going to the beach?”

“Not this one. We have a little bit to go.”

“What’s wrong with this one?” She pointed out the window. “There are tons of people over here.”

I wanted today to be special, which was the reason we weren’t going to the beach closest to my grandfather’s estate.

“I hate crowds,” I lied, even though it was somewhat true. “We’ll be there soon. Trust me this one is worth the wait. My grandfather used to take my brothers and me when we were kids.”

“How many times have you been to Italy?”

“Over the years…” I had to think about all the trips I’d made with my father or brothers. “At least twenty times, I guess. We spent a lot of holidays and birthdays with Grandpa Sal. My dad still misses Italy. He moved to New York after high school with two of my uncles. They had to help clean up some of the mess that was made after a war between families. It was supposed to be temporary, but ended up becoming permanent after the heads of the families were… relieved of their duties.”

She rolled her eyes at me. I never outright discussed our business in detail, but she’d always known I wasn’t some suit who sat behind a desk every day.

“Do you think your dad will move back with your mom and Alessio now that you and Nino are here?”

I gripped the steering wheel, taking the turn slow. “No idea. Maybe. I guess it all depends on what Grandpa Sal has to say about it. My dad likes being in power, and he wouldn’t have it here. Nino and I have to start over, too. The same would go for my dad and Alessio. After everything that went down, they kinda deserve each. Alessio is the reason my dad became a rat. I’d rather they stay back in New York. I can’t stand the sight of them.”

“I like having you all to myself,” Isabella confessed. “I’m hoping they stay in New York.”

I shot a smile in her direction. “You never have to share me.”

“We’re still in vacation mode. Things will change once you start working for your grandfather full-time. I have no idea what I’m going to do with myself. My father dictated so much of my life I feel sort of lost. Is that weird?”

I shook my head. “No, not at all. Neither of us ever had a real say in how our lives would turn out, but when it came to you, I couldn’t listen to my father. I didn’t care what he thought or how much trouble it would bring our family. You were always worth the risk.”

She smiled. “I would follow you anywhere, Stephan.”

I knew she would. That was why I didn’t think twice about asking Damon to help me smuggle Isabella out of the country.

“You can do whatever you want in Italy,” I told her. “So, what do you want? You get to decide this time. There’s no one around to tell you what to do.”

“I used to write when I was younger. Our love story would make a good book. What do you think?”

“Yeah.” I chuckled. “It would make for one hell of a story. But is that what you want to do?”

“I have no idea. For right now, I want to enjoy our time together and figure it out as we go along. I like the idea of not having any plans.”

“Except for the plans I have for you later,” I said with a wink.

When we arrived at our destination, the smell of salt filled my nostrils. My arms and face were baking from the sun blistering my skin.

I led Isabella down to the beach by the hand, carrying a basket full of wine, cheese, and bread in the other. Carmella knew all about my intentions when she helped me gather a few things from the kitchen that morning. She couldn’t wait for Isabella and me to start our life together.

We found a shady spot on the pebbled sand, far away from the few couples that occupied the opposite side of the beach. Caminia had a smaller, less developed beach than those in Calabria, but I liked this one best. Hidden by rocky cliffs, we had complete privacy from the outside world. I set the basket down and removed the blanket, laying it out for Isabella to sit.

“This is incredible, Stephan.” She lifted the sunglasses from the bridge of her nose and looked out at the blue-green water. “It’s way better than the Long Island Sound,” she joked.

Taking my place next to Isabella, I laughed. “Yeah, I’d say so. You’re going to love Italy. This is only the beginning. We’re meeting with a realtor tomorrow.”

Her mouth widened in shock. “I thought we were staying at the villa with your family.”

“That’s a temporary situation. I love my family, but I can’t live and work with them. Nino is the only exception.”

Isabella ran her teeth along her bottom lip. “I don’t want to sound like a jerk, but do we have to live with Nino?”

“Of course not.” I took her hands and threaded my fingers between hers. “We’re getting our own place. Nino will stay at Grandpa Sal’s for the time being. Now that he has someone there to cook and clean for him, he’s never going to leave.”

My grandfather had staff working for him around the clock. It was like staying at a hotel. We could order food from the kitchen at any time of the day or night. Isabella had constant service at her father’s house, so she was used to it. But not Nino. Knowing my twin, he would take full advantage of the amenities at the DeLuca Vineyard after all the years of living on our own.

“Maybe he’ll meet a nice Italian girl,” Isabella said.

“I wouldn’t count on him settling down any time soon.” I released her hands to reach into the basket. “Speaking of that, I brought you here for a reason.” With the ring box in my hand, I popped open the top to reveal the five-carat princess cut diamond ring I’d bought before I left the States.

Isabella squealed, and then covered her mouth with her hand. “Stephan. Oh, my God.” She fanned herself. “You’re proposing.”

I laughed at her freak-out. “Trying to, if you’ll let me.”

She wiped away the tears streaming down her cheeks.

“Isabella, my raven,” I said, shifting my weight to one knee. “I’ve loved you for almost as long as I’ve known you. You were always mine. You always belonged with me. I made you a promise, one I’ve kept after all these years, and now I want to make you another one. I will love you from now until the day I take my last breath. There’s nothing I want more than to make you my wife. Will you marry me?”

“Yes,” she whispered. “A thousand times yes.”

I slipped the ring onto her finger, and then kissed her like she was my last breath of air. As if all the good that had come with the bad would vanish if I didn’t hold on tight. My love for Isabella was the only good thing about me. She was the light to my darkness, and she was about to become my wife.