Chapter 10 - His Next Move
Aara didn't hesitate. She handed her champagne glass to a nearby server and walked straight through the gallery crowd toward the glass doors. She pushed them open, stepping into the cool spring rain.
Dante didn't move as she approached. He stood still in the dim light of the courtyard, rainwater glistening on his dark hair and broad shoulders. His expression was a tragic mask of restraint and desire.
“You shouldn't be out here in the rain, Aara,” Dante said softly, his deep voice carrying over the sound of the falling water. “You’ll ruin your dress.”
“I don't care about the dress, Dante,” Aara said, stopping just two feet away from him. “Why are you here?”
Dante closed his eyes briefly, letting out a long breath. “I wanted to see you. Just once. To see that you were happy in the life I gave you.”
“Happy?” Aara laughed softly, a bittersweet sound. “You gave me a beautiful house, you cured my father, and you paid my debts. You gave me everything I thought I wanted. But you didn't ask me what I actually needed.”
Dante looked down at her, his dark eyes filled with a raw, agonizing hunger. “I gave you safety, Aara. I gave you a life away from blood and fear.”
“Safety doesn't mean anything if I’m living it alone,” Aara declared, her voice strong and unwavering despite the rain. “I don't want a quiet, perfect life if it means living without you. I fought two armed hitmen with a brick and a bottle for a stranger, Dante. Do you really think I’m too weak to handle your world?”
Dante stared at her, stunned by the fierce determination in her eyes. The cold wall of restraint he had built around his heart for three months shattered completely.
“Aara...” he breathed.
“I love you, Dante Vulov,” she said plainly, stepping into his space. “And if you want to protect me, you’re going to have to do it by keeping me by your side.”
Dante didn't answer with words.
He reached out, his long fingers cupping her wet face, and pulled her toward him. His lips met hers in a fierce, desperate kiss that burned through the cool rain. Aara wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling herself tight against his chest, feeling the powerful, rapid beat of his heart. The months of separation, doubt, and longing vanished instantly in the heat of his embrace.
When he finally pulled back, his forehead rested against hers, his hands still holding her face with immense gentleness.
“You are insane, Aara Hayes,” Dante whispered, a breathtaking, genuine smile breaking across his harsh features—a smile so rare and brilliant it left her breathless.
“I learned from the best,” she replied with a smile.
Dante took a step back, holding her hand firmly in his. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small velvet box, opening it to reveal a stunning ring featuring a deep blue sapphire surrounded by diamonds—a Vulov family heirloom that had belonged to his grandmother.
The patrons inside the gallery, watching through the glass walls, gasped as the formidable, feared crime boss of Chicago dropped to one knee on the rain-soaked stones of the courtyard.
“I promised I would never leave your protection to chance again,” Dante said, looking up at her with devotion. “Aara Hayes, come back to the estate. Rule this city by my side. Marry me.”
Inside the gallery, Isabella smiled softly, holding her glass high, while guests stared in absolute silence, stunned by the sight of the ruthless mob leader offering his heart to a former waitress.
Aara looked down at the man who had dragged her out of an alley and into his shadowed world—a man who had protected her, honored her, and loved her beyond measure.
May you like
“Yes,” Aara whispered, tears mixing with the rain on her cheeks. “Yes, Dante. I’m coming with you.”
Dante stood up, sliding the ring onto her finger before lifting her into his arms and kissing her again under the falling rain, closing the distance between their two worlds forever.
