Picking up my hand from my lap, he rests my palm on his thigh before his thumb brushes over the diamond on my finger.
“Do you like your ring?”
I nod as I glance at his handsome face. “It’s very beautiful.”
Lifting his arm, he wraps it around my shoulders and pulls me closer to his side. He leans down and gives me a soft kiss, then asks, “How was your day?”
“Good. I made two pots.”
“I saw the flower arrangement in the kitchen. It looks like you’re getting the hang of it.”
“I killed six tulips before I got it right.”
He lets out a chuckle, his thumb rubbing up and down my bicep. It feels like he is casting a spell over me.
“Did you have a good day?” I ask, my voice soft so I don’t disturb the ambiance.
“No one died, so yes.”
Silence falls around us, and it feels as if the atmosphere turns magical. It’s just us, my racing heart, and the desire in Augusto’s eyes, which hasn’t lessened one bit.
The limo comes to a stop, and after helping me out, Augusto leads me into a building, and we take an elevator up to the sixtieth floor.
When we walk into a restaurant, my lips part as I gasp, my eyes locked on the beautiful view of New York.
“Welcome, Mr. and Mrs. Vitale. Your table is by the window as you requested,” a man says.
As we follow him, I notice all the other tables are empty. Augusto pulls out my chair and waits for me to sit before taking the seat across from me.
“Is it just the two of us here tonight?” I ask.
“Yes. I wanted to enjoy the date with you and not worry about every single person walking through the doors.” Opening his menu, he asks, “What would you like to drink?”
“It feels like we should have champagne or something fancy.”
“How about a cocktail?” He lists a few, explaining what’s in them, before we decide I should try a cosmopolitan.
Augusto places the orders, getting whiskey for himself.
I stare at the skyline of the city I now live in, once again, thinking about how much my life has changed.
I still write letters I never get to send to Ryo, and tomorrow I’ll tell him how amazing this view is.
“What’s wrong?”
My eyes flit to Augusto, and seeing a worried frown on his forehead, I quickly shake my head. “Nothing.”
“You looked sad, Yuki. Don’t you like the restaurant? We can go somewhere else.”
“No, it’s not that. I love it.” I hesitate, but having learned to trust Augusto, I admit, “I was thinking about Ryo.”
“Do you have any way to contact him?”
I shake my head. “I don’t know where he is. Father never told me anything about him.”
“I’m sorry, my love.” He lets out a heavy breath. “When I was in Tokyo, I had our hacker look for Ryo, and she didn’t find anything, so wherever your father has him, it’s off the grid.” Reaching across the table, he takes my hand. “I’ll call your father tomorrow and ask for information on Ryo.”
“No, don’t do that. Ryo will enter the Yakuza when he turns twenty-five. It’s just six more months. I don’t want you owing my father anything.”
