The ache in my chest returned, but it was softer now, tempered by the memory of my sister’s smile. “She’s at peace now. I can feel it. And knowing that… it’s like I can finally breathe again.”
Vivian took my hand, threading her fingers through mine. “She’s proud of you, Raffaele. I could see it. And so am I.”
I squeezed her hand and swallowed hard. “I just… I wish I could’ve saved her sooner.”
“You did what you could,” she said gently. “And in the end, you set her free. That’s what matters.”
Her words settled over me, soothing the raw edges of my grief. I took a deep breath, letting it anchor me as I lookedaround the chamber. The oppressive darkness that had once filled it was gone. The runes on the walls had faded, their magic spent, and the doll lay shattered at my feet.
“It’s over,” I said again, this time with more conviction. “He’s finally fucking gone.”
“And we’re still standing,” Vivian added. “Together.”
My chest swelled with hope. For the first time, the future didn’t feel like a shadowed path lined with traps. It felt open, full of possibility.
Rising to my feet, I pulled Vivian up with me. “Let’s get out of here,” I said, wrapping an arm around her waist. “We have a lot to do.”
She raised an eyebrow, her lips quirking into a playful smile. “Like what?”
“Like figuring out how to live without my father’s shadow hanging over us,” I said, leading her toward the staircase. “Rebuilding this estate into a home. And planning the life we want—on our terms.”
Grinning, she leaned into me as we climbed the stairs together. “I like the sound of that.”
So did I.
54
VIVIAN
Some days still felt like a dream I hadn’t meant to fall into—twisted at the start, born of blood and threats and impossible choices. And yet, here I was, waking up beside the man I’d sworn to outwit and escape, kissing him goodnight, and calling him mine. The road here hadn’t been clean or easy, but we’d carved something real from the wreckage. A life. A bond. And gods help me, an actual wedding.
And of course, there would be cake. Lots of it. We were supposed to be choosing our wedding cake today, which meant sampling loads of different flavors. But leave it to Raffaele Gallanti—the same bastard who once stalked through shadows like a myth made flesh—to turn a wedding errand into something else entirely. Something that began with a deep, claiming kiss, and a low, whispered promise. “Let me take care of you.” And I, the woman who once lived a logical life, could no longer remember why I ever tried to resist.
Before I could respond, he closed the distance between us, pulling me into a kiss that could have melted my bones. Raffaele’s hands framed my face, his lips moving tenderly against mine. For a moment, I let myself sink into him, let the world fall away as the bond between us surged with love.
But then I remembered the task ahead and pulled back, placing a hand on his chest.
“Raffaele, we don’t have time for this. We have cakes to taste!”
He groaned dramatically, his hands dropping to his sides. “Come on, Viv. We’ve got, what, five minutes?”
“Five minutes?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. “What the hell do you think we’re going to accomplish in five minutes?”
He smirked, mischief glinting in his eyes. “Oh, I’m going to take care of you, don’t worry about that.”
Laughing, I swatted his arm. “You’re impossible.”
“And you’re irresistible.”
His lips crashed against mine again. I gasped against his mouth and gripped his shoulders for balance as he pulled me flush against him. The heat of him seeped into my skin, and my heart pounded wildly against my ribs.
“Raffaele,” I managed between kisses, my voice trembling as his hands slid to my hips. “What are you?—”
He didn’t let me finish. His lips curved into a smirk against mine, and in one smooth motion, he lifted me and carried me across the room. He set me down on the desk and stepped back to look at me.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
His eyes darkened, the corner of his mouth lifting in that maddeningly confident smirk that always left me weak. “Taking care of you,” he said simply, sliding his hands up my thighs. “Before we eat cake.”
