Twenty feet away now. Fifteen.
Her mother says something to her, but Vittoria's attention stays fixed on me. Those dark eyes hold mine.
Ten feet.
I step forward, unable to wait any longer. Pietro and Nico move with me—a united front of families joining together. Aleksander follows half a step behind.
Five feet.
Close enough now to see the flutter of her pulse at her throat. The slight part of her lips. The way her fingers twist together at her waist.
She stops directly in front of me, chin lifted, meeting my gaze without flinching. The urge to grab her, kiss her, mark her as mine in front of this entire room nearly overwhelms my control.
But I think of Karolina. Of Natalia. Of how I'd react if some man treated them with anything less than absolute respect in a moment like this.
So instead, I reach for Vittoria's hand.
Her fingers slide into mine. I lift her hand to my lips, holding her gaze as I press a kiss to her knuckles. Old-world courtesy. The kind of gesture my father would have approved of.
The kind of gesture that says:This woman is precious. This woman is valued. This woman is mine, and I will honor her.
Vittoria's breath catches. Then she smiles.
Fuck.
That smile transforms her entire face. Lights her up from within. Makes her even more beautiful than she was seconds ago, which shouldn't be possible.
It's so fucking perfect I forget how to breathe.
"Solnyshko," I murmur, low enough that only she can hear.
Her smile widens. "Dmitri."
My name on her lips does things to me that aren't appropriate for public consumption. I force myself to release her hand before I do something stupid like pull her against me and to hell with propriety.
Pietro clears his throat. "Shall we?"
Right. The announcement. The reason we're all here.
I offer Vittoria my arm. She takes it, her hand settling into the crook of my elbow like it belongs there. Like she belongs at my side.
"Ready?" I ask.
She looks up at me, that perfect smile still in place. "Ready."
I reach into my jacket pocket, fingers closing around the velvet box I've carried for the past three days. The weight of it feels heavier now, with everyone watching.
Pietro shifts beside me. Nico's gaze tracks my movement. Aleksander stands perfectly still, but I sense his attention sharpening.
I pull out the box and open it.
The ring is an emerald-cut diamond flanked by smaller stones, set in platinum. Simple. Elegant. Expensive as fuck, but not ostentatious. The kind of ring that saysforeverwithout screaming for attention.
Vittoria's eyes widen. Her hand tightens on my arm.
"May I?" I ask, keeping my voice low.
She nods, unable to speak.
