"Take care of her," he says simply.
"I will," Enzo says. "I promise."
"Good." Matteo stands. "Now get out of my office. I have a war to prevent and I can't do it with you two standing here looking at each other like that."
I laugh and Enzo's hand finds mine and we turn to leave.
"Enzo," Matteo says when we're at the door.
We stop.
"Welcome back," Matteo says quietly. "Officially."
Something passes between them, some understanding or forgiveness or beginning of forgiveness, and Enzo nods once.
"Thank you."
We leave the office, the door closes behind us and we're standing in the hallway. I'm crying and laughing at the same time because it's over, the fighting is over, Matteo gave us his blessing and we get to be together.
Enzo pulls me against him and holds me tight.
"We're okay," he says into my hair. "We're actually okay."
"We're better than okay." I pull back to look at him. "We're together. Finally. Actually together."
He cups my face and kisses me, slow and sweet, and I kiss him back with everything I have, with all the relief and joy I feel.
When we break apart we're both smiling.
"So what now?" I ask.
"Now we figure out how to live our lives without looking over our shoulders every five seconds." He takes my hand. "And we do it together."
"Together," I agree.
We walk through the house hand in hand and I don't care who sees us, don't care who knows, because this is real now, this is allowed, this is ours and no one can take it away.
The future is uncertain. The De Lucas are still a threat. The O'Rourkes are still out there. War might still be coming.
But right now, in this moment, I have Enzo's hand in mine and my brother's blessing and the knowledge that we survived everything they threw at us.
We survived and we're still standing.
And whatever comes next, we'll face it together.
EPILOGUE
ISABELLA
Six months later
I'm getting married in ten minutes and I can't find my left shoe.
"Alessia!" I'm on my hands and knees looking under the bed in the bridal suite. "Have you seen my?—"
"Found it!" Bianca emerges from the closet holding the missing heel triumphantly. "It was behind the dress bags. How it got there is a mystery for the ages."
"Thank god." I stand up and take it from her, hopping on one foot while I try to get it on. "I was starting to think the universe was sending me a sign."
