Finding Her

N I N E

Forgiveness

V A L E R I U S '    P O V :

There's exactly twenty-two days until I become my papà's successor. There's exactly eighteen days until I say yes to Katerina.

She has yet to meet my family. I have yet to tell her about the mafia. I know it needs to come out but things are just starting to get back to normal. The two weeks of her completely ignoring me was starting to tear me apart.

Slowly, Katerina is beginning to forgive me.

"Ciao, baby." Katerina smiles towards me.

She walks into the house with shopping bags in her hand. She sets them onto the ground and pulls me in for a deep, passionate kiss.

"Ciao, amore mia." I whisper onto her lips, giving them a soft kiss. "You look beautiful."

"If you think I look good now..," she puts her lips right next to my ear, whispering. "Wait until tonight."

I shove my face into her neck, rubbing my nose against her soft skin.

"Why wait for dusk when we have the whole day?"

"V.. you horny bastard." She pulls away, looking into my eyes in a joking manner. A sly smirk pulls my lips.

"Only for you."

I rub my hand against her bare back under her shirt. I inch my hand closer to her bra strap while I peck from the base of her neck to the peak of her lips.

"V!" She laughs, when my hand slides up her stomach making her feel ticklish. "Okay! Okay..," she breathes out. "But first I need you to grab my bags from the car." I know that look on her face means she went overboard again. She hates when I say that, though. Apparently to her, everything is a necessity.

"You're lucky I love you." I tease and she gives me a pointed look.

"And you're lucky I'm forgiving you. Now go get the bags before I blow another hundred thousand."

Her face doesn't really seem like she's kidding but I take it as a joke or rather, her teasing me back.

I don't flinch at the money she spent. She's been doing it quite often. She says it's the least I could do for the damage I caused even if I had already paid all of Rosetta's funeral costs. Along with setting her family up for life.

After Katerina quit her job all those months ago, she relies on my money. I give her everything she wants to please her. I don't mind being her protector.

I surrender and walk out to my black Bugatti which Katerina tells me I should have wrapped in pink. I denied that.

I find the seats covered with shopping bags.

Prada, Valentino, Giorgio Armani, Versace and many more to which I don't recognize the names.

I take everything to our bedroom while Katerina soaks in a bath.

• • •

"Are you scared to get married?" Katerina asks quietly, half asleep.

I don't move my head that's tucked into her neck, relishing in the essence of her body. My hand stays on her stomach, not feeling like moving it. She places her hand over mine.

Yes. "No."

"I'm not either." She pauses. "At least I don't think I am.. I don't want to be."

"Then don't be."