Valentina smirks as I help her into our helicopter. “Tell me,” she shouts over the noise. “Where are we going?”
I buckle her in, my eyes momentarily dropping to her wedding ring. She’s wearing it a lot more often, and each time I see it on her hand, I can’t help but smile. “You’ll see.”
I watch her closely as we land, taking in the shock and awe in her expression. Just seeing that look in her eyes is worth the effort I had to go through to find out if this place existed, and who it was owned by.
I jump out of the helicopter as soon as the propellors stop spinning and hold my arms open for my wife. She giggles as she jumps toward me, and I catch her, spinning her around before putting her down.
“This can’t be real,” she says, peering at the perfectly still water in front of us and the large tree that somehow stands right in the middle of the lake, on an island of its own. “I always thought… how is this real?”
I watch her while she watches the scenery, unable to take my eyes off her. I wondered what she’d look like when faced with the image she stuck on her bedroom wall years ago, and I have to admit that this is even better than I expected.
“Come on,” I tell her as I grab her hand and lead her to the canoe that’s waiting for us. “Let’s go see your favorite tree up close.”
“Can we?” she asks. “This seems like private property. Are you sure it’s okay?”
I smile at her and nod. “It’s Windsor property now. I bought it for you, baby.” I’d have much preferred it if Xavier had charged me an astronomical fee for transferring it over to me, but instead, the sly fucker asked me for a favor. I consider him a friend, but I don’t fully trust anyone other than my siblings. I have no doubt he’s going to cash in his favor at a tremendously inconvenient time, and it’ll end up costing me more than money would.
It’s worth it, though, to see that smile on Valentina’s face. I’ve never seen her look so awed before. I can barely take my eyes off her as I paddle toward her tree. Even I have to admit that it’s a beautiful sight. There’s hardly any land surrounding it, so it truly seems like it stands in the lake, all by itself. Because the water is so still, the reflection from the sky and the tree are breathtaking too. I can see why this image inspired Valentina so.
I stop paddling once we get closer and sit back, my eyes on my wife. She admires the view, while I take in her beauty. “There truly is nothing I won’t do for you,” I murmur, more to myself than her.
She turns toward me and smiles, her gaze overflowing with the same love I feel for her. “Thank you. This… this is truly a dream come true.”
I grab her hand and hold it in both of mine. “From now on, I’ll make all of your dreams come true.”
She grins at me, her eyes twinkling. “I’ll do the same for you, Luca.”
I shake my head and raise her hand to my lips. “You already have,” I murmur. “You made all of my dreams come true the moment you told me you loved me.”
Valentina blushes and looks away, the biggest smile on her face. I can’t get enough of her. For the rest of our lives, I want to make her smile that way. “Well, come to think of it, there is one wish you can grant,” I tell her, my voice trembling ever so slightly.
She looks at me curiously.
“Can we forget about the contract?” I ask, my entire body tense with nerves. Her eyes widen, and insecurity drowns out the love I saw in her gaze just moments ago. “There are no guarantees in life, Valentina. It’s true that some things just don’t work out, but that’s no reason to live in fear or anticipation of the worst. I understand that what I’m asking for is hard for you, baby. I know what you’re so afraid of, but your fears will never come to pass. I will never stop loving you, and I will never betray you. I’ll never want anyone other than you.”
She looks down at her hands, her expression conveying her torment. How do I convince her to give us an honest chance? “When we first got married, I was convinced that a transactional marriage would be best for us. I thought that it would be best for the terms of our agreement to be clear so that there would be no risk of confusion or getting hurt, but I’ve come to realize that life isn’t all black and white. If it’s you, I’m willing to risk it all. I’m willing to bet that you don’t just want me because I’m a Windsor, and that we’ll be happy together even if there’s nothing tying us together anymore. I’m choosing to believe that you’d be with me, even if I lost it all. In return, will you put your faith in me and our marriage? Will you give us a chance? Please give me a chance to prove that I will always choose you, no matter what choice I’m faced with.”
My wife stares at me, and it’s like time just stops. Never before have I felt this nervous. Never before have the stakes been this high. I’ve never wanted anything as much as I want her unconditional love. I’m not certain my heart can take the blow if she tells me no.
“That wasn’t what we agreed on,” she says, her gaze pleading. “We said that we’d end things at the end of our contract term, even if we think we’re in love.”
“Fuck the agreement,” I tell her, my words rushed and passionate. “Forget about it, baby. It’s rooted in fear and mistrust, and those things should never exist between us. I could board a plane tomorrow that’ll never land, Valentina. There truly are no guarantees in life, except for this one: for as long as I live, I will love you.”
She looks down at her wedding ring and inhales shakily. “Then promise me that you’ll never leave me, Luca. Promise me that you’ll fight for us, even when I inevitably push you away because fear got the best of me. Promise me that you won’t give up on us, even when it looks like there’s no hope left.”
I smile at her and lift her hand to my lips. “I promise that the only thing I won’t ever do for you is let you go. No matter what.”
She nods, despite the obvious fear in her gaze, and relief washes over me. She’s giving us a chance, and I’ll make sure she never regrets it.
Chapter Fifty-Three
Valentina
My heart is racing as I walk into my office wearing my wedding ring, for the very first time. So far, no one has noticed it, and if they have, they haven’t said anything at all. I’m not sure if that fills me with relief or disappointment.
I’m scared about the backlash we might face, especially since we’re admitting to being married so soon after I was appointed as COO, but I’m more scared to hurt Luca any further.
I hesitate for just a moment before grabbing the plaque Luca got me, and place it on top of my desk. Valentina Windsor, Chief Operating Officer.
Seeing Windsor paired with my first name used to fill me with unworthiness and fear, but not anymore. A soft giggle escapes my lips, and I briefly bury my face in my hands, feeling oddly giddy. I need to show Luca. I have no doubt my husband’s eyes would fill with that mixture of pride and possessiveness that I can’t resist.
My gaze drops to the stack of pink sticky notes on my desk, and I burst out laughing all over again. I can’t remember the last time I felt this free, this happy. I really should be getting to work, but there’s something I must do first.