Chapter 10 - The Queen of Providence
Six months later, the summer sun turned the waters of Narragansett Bay into a sparkling carpet of gold and azure. The warm July breeze rustled the sheer white curtains of the executive penthouse office at the top of the Bellini Tower, carrying the faint scent of salt air and blooming coastal roses into the spacious room.
The mahogany desk was still there, immaculate and orderly, but the nameplate beside the door had been recast in solid bronze: Hart & Bellini Enterprises.
The city of Providence had changed. Dominic Russo was serving a life sentence in a federal penitentiary for racketeering, weapons trafficking, and conspiracy to commit murder, his empire completely absorbed and restructured under Matteo’s undisputed control. The rogue factions had surrendered without a fight the moment word spread that the Bellini family had dismantled Russo's entire network in a single night.
Vivien stood beside the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, looking out over the bustling harbor. She wore a tailored white sheath dress that hugged every feminine curve of her figure, her dark, glossy curls cascading loosely over her bare shoulders, completely concealing the faint, silver scar on her left arm.
The door behind her clicked open.
Matteo stepped into the room, impeccably dressed in a custom three-piece navy suit, carrying two small porcelain cups. He didn't look like an untouchable mob boss; he looked like a man who had finally found his peace.
He set one cup on her desk and walked over, sliding his arm around her waist and pulling her back against his chest with familiar, effortless possessiveness. He rested his chin against the top of her head, breathing in the scent of her jasmine perfume.
"Espresso," he murmured, his deep voice sending that same delightful shiver down her spine. "Two sugars, splash of cream. The way you like it."
Vivien smiled, leaning back against his solid warmth. "The great Matteo Bellini serving coffee to his former assistant. If the harbor bosses saw this, your terrifying reputation would be completely ruined."
"Let them talk," Matteo chuckled, pressing a soft kiss against the sensitive curve of her neck. "They already know who truly runs this city anyway."
He reached into his pocket, his hand brushing against hers as he placed a heavy, velvet-lined jeweler's box on the wide windowsill before them. With a gentle click of his thumb, the lid popped open.
Inside rested a flawless, emerald-cut diamond ring surrounded by a halo of deep green emeralds—the exact shade of the gown she had worn the night the world fell apart.
Vivien’s breath caught in her throat. She turned in his arms, her hazel eyes wide with sudden, breathless emotion. "Matteo..."
"Three years ago, you walked into this building looking for a quiet paycheck, and instead, you gave me a reason to stay human in a world that wanted me to be a monster," Matteo said, his voice dropping into that deep, velvet cadence of absolute truth. He took her left hand in his, his fingers gentle against hers. "Six months ago, I told you to pretend to love me. I’m done pretending, Vivien. I want the whole city to know you belong to me, not as my secretary, and not as my date."
He looked into her eyes, completely unguarded, offering his heart with the same fierce loyalty she had given him under fire.
"Marry me, Vivien. Rule Providence with me."
May you like
A radiant smile broke across Vivien's face, washing away the ghosts of bullets, shattered glass, and three years of silent longing. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down until their lips met in a slow, sweet, and breathtaking promise of forever.
"I told you six months ago," she whispered against his lips, tears of pure joy shining in her eyes. "I stopped pretending a long time ago. Yes, Matteo. Yes."
