Chapter 9 – The New Normal

Six months later, the Chicago skyline glittered through the massive bay windows of Roman’s penthouse apartment.

The mafia mansion in the suburbs had been sold. The syndicate was formally dismantled, dismantled piece by piece by Roman’s exhaustive testimony to the federal government. He had served three months in a minimum-security facility for his past crimes, a remarkably light sentence negotiated by Agent Harris in exchange for bringing down the entire Commission.

Now, Roman was a free man. A legitimate businessman running a charity foundation.

I stood in the vast, modern kitchen, flipping pancakes on the stove. I wasn’t wearing a worn maid’s uniform. I wore a soft cashmere sweater and jeans. My hair was down, and the dark circles that had haunted my eyes for three years were completely gone.

“Mom! I’m going to be late!”

Lily ran into the kitchen, a whirlwind of energy. She wasn’t wearing the sparkly blue dress anymore. She wore a sleek, professional black leotard and a pair of brand-new, top-of-the-line Capezio tap shoes.

“You have plenty of time, sweetie,” I laughed, sliding a pancake onto her plate.

Roman walked into the kitchen, freshly showered, wearing a casual gray henley that stretched tight across his broad shoulders. He walked directly up behind me, wrapping his strong arms around my waist and pressing a warm kiss into the crook of my neck.

“Morning, beautiful,” he murmured, his voice sending a familiar shiver down my spine.

“Morning,” I smiled, leaning back against him.

He moved over to Lily, ruffling her hair. “Are you ready for the big recital today, kiddo?”

Lily beamed, taking a massive bite of her pancake. “I’m doing a solo! And the shoes you bought me don’t squeak at all!”

Roman laughed, a rich, genuine sound that I still marveled at. The ruthless mob boss was completely gone, replaced by a man who spent his evenings helping a ten-year-old with her math homework.

After breakfast, Roman went into his home office to take a call with the foundation’s board of directors.

I walked into our bedroom to grab my purse.

As I reached for my bag on the dresser, I bumped into a small, polished wooden valet box where Roman kept his cufflinks. The box tumbled to the plush carpet, spilling its contents.

“Shoot,” I muttered, dropping to my knees to gather the silver links.

But as I reached for a rogue cufflink under the dresser, my hand brushed against something soft.

I pulled it out.

It was a small, black velvet box.

My heart skipped a beat. I sat back on my heels, staring at the little box resting in my palm. The velvet was soft and pristine.

I knew I shouldn’t open it. It was an invasion of privacy.

But my fingers moved on their own, gently pressing the brass latch.

The lid popped open.

Inside was the most breathtaking ring I had ever seen. It wasn’t a massive, gaudy diamond like a mob boss would buy. It was a delicate, vintage rose-gold band holding a stunning, flawless emerald, surrounded by tiny, intricate diamond leaves.

Tears instantly pricked my eyes. It was perfect.

“I was going to wait until after the recital.”

I gasped and spun around.

Roman was leaning against the bedroom doorframe, his hands in his pockets, a soft, incredibly vulnerable smile on his face.

“Roman, I… I’m sorry, I knocked the box over,” I stammered, my cheeks burning hotly.

He walked slowly across the room and knelt down on the floor right in front of me. He took the velvet box from my trembling hands.

“I bought it three months ago,” Roman said quietly, his dark eyes locking onto mine. “I’ve just been trying to find the courage to give it to you.”

“Courage?” I laughed tearfully. “You stood down a dozen federal agents and the Mafia Commission without blinking.”

Roman reached out and gently cupped my cheek, his thumb brushing away a stray tear.

“Facing guns is easy, Grace. Asking the woman who saved my soul to spend the rest of her life with me… that terrifies me.”

He took the ring from the box.

“Grace Miller,” Roman said, his voice dropping to a husky, reverent whisper. “You walked into my life and burned down the darkness. You gave me a home. You gave me a family. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

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