Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 97656 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 488(@200wpm)___ 391(@250wpm)___ 326(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97656 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 488(@200wpm)___ 391(@250wpm)___ 326(@300wpm)
The restaurant terrace is spectacular.
Intimate tables are scattered along a wide, open-air deck that seems to float right on the edge of the cliffs, offering an unobstructed view of the Pacific stretching out endlessly into the night. The ocean is dark and shimmering under the moonlight. The waves crest with silver as they crash against the rocks, producing a rhythmic, soothing roar that rises up from the beach below. The sound is constant, powerful, yet somehow peaceful, mingling with the soft murmur of other diners and the faint clink of crystal glasses. Overhead, strings of lanterns and delicate fairy lights create a soft, romantic canopy of warm golden light that sways lazily in the breeze, making everything feel magical, almost otherworldly. Part of me feels as if I am in a dream. If I pinch myself I will wake and find that Salvatore is still alive and I am still married to him.
We’re led to our reserved table. It is actually the best one, positioned right at the very edge of the terrace. Ricci pulls out my chair for me, his hand lingering on the small of my back as I sit, his touch warm through the thin fabric of my dress. The moment we’re seated across from each other, the candle in the center of the table flickers between us, casting soft golden shadows across his face. It highlights the strong line of his jaw, the intense warmth of his whiskey eyes. I stare at him. His dark hair falls just slightly across his forehead. He looks devastatingly handsome, and for a second, I can’t look away.
I gaze into his eyes, and the realization hits me all at once.
We are truly both, for the first time in our lives, tasting freedom. Real freedom. Not the kind you buy with money or take with power, but the kind that comes from choosing someone and being chosen back, completely and without reservation. The kind that lets you breathe deeply for the first time. It makes the world feel bigger and brighter and full of possibility instead of constant threat.
The realization makes me worry for the future.
What if things change? What if this fragile happiness shatters? What if he dies like Salvatore did? The last thought creeps in, cold and sharp, like a blade sliding between my ribs. It sours the magic of the moment, turning the warm glow of the lanterns and the soothing sound of the waves into something fragile and breakable. I try to push it away, to focus on the beautiful man sitting across from me, but it lingers at the edges of my mind, like a dark demon.
The waiter arrives. He is polite and professional in his crisp white shirt. He carries menus in his hand, and his voice is smooth as he greets us and asks for our drink orders. I give him a small smile, and order something I barely register, but inside I’m already pulling back, the worries crowding in, tightening my chest until it’s hard to breathe properly.
Ricci notices immediately. He always does.
The waiter leaves after taking our orders, and Ricci leans forward slightly, his hand reaching across the table to cover mine. His thumb strokes slow, soothing circles over my knuckles, warm and steady, grounding me.
“What is it?” he asks quietly, his voice low and gentle, those intense eyes locked on mine with complete focus.
I hesitate, staring down at our joined hands for a long moment. His fingers are strong and warm around mine, the contrast of his tanned skin against my paler one beautiful in the candlelight. I promised myself I would open up to him. No more hiding. No more walls. So I take a deep breath and tell him the truth.
“I was just thinking…” My voice is soft, almost hesitant, the words feeling vulnerable as they leave my lips. “I wonder if all of this is just a dream that we’ll wake from.” I swallow hard. “It’s hard not to think this way, given the lives we lead.”
His eyes are locked on mine, patient and intense. The candle flame flickers between us, casting shifting light across his face as the waves continue their endless rhythm below. Then he squeezes my hand gently, his thumb still moving in those slow circles.
“I could decide to leave this life.”
The words hit me like a shockwave. I stare at him, genuinely stunned, my heart stuttering in my chest. He’s thought about this. He’s actually thought about walking away. The realization settles deep inside me, warm and scary all at once, filling me with a hope so bright it almost hurts.
I try to find my voice. “You’re thinking of leaving? How? I heard it is impossible.”
He nods slowly, no hesitation. “Yes, it is impossible if you are still attached to the perks. Not easy. At first, it was about the money for me. Pure survival. But when you came into my life, I knew I had to explore the option to walk away from this.”