I stepped out of the room and closed the door quietly behind me before moving towards Adrian's room. I knocked on the door but when no sound came from the other side, I decided to just open it thinking he must be asleep.

However, there was no one in the room or even in the bathroom. Furrowing my eyebrows, I closed the door and decided to go check downstairs in his office. As I was nearing the end of the long hallway, I found the glass doors of the balcony open and saw a male figure leaned against the metal railing.

Adrian.

I started walking towards the balcony at a slow pace. I was able to walk on my own now, much to Adrian's dismay because he liked carrying me around and he still did whenever he got the chance.

We had just come back to Italy a few hours ago, and I went to take a nap because of extreme exhaustion and restlessness. It was currently one in the morning and I had woken up with a parched throat. I couldn't go back to sleep which is why I thought to pay him a visit.

As I reached there, I leaned against the doorframe and watched him take a drag from the cancer stick that hung loosely between his thumb and forefinger.

"Why aren't you asleep?" He asked in a raspy voice.

I was startled as I stared at his back. I made zero, literally zero, sound but he somehow managed to detect my presence.

"I can feel you, tesoro." He supplied, almost as if he sensed my confusion.

I straightened my posture and walked to where he stood. He took a long drag of his almost finished cigarette before putting it out with his shoe.

Then he turned to look at me and cupped my jaw between his fingers as he leaned down and latched his mouth onto mine to blow the remaining smoke inside my lungs.

I rolled my eyes at the bitter taste it left in my mouth and he pulled away to face the city again as if nothing happened.

"How long have you been up?" I questioned, studying his side profile.

"I didn't sleep." He answered.

"What's bothering you?" I probed.

"Absolutely nothing." He lied.

I jumped to sit on the marble ledge and he glanced at my attire briefly, which consisted of a navy blue silk top and matching shorts, before looking away again.

His face was blank and his eyes were a beautiful shade of rainclouds. I grabbed his arm and pulled him to stand directly in front of me.

He still kept his eyes on the city lights behind me so I grabbed his chin and made him look at me, "Eyes on me, mister." I said playfully with narrowed eyes.

He let out a small smile and replied, "Always on you, miss."

I grinned at him and placed a kiss on his cheek, "Talk to me."

The smile left his lips and he gazed at me with a grave expression, his eyes seemed to be contemplating something.

"Listen to what I have to say with an open mind, okay?" He started and I frowned a little but nodded my head slowly.

I knew how hard it became for him, sometimes, to open up and communicate his thoughts with other people. It often led him to become frustrated and lash out and that's where his anger management issues came in.

A shiver ran down my spine, involuntarily, as my mind went back to the episode he had when Natalia came over that day.

I focused my complete attention on him and took his hands in mine as he began to speak.

"This life we were born in, it isn't easy. Even though it makes children like us grow up too fast to become strong and responsible, it still has more cons than pros. The uncertainty it brings can be exhausting at times. We sleep with a gun under our pillows because the bigger the circle, the more the enemies. It took so much away from my mom, and I know it killed her and dad, too. She lost her whole family in front of her eyes and her brother-like best friend. I know she thinks about it, to date and it makes her upset. Very upset. But we all suck it up, don't we?" He paused.

I nodded my head in agreement, not quite knowing where he was going with all of this.

"It took so much from you, it broke you. And now, it breaks me every time I think about it. Sia, is it really worth it?" He asked.

I brought one of my hands up to cup his face, "If this life is worth it? Yes. Uncertainty is a part of life, it doesn't have anything to do with mafia. Yes, it does increase the risk, that's obvious. But you can't fight fate, Ian. All that has happened, is happening, and will happen is exactly how it's supposed to be. And about me, I'll move on because I don't want my past holding me down. I have a King by my side who needs me to stand beside him, hand in hand. So yes, this life is worth it because I have you." I told him, truthfully.

"I get my strength from you, Sylvia. Believe it or not, I was rattled with you not here." He admitted.

My heart swelled in love for this man and I smiled up at him, "Me, too."

"Now what were you actually thinking? And why?" I questioned as he parted my legs and came to stand between them.

"I was thinking to quit."

My eyes widened as I registered his words, "What?" I asked in a whisper.

"I said, I was-" He started to say but I placed my hand over his mouth.

"I heard you. Why were you thinking to quit?" I asked becoming serious all of a sudden.

He stared at me for the longest time before averting his eyes to the side without making an attempt to answer.

"Is it because of me?" I questioned, a frown settled on my face.

His silence was all the confirmation I needed to prove my suspicions right.

I forced his eyes back to look at me, "Don't you get it, Ian? All that has happened, was in your absence and never when you were there."

"Exactly why I should quit. I am incapable of protecting you." He was quick to answer.

My frown deepened, "Are you for real? Can't you see? You defeated two mafias. You not only defeated them, you completely erased them, plucked them out from the roots, and destroyed them. And you did that to protect your family, protect me, what makes you think you're not capable?"

"After the damage was done." He added.

"Don't fuck with me, Adrian. I am not gonna sit here and let you disrespect yourself like that. You taught me how to see past my flaws and turn them into my strength yet you stand here and repeat the same mistake I made. This isn't happening, not under my watch. You won't quit, Adrian because I don't see someone else who fits the shoe perfectly." I stated in a matter of factly tone.

"This family depends on you, I depend on you. I want this life, Ian, and I want it with you." I finished.

He remained quiet after that for a few seconds before he opened his mouth, "Selena's my best friend, you know? She has always been there for me. After you left, I became distant and colder but she filled the role of a perfect friend. I remember one day, when I returned from work, I overheard her conversation with Cara in which she admitted to having a slight crush on me. After that, I started to see her in a different light, or at least I thought I did. Because she was there for me, I thought that I had developed more than just friendly feelings for her but then you came back. It was a harsh slap that brought me back to reality. When I finally came to see you, after all those years, I realized how I no longer affected you and it fuckin' pissed me off. I couldn't believe that you were finally here, you looked so fuckin' divine that for a moment, I wanted to fuck your brains out but then you walked out on me. That's something you've never done before and it made me mad."

I listened to all that he had to say attentively and shook my head, "You have always affected me. I was just angry because a stupid business deal was your priority, and not me." I explained.

He nodded his head, "I'm sorry, it wasn't intentional. I wanted to have the same control you that I once possessed, I wanted you to be as affected by me as I was by you. I know that sounds twisted, but it is what it is. I was never after Selena, not anymore at least. I confused our platonic relationship because I craved you and I wanted to find you in someone else but fuck, you were imprinted in my mind and I couldn't let go." He explained, running a hand through his hair.

He was nervous.

I smiled slightly at that as a wave of relief washed over me. I was waiting for him to talk and he finally did.

Then his expressions turned serious all of a sudden and I tilted my head to the side as I assessed his face. He seemed to be fighting a battle with himself and I placed a hand on his arm, causing him to look at me.

"You don't have to continue if it's making you feel uncomfortable." I said while rubbing his arm.

He shook his head in negative, "No, I won't be able to rest properly if I don't explain my actions to you. You deserve to know, Sylvia. I can't let you forgive me so easily without doing shit to actually earn that forgiveness."

I circled my arms around his neck and he placed his hands on my waist. This man was being too sweet, he might as well give me diabetes now.

"I'm listening." I encouraged him and he nodded his head.

"When you came to that party, I planned on telling you but it all went downhill from there, " he paused and swallowed as if it hurt to even talk about it. "You were taken, once again, and I stood there helpless and utterly devastated. That night, I realized something. I was not hung up on you, no. In fact, I loved you from the very beginning. I was just too fuckin' dumb to realize it sooner. I have loved you for a very long time, Sia. How long? I have no fuckin' clue but it's always been you."

My eyes shone with tears by the time he finished speaking and I could not help but let out a lazy smile, "I completely understand."

"I am sorry. I am so fuckin' sorry for putting you through so much. And if I have to, I will spend the rest of my life apologizing to you if you accept me." He remarked.

"I accept you, only you." I whispered.

Without wasting another second, he leaned down and captured my lips in a blissful kiss. I pulled him closer by the neck as our lips moved in perfect sync. His hands that were resting on my thigh slipped up to my waist where he squeezed it. His tongue swiped at my bottom lip and I gave him the entrance he was demanding as he caressed every nook and corner tenderly.

Our breathing picked up and I dived my tongue straight in his mouth but he didn't let me win this time and sucked on it, leaving me to moan. His thumbs started drawing circles on my stomach, above my shirt and the tingling sensation traveled straight down to my core.

I felt as if I'd come undone just by his kiss.

He eventually let go of my tongue and bit on my bottom lip. I gasped in his mouth and his tongue swiped over the curve of my upper lip, eliciting yet another moan out of my parted lips.

He pulled away and his lips came in contact with the soft skin of my jaw where he placed butterfly kisses and they trailed down to my neck and finally stopped at the top of my breasts. Goosebumps rose on my skin as I felt him breathe down on my exposed skin before he trailed his nose up along the length of my neck and then up to my chin, lips, and finally stopped when it brushed against my nose.

I willed myself to open my eyes and the way his hooded eyes stared back at me, gave me chills.

The good kind.

There were so many emotions swirling in his eyes but the most prominent one was love.

My stomach clenched at the raw, pure, and intense emotions he was so openly showcasing at that moment. He was not guarded, instead, his eyes reflected the real person that he was underneath all those layers.

"Ti amo." He whispered, completely taking me off-guard.

"Ti amo, anch'io" I whispered back.

"Good. Now let's get some sleep." He uttered and picked me up as I clung to him like a baby koala.

I hid my face in the crook of his neck and inhaled his scent to calm my racing nerves.

He smelled like sins, but I was no saint.