Page 58 of ‘I Do’ for Revenge
He continued, ‘I used to come up here and look out over the city. And I used to imagine your uncle down there somewhere, wining and dining. Living in his palazzo, living off my father’s ruined reputation and business.’
He glanced at Flora. ‘Living off your inheritance, although I didn’t know that then.’
He looked out at the view again. ‘But now, it’s someone else who consumes me when I look at this view.’
Flora’s heart rate was erratic. ‘Who’s that?’
He looked at her. ‘You, of course. I’ll be wondering where you are, who you’re with. Wondering if you’re happy. What are you doing? Are you using that money for yourself or giving it all away to the first person who comes along? Because I do know you, Flora, and I do see you. You’re pure, and good and true, and kind. In spite of everything that’s happened to you.’
Flora shook her head, embarrassed. ‘I’m not. You’re making me sound like a saint.’
He touched her cheek with a finger, so fleetingly she almost wondered if she’d imagined it. ‘You are, compared to me. I let anger and grief dominate my life, crushing all the goodness out of everything. Crushing any hopes and dreams beyond achieving success and revenge.’
Flora couldn’t speak. Vito continued, ‘But then you came along and showed me how lacking my life really was and how empty my future was. I want a real future, Flora, full of happiness and fulfilment beyond material gains or success.’
Flora felt light-headed. She repeated his words. ‘You want a real future.’
‘Yes, but it can only exist with one other person. You, Flora. I can’t have that future unless you’re in it, with me, by my side. I pushed you away because you exposed me for being a coward.’
She shook her head, not sure how she was still standing. ‘You’re not a coward. You’re one of the bravest people I’ve ever met.’
Vito put a hand on her cheek, stopping her words. ‘You’re brave, Flora, you’re braver than me. When you told me you loved me I pushed you away because I knew that to admit to loving you would mean surrendering everything I’ve identified with for years—grief, pain, loss, revenge.’
‘What are you saying, Vito?’
He smiled but she could see the nerves behind it and the emotion in his eyes. ‘I’m saying that I love you, Flora. Adore you. I lasted two miserable weeks before realising there was only one option. To surrender. But it’s a happy surrender. I hand myself over to you, body, heart and soul, if you’ll still have me?’
Flora looked up at Vito. He was stripped as bare as she’d ever seen him, and she’d never seen him like this. But she was taking too long. Doubt crept into his eyes, his expression started to grow tight. He said, ‘You deserve the best, Flora. Maybe you’ve already realised that and you know that I’m not—’
Before he could self-doubt a second longer, Flora launched herself at him, wrapping her legs around his waist, almost toppling him, but he stayed standing, and wrapped his arms around her. ‘Flora?’
‘I love you, Vito. No one else would be good enough for me. You’re the best. I told you before I love the bones of you and I always will and I want to live my whole life with you.’
She could feel the emotion moving in his chest as he sucked in breaths. ‘Thank God. For a moment I thought it might be too late.’
She shook her head and said, ‘Never too late.’ She bent her head and covered his mouth with hers and a cheer went up from the tourists around them. Flora smiled against Vito’s mouth and buried her flaming face in his neck.
Later, in Vito’s apartment, after they’d moved Flora’s and Benji’s belongings back from where she’d been renting near to the new women’s aid offices, they lay in bed, bodies cooling in the aftermath of spent passion.
Their fingers were entwined and Flora’s leg was draped over Vito’s thigh. They were pressed together, and her hair, wild and untamed, flowed over the pillow behind her head. She’d never looked more beautiful and Vito had never felt more content. He’d forgotten what it could feel like. True happiness. It still terrified him slightly but he wouldn’t give it up again for the world.
Flora pressed a kiss to his chest and he tipped up her chin with his free hand. He came up on one elbow and looked down at her. She looked at him and smiled. His heart turned over. He said, ‘By the way, there was one other thing I wanted to discuss with you.’
She smiled even wider. ‘Yes, to whatever it is.’
Vito lay back and smirked. ‘That was easy.’
Flora leaned up and hit him playfully. ‘What was it?’
Vito grinned. He felt younger. Carefree. He let go of her hand and turned away to the bedside table and took the small black box out of the drawer. He sat up, suddenly nervous again.
Flora sat up too, pulling the sheet up. She looked from Vito to the box and back. ‘Vito?’
He opened it and she looked down and he saw how she paled. She put a hand to her mouth and then looked at him again. ‘Are you...is this...?’
He nodded. ‘I don’t want there to be any doubt... I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Flora. Will you marry me?’
He took the art deco yellow diamond ring out of the box and took her hand. It was trembling. ‘Flora?’