— x.ᴅ.ʀ.

Wife... Wife... Wife... Maybe you should do something about it.

Moreno's words replayed in my mind like a broken record causing me to think about that a lot these past days.

Maybe that wouldn't be a that bad idea. I'm planning on marrying that girl one day anyway, but now? Not to bring confusion I would have tied the knot the moment I saw her at that wedding. But her condition is what scares me the most.

I know even though she remembers a lot more than the first day, she is still unsure. And in some moments I could see fear and discomfort in her eyes. That's rear but it doesn't mean it isn't there.

"Che cosa fai?" Moreno asked sitting on the seat in front of me while lifting his brow. ("What are you up to?")

"Nothing for now. I'm just thinking." I answered rubbing my jaw. Leaning my head on the chair I cast my eyes towards the ceiling.

"Thinking? About what exactly? We can't do anything about Aleksei's situation till we don't get any lead or-" I cut him off before he could spoil my mood on worser.

"No, no. I'm not thinking about him, but now I might start... again." Sighing I run a hand through my hair.

"Than what is it?" "Your words."

"My words?" He asked frowning in confusion while eyeing me battlefield.

"Si. About wife thing." My words surprised him causing him to start chuckle.

"Don't tell me that you are scared or having second thoughts."

"No, no I'm not. Well not really, I just umm.. you know... I umm, it's not easy, ugh.." groaning I stood up from the chair and started to pace the office.

"What is it? Come on tell me. I know you my whole life. What is it?"

"What if she rejects me, says no or something. " My mouth opened on its record.

"Reject you? Are you fucking blind? That girl is looking at you like you are some type of a God. You think she would say no?"

"She is still not remembering everything. Everything." I repeated looking at my shoes.

"It wasn't only your fault. It was all of us. We fell for lies and manipulation but.." sighing he shook his head "..maybe she never remembers. Maybe that will be a hole in her memory that will never be filled."

"She slowly started to remember everything. That secret won't be a secret much longer."

"Than tell her." "I can't."

"And why is that." He asked with annoyance in his voice, standing up himself and making his way towards me.

"Cause I don't want to hurt her anymore. I'm scared that she will.. I'm scared that she would do the same thing she did months ago. And what would I do then? You saw me with your own eyes what her disappearance did to me, what would her death do in that case?"

"Than don't let her do that. Show her that you care. That you love her." "By marrying her?"

"Nahh, the vows won't change much. Take that from me. I gave a ring and got divorce papers not long after. However, on other hand, you don't need to marry her right away but show her that you mean it."

"Firstly your story was different. And secondly, how should I show her that I mean it. I mean I.. I'm telling her how I feel about us every damn day."

"First tusche. The second ring won't change either one of your feelings that you are holding but maybe in some way, it will help her feel, I don't know, safer? You know, she will be sure that you will be next to her whole life, at all times."

"So you are advising me to.." I trailed turning my head to the side to look at him.

"To get engaged." He said smugly without missing a beat.

"Yeahh, just like that. Get engaged."

Chuckling he looked at me "Well you asked me for opinion. You mean on marrying her anyway, maybe not now because of all stuff that is going around but.. gets engaged. She is pregnant with your kid at the end. And even though she is not a materialistic girl she will know that she has you by her side. And in some way when and if she finds out about all the stuff, she will know that you mean what you said, about loving her and all. She might not try to do something stupid. Last time, she tried to do that stupidity because she thought she doesn't have anyone and that was her reason to pull a trigger."

"And if we get engaged she will have us. All of us. A family." I voiced his thoughts out loud while looking out of the window.

"Exactly. You are having a free pass to her as your wife someday and she is safe from her own self. It's a win-win situation if you ask me."

"I didn't really think about engagement but only about marriage." I said truthfully wrinkling my nose.

"Well, maybe you should. We do6nt have anything to do till we don't get any information from Fabio so if you want we can go check engagement rings?"

"Today?" "Yeah, you don't need to get engaged now this moment, but I thought you would want to get engaged before she gives birth."

"True. I would-" got cut when doors were thrown open and Dante walked inside like he owns a place.

"Buongiorno." He greeted me in a hoarse voice causing me to squirm my eyes on him.

"How is that you returned so quickly, I thought that you will stay longer."

He went to Italy a week ago to fix some problems in one of his clubs there. And by what we heard, we thought he will stay longer.

"I fixed the damage." That was all he said while making his way towards a bottle of scotch on the table.

"Was it a lot?" Moreno asked eyeing the brim-filled glass in Dante's hand.

"Well not that much. Apparently, one of a dancer's jealous boyfriend showed up with AK and shoot down half of the club."

"Dead?" I questioned putting my hands in my pocket. "One." "Who?" "Him." He said chuckling.

"The cops wanted to arrest him but he killed himself before they could catch him. Apparently, he had a restraining order from the side of that girl that dances, and cops were looking for him because of some illegal stuff. We didn't get into details." He asked causing us to nod.

"Is Marino with you or?" Moreno asked on which Dante nodded pointing towards the door.

"Yeah, he is in the kitchen with Antea."

"Antea is in the kitchen?" I asked I confused looking at the watch.

"Yeah, why?" "She was sleeping when I came here. That's all."

"So are we doing it?" Moreno asked, looking at me, after a couple of moments of silence.

I looked at him going once more through everything then slowly nodded "Si. I'm doing it."

"What? What is going on?" Dante asked frowning. I looked at him battling with myself about telling him and taking him with me.

"How drunk are you?" I asked skimming my eyes over him. "That depends."

"On what?" I asked with a frown pulling on my lips.

"On what we are gonna do?" He answered in duh ton which shot a desire of punching him in the face through my body.

"We are gonna go to a jewelry store." Moreno exclaimed as he started to walk towards the doors. "I'm gonna go tell Marino to stay and be with Antea and Emiliano till we don't return." He added exiting the office.

"You finally decided to get piercing?" Dante asked chuckling while taking a swing of his drink.

"No, I'm gonna go buy an engagement ring." My answer took him by surprise because his eyes widened and he spat drink from his mouth all over my couch.

"Stai scherzando?" He asked eyeing me warily. "No, I'm serious." I said as I started to make my way towards the door. ("Are you kidding?")

"You are serious serious?" "Yes, and you are drunk drunk. So, come on, are you coming or not." I hissed not turning my head to face him.

. . .

"What was wrong with that ring?" Dante wined as we sat back into a car.

"I didn't like it." Was all I said before starting a car and driving towards our next stop.

We left the house almost four hours ago, but not before tripling security around the house and telling Marino to not let Antea or Emiliano out of his eyesight.

And ever since then we were in at least fifteen shops from which we walked out empty-handed.

"Look this one is the last one that holds somehow different and unique rings. So you better get grip and fucking chose." Dante groaned rubbing his temples from what I'm gonna guess is a freshly coming hangover headache.

"I know, I know." I mumbled pulling a car into a parking space. "Let's go."

Entering the jewelry shop we were greeted by a blond girl behind the counter who eyed us with interest.

"Hello, gentlemen. How can I help you?" Her voice was strident while the smile on her face was a mile wide causing an unsettling feeling in me.

"We were looking for-" but before I could finish Dante who was already leaning against the glass counter chipped in.

"I'm sorry can you take this torturing device out so we can have closer look?" Dante asked while looking at the girl behind the counter. The girl's eyebrows pulled together as she followed his eyes.

"I'm sorry, sir?" "The torturing device." He repeated himself while pointing at the ring.

"Do you mean on a wedding ring?" She asked leaning slightly away while crossing her arms.

"Yes, that." Dante smiled the girl's way which she returned but bitterly version.

"Well we have-" the girl started to explain pulling a block with rings out of the drawer, however, I cut her off before she could go any further.

"We are actually searching for an engagement ring, no wedding ring."

"Oh, in that case just a moment." She said returning rings back in the same time Dante mumbled under his breath.

"Well sorry, for a mistake. Pre-torturing device."

'What was in my mind when I decided to take him with me.' I thought to myself and I looked at Moreno who turned his head away from me trying to cover his laugh with coughing.

"Here it is." The girl brought our attention to her when she put rings on the counter showing us "On this side are some new models. While on this are some older let's say more vintage models."

"Bene." I said looking over the rings, but like in last shops, neither one succeeded to catch my attention.

"Look at this one." Dante said pointing at a ring that looked like it could break someone's hand if they are wearing it.

"No, it's a too big rock." Shaking my head I took a step back causing Dante to let out an annoyed sigh.

"No, I don't think that any of this would-" I stopped what I was saying when one in particular ring caught my interest.

I looked at the ring and couldn't throw a picture of Antea from my head. The heart-shaped diamond on the ring was the same color as her eyes. And they were the first thing that wined me on her, not even her smile or voice or even figure but her blush grey eyes.

The ring itself wasn't big, instead, it was small and simple with a thin band and blueish grey diamond in the middle.

"I'm sorry what about this ring over here?" I asked while pointing at the ring on the other side.

"Oh, that one. Yes, that one is plain simple yet elegant." She said pulling a ring out from under the glass.

"This is actually a great engagement ring or anniversary gift. The band is made of white gold while the gemstone is extremely rare called Grandidierite."

"And the rare is expensive." I said looking at the girl making her nod her head eagerly.

"Yes, exactly." "So what is the price of this one?"

"Oh, that's new, it's not meant for sale yet, it's actually for tomorrow's auction. But if it were it wouldn't be lower than 80 thousand."

Her price didn't surprise me but the fact that this ring isn't on sale did. "But what if I say that I would pay double for it."

"Still you should come tomorrow on auction and vote. This ring is not for sale." She said taking a ring away leaving me with a feeling of anger bubbling inside of me.

"Bene." I said pushing myself away from the counter. "I guess we will see each other tomorrow. " I nodded my head in her direction while exiting the shop.