"So how does it feel to have a chat with your sons?" Alissa asked Alexandro.

"It's fine, they have grown, and I'm pretty much sure they would be able to take care of their businesses. They are smart," he said.

"That they are," she smiled.

"Yes."

"So, I actually came here to tell you something," Alissa said.

"Hm, what is it?"

"Asher will be staying here in Italy for a few months. He already has a house here, so he will be leaving there,"

"Why is he staying all of a sudden? No, tell him that he should go back to his f*cking Alexandro said.

"He is my boyfriend, so automatically, he would want to stay close to me, like I do. He told me he was just telling you and not asking for your permission. "

"That son of a cagna, he has no manners at all, I really hope he doesn't become my son-in-law" he mumbled the last part, but with Alissa's hearing, she heard him but didn't say anything.

******

For the next few months, Asher made himself at home in Alexandro's territory, a calculated risk that only someone like him could take. He wasn’t just there for business; he was there for her, and he made her father know that. What started as a tense rivalry soon turned into something far more dangerous—a dance between two forces that neither could resist. But good enough, they were allies.

They spent their days balancing between their duties and their growing connection. Mornings were filled with negotiations, sitting across from each other at long tables, their eyes meeting over stacks of documents and security briefings. Afternoons were for the field—missions that pushed them to their limits, where they worked side by side with an almost terrifying synchronicity.

One night, an arms deal went south near the docks. Amid the gunfire and chaos, Asher shielded Alissa without hesitation, pulling her into cover and firing back with deadly precision. “Stay close,” he muttered, his breath warm against her ear. She didn’t need protection—Alissa was more than capable—but the way he positioned himself in front of her made something shift inside her.

Between missions, there were stolen moments of something softer. Dates disguised as strategy meetings—dinners in secluded restaurants under heavy security, late-night drives through the streets of Rome, their fingers intertwined as they talked about everything and nothing. Asher had a way of making her forget the weight of their world, even if just for a few hours.

One evening, he took her to an underground jazz club, a place hidden from prying eyes. The dim lighting, the slow music, and the way he pulled her onto the dance floor—it was a side of him she hadn't seen before. “You dance?” she teased, resting a hand on his shoulder.

He spun her effortlessly, his grip firm. “I do a lot of things, Alissa.”

"Plus, it's not like this is the first time you saw me dance,"

She was starting to realize that each and every day, she just can't keep herself from falling deeper.

Asher knew that Alissa wasn’t the kind of woman who wanted grand gestures or public displays. She thrived in control, in precision. If he was going to crazy out his plan, it had to be perfect. And he needed help.

Enter Nate—Asher’s right-hand man, his closest confidant, and the only person Asher trusted enough with his plan. Nate wasn’t thrilled about the idea at first. “You’re serious?” he asked, leaning against the bar of the estate’s private lounge. “You think you can just...propose to her?”

Asher grinned. “I don’t think. I know.”

Reluctantly, Nate agreed, though not without some sarcasm. “Fine. But if she kills you, I’m not cleaning up the mess.”

Over the next few weeks, they worked in secret. Asher wanted something intimate, something that spoke to the quiet moments they shared when no one else was watching. They settled on a secluded villa outside the city, where they had once spent an entire night talking under the stars, away from the chaos of their families.

With Nate’s help, the villa was transformed—candles lined the stone pathways, fairy lights hung from the trees, and a table was set on the terrace overlooking the rolling hills. It was simple but elegant. Exactly what he knew would speak to her heart.

The hardest part was getting Alissa there without suspicion. Fortunately, Asher was a master at distractions. A last-minute “business meeting” outside the city, a long drive, and an invitation she couldn’t refuse. When they arrived, she stepped out of the car, her eyes narrowing at the sight of the beautifully arranged terrace. “What is this, Kingston?”

He shrugged, taking her hand. “Just dinner.”

The dinner was quiet, filled with easy conversation and the occasional Asher smirk. But Alissa could sense something was off—he was too calm, too collected. Then, just as she was about to press him, Asher stood, reaching into his jacket pocket.

Her breath caught when he pulled out a black velvet box, his expression unreadable. “Alissa,” he started, his voice steady but laced with something rare—vulnerability. “We’ve built empires, torn them down, and stood against the world together. I’m not asking you to change who you are. I’m asking you to let me stand beside you—always.”

She stared at him for a long moment, her heart pounding. No one had ever dared to ask for her hand before; no one had been worthy. But as she looked into his eyes, she saw something she had never allowed herself to hope for—certainty.

Finally, a slow smile curved her lips, and she extended her hand. “It’s about time, Kingston.”

He slipped the ring onto her finger, a black diamond set in a platinum band—simple, yet commanding, just like her.

From the shadows, Nate watched with a small smirk. “Guess he’s not dead after all.”

"No, wait a minute, why didn't I think of this before, if Asher married her wouldn't that mean I would be seeing the she devil more often" he shuddered at the thought.

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