I look at him in surprised horror, my eyes going wide. “You’re not going to leave them without an income–”
“No, of course not!” Max looks equally surprised. “I wouldn’t dream of it. I want to pay them to do something else.” He gestures at the vineyards spreading out below where we’re standing. “When I was younger, my hope was that as the second son, I’d run the wine business. It was the one thing I regretted giving up when I went to become a priest. I can’t stay and do it now, of course, but they can.”
He glances towards me, a smile flickering on his face. “Maybe one day we’ll even do something with the horses. Buy racehorses, perhaps, or start some kind of school. Who knows? One day we’ll have our freedom back, and with that and the Agosti money, we can do whatever we want.”
I laugh softly, feeling as if I’m in a dream. “Everyone always used to ask me what I wanted to do, eventually. My therapist, Caterina, and even Viktor. They all said I couldn’t just be a nanny forever. I never had an answer for them. Living life the way I did before–from foster home to foster home, in an orphanage, and out on the streets–I never thought of dreams or hopes or plans for the future. I was just making it day by day. I was happy with Viktor, Caterina, and the children, so I didn’t think past that. But now–”
I look out past Max, at the vineyards and the stables, at what’s left of his home and the place that I fell in love with so quickly, just like I fell in love with him. “This sounds like perfection. All of it–being with you, the wine business, keeping the part of your past that made you happy, and turning it into our future. It sounds like the type of dream I never dared to think about–and having it with you makes it that much better.”
Slowly, I take a step closer to him, my teeth worrying at my bottom lip as the lingering insecurity rears its head, making me hesitate. “Is this really what you want, though?”
Max frowns. “What do you mean?”
“I just mean–” I swallow hard, terrified that I’m about to shatter a perfect moment, but needing the reassurance he can offer. “For such a long time, you were so devoted to keeping your vows. It meant so much to you, especially after the things you’d felt you had to do. You didn’t want anything to do with this name or this place. You’d said it wasn’t you anymore, that you weren’t that man. And I just want to make sure–” I take a deep, shaky breath. “I want to make sure that you’re doing this becauseyouwant it, too. Not just for me. You’ve done so much for me–but we both should be happy, Max. It matters to me that this is what you really want.”
Max reaches down, taking my hands and pulling me closer, up against him. I gasp softly when I feel his hard chest against mine, the heat of his body sinking into me, butterflies springing up in my belly. Just his touch still makes me feel as if I’m floating, every inch of my skin tingling, and his hazel eyes meeting mine makes me feel utterly breathless.
“Yes,” he says softly. “I want that with you, Sasha. I want all of it. I want a future with you–most especially, a future where you never again feel like you need to wonder if it’s what I really want or not.”
His hand slides into my hair, cupping the back of my head as his lips descend to meet mine, a searing kiss under the bright Italian sun.
“More than anything, Sasha–I want you.”
29
MAX
When we finally get back to the hotel, Levin meets us outside, a pleased expression on his face.
“I hope that means you have some good news for us.” I raise an eyebrow at him. “I could use some, after the last few days.”
“As luck would have it–the luck of the Irish, in fact–I do,” Levin says with a smirk. “Connor and Liam have agreed to let the two of you stay at the McGregor estate for now–especially in recognition of how much help you’ve offered them in the past–until the heat dies down from Obelensky’s murder and the two of you can decide what you want to do next.”
He pauses, glancing between the two of us. “The only catch is that we need to leave now.”
I’m not inclined to argue with him, and neither is Sasha. My plans for Giana and Tommas to take over handling the Agosti business in my absence can be handled from Boston. I want Sasha back in the States and in relative safety as soon as possible. There’s not much to pack, and before either of us knows it, we’re in a car headed for a hangar–and a path out of this place that has brought us both so much heartbreak.
The trip to Boston is as uneventful as I could have hoped–far less eventful than my trip with Sasha to Italy, for sure. It wasn’t all that long ago, and yet it feels like years, like I was a different man then than I am now.
In many ways, I am.
There’s a car waiting for us at the Boston hangar, and Levin remains as we get off the plane. “I’m headed back to New York,” he says. “Viktor needs me back at work, and there’s not much else I can do now. Liam and Connor will take good care of you. I’ll keep my ear to the ground and let you know if I hear anything. When you can safely come back, I know Viktor will welcome you both with open arms–and I know Caterina and the children miss you, too.”
Sasha gives him a hug, and I hear her whisper, “thank you for everything,” as she pulls away. I embrace him too, thanking him–and then he’s stepping back onto the plane. Sasha and I are alone, except for the car and the McGregor security some yards away from us.
“Another new beginning,” Sasha whispers as we walk to the car, holding my hand tightly. “Another fresh start.”
“Frankly, I could do without another for a while,” I tell her dryly as we slide inside of the Towncar.
The ride to the McGregor estate doesn’t take long. We’re escorted inside by a black-uniformed housekeeper whotsksat our lack of luggage. Then a moment later, Saoirse appears in a doorway, her red hair tucked up neatly behind her head as she smiles at us.
“Max! Sasha. I’m glad you’re here. Connor will be out soon, he’s just finishing up a call, and Ana and Liam are upstairs with Brigit.”
I know I’m not Saoirse’s favorite person, after I was instrumental in marrying Liam and Ana behind everyone’s backs. But Saoirse is shrewd enough to let water flow under the bridge, and she gives every appearance of being pleased as punch that we’re here.
Moments later, as she’d said, Ana and Liam appear on the stairs, nearly at the same time that Connor appears in a doorway, as if some signal went off in the massive house that there was company.
For all I know, one actually did.