The Business Arrangement | Mafia Romance 18+

Chapter Twenty-Four: Happily Ever After

POV: Maya

The woman staring back at me is confident, charming, and classy.

She's wearing polished red bottoms, a perfectly tailored cocktail dress that shimmers like liquid silver when she moves, and her hair is curly and natural. When she speaks, her accent is southern but dignified. She's standing with perfect posture, and her soft smile hints that she knows something I don't. She's a million things I thought I'd never recognize in myself.

And yet, she's me.

"See? I told you you could pull it off."

Henry steps into the room behind me, then comes to stand beside me facing the mirror.

He's dressed in an impeccable pinstripe suit that hugs his muscular body perfectly, with neatly combed hair and black dress shoes. Together we look like something out of a gilded age photoshoot.

"You sure it isn't too much?" I ask again, spinning slightly in the mirror to examine the open back and delicate straps of the garment Henry bought for me to wear tonight.

Well, one of them, at least.

"Positive," Henry smiles, then pulls me gently to his side.

His soft lips are on mine a second later, and I can't help but lose myself in his touch. His hands glide down my spine and settle in the low of my back, sending a flurry of butterflies through my stomach.

"Besides," he teases, breaking our kiss, "I have the perfect accessory."

Before I can argue, he pulls a small silk bag from his jacket pocket and hands it to me.

"Is this—"

"Nothing too expensive," he interrupts, "I promise."

I narrow my eyes, disbelieving. "I think you and I have vastly different definitions of expensive."

He shrugs, but I don't miss the hint of a grin on his lips.

Oh, he is so guilty.

Hesitantly, I take the package from him and set it on the counter.

It's heavier than I expected.

Which means it's probably something outrageously expensive, like jewelry, or a bar of solid gold.

Right. Better get it over with.

I open the bag, then turn it slowly. Three small suede boxes slide gently out onto the counter.

Immediately, my brows rise out of curiosity.

So, he didn't get me just one gift but three?

And given their packaging, I'm pretty sure they're more than a little expensive.

"Open them," Henry says.

I pick one at random, the smallest of the three, and slowly open it.

It's jewelry alright, and it's absolutely stunning.

"Oh my God," I gasp, despite my earlier insistence that he not buy me anything. "Henry, you didn't."

Inside are two earrings that perfectly match my engagement ring. He must have had them custom made for our engagement party without me knowing. Which is saying something considering I've been keeping an eye out for this sort of thing.

"I love them," I continue, holding the box higher so they catch the light, "They're gorgeous, seriously."

I start to pull them out and put them on, but Henry gestures to the other boxes before I can.