Ties of Blood (Book One)

Chapter 53 ~ Matteo

Matteo Morreti

God, Gianna looked fucking breathtaking. This wedding wasn't for her yet my eyes followed her the entire time. Every move, every laugh, every breath she took was fascinating.

And then there was her.

I was so proud of her, she was so strong and so damn perfect. She finally took a stand for herself and got rid off her asshole of a father.

The memories of last night came flooding back to me, a whirlwind of emotions tangled in the glow of the wedding. I never thought I'd be at my girlfriend's former house, but here I was. Gianna was staying at her friend Camilla's place, giving me some much-needed time to settle some unfinished business.

I made my presence known with a nod to the maids, who let me in—either out of respect or fear, I wasn't sure, nevertheless it was the least of my worries. The silence of the grand house felt heavy, echoing with the remnants of silence.

As I walked deeper into the opulent space, I spotted him: Anton Rostova, my girlfriend's father, slumped in a plush armchair in the dim light, a half-empty glass of whiskey resting precariously in his hand. The sight of him ignited a spark of anger within me.

"Anton," I said, my voice steady but firm.

He looked up, his bleary eyes narrowing as they landed on me. "Matteo," he replied, but there was no warmth in his tone, just an edge of disbelief.

I stepped closer, the weight of my words pressing on my chest. "I'm here to talk about Gianna."

Anton took a sip from his glass, his eyebrow perking up slightly at the sound of his daughter's name on my lips, the liquid sloshing ominously as he leaned back, maintaining an air of indifference. But I could see the way his fingers tightened around the glass, the slightest hint that my presence unsettled him.

"You hurt her," I continued, my voice low but intense. "She's done with you, and that's on you. If you actually decided to actually be a father and step up I won't tell you not to. But if I ever see or hear her cry, see a single tear fall from her eyes and it's because of you? I'll take everything from you. Your house, your money, your empire? Consider them gone."

He held my gaze, his bravado faltering only slowly. A flicker of uncertainty crossed his features, but he remained silent, weighing my words. The atmosphere between us crackled with tension, as I watched him struggle to maintain his facade.

"You think you can threaten me?" he finally said, but there was a tremor in his voice that hadn't been there before. "I've dealt with worse people."

"That could be true, but you haven't dealt with me when it comes to Gianna." I snarl. "Oh, one more thing, quit sending your men to kill me, it's embarrassing and it's annoying."

Without waiting for a response, I turned to leave, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders. As I walked out, I knew I had made my point clear. Gianna was everything to me.

Gianna walked over and planted a quick kiss on my lips, sending shivers down my spine. Even now, she still made me flustered.

"Good evening! How was wedding, I know they're not your thing?" she asked.

She looped her hand though mine, and we made our way to the car.

"It was good," I reply.

But it's about to get better...I hope.

Once we made our way to the car, I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. Tonight wasn't just about celebrating Camilla and Alessandro; it was about solidifying what Gianna and I had.

I glanced at her as I started the engine, stealing a moment to appreciate how lucky I was to have her by my side.

"Where are we going?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.

"To the beach," I said, my voice steady despite the whirlwind of thoughts racing through my mind. "I thought we could have a little private moment away from all the noise."

Her eyes widened in surprise, a mix of excitement and intrigue. "The beach? At night?"

"Yeah, I know it's a little spontaneous, but I promise it'll be worth it," I said, giving her a reassuring smile.

The drive felt surreal, the moonlight casting a silver glow over the road as we made our way toward the coast. My mind was a flurry of emotions—anticipation, hope, and a hint of fear. This was it; I was about to take a leap that could change everything.

When we arrived at the beach, the sound of waves crashing against the shore greeted us. I parked the car and took Gianna's hand as we stepped out into the cool night air. The stars twinkled above us, and the moon cast a shimmering path over the water, creating a magical ambiance.

"Wow, it's beautiful," Gianna said, taking a deep breath of the salty air. She looked at me, her eyes wide with wonder, and I couldn't help but grin at how perfect she looked under the starlit sky.

"It is," I agreed, but all I could focus on was her.

I led her down to the water's edge, we stood there for a moment, simply taking it all in. The world felt like it had faded away, leaving just the two of us in this moment.

As Gianna gazed out at the ocean, her back turned to me, I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of what I was about to do.

Typically, I should had asked for the brides hand in marriage from her father, but Gianna's dad was a shitty one, he was out of her life for a reason.

My heart raced as I reached into my pocket, feeling the small velvet box nestled there. I knelt down in the sand, my pulse quickening with each passing second.

I had chosen the beach because of the amount of significant things that had happened to the both of us here, when we first got together, where she used to come with her mother and now where I proposed.

"Amore?" I said softly, my voice almost lost to the sound of the waves. She turned slightly, glancing back at me on my knees with a look of curiosity.

Her breath caught, and I could see her body tense with anticipation, but I needed to make this moment special.

"Gianna, I've never been more sure of anything in my life," I said, my voice steady despite the pounding in my chest. "You've brought something into my world that I didn't know I was missing, i never thought that I'd ever be in love or even have it given to me, but then you walked into my life, i met your kindness, bravery and stubbornness. Gianna, I can't imagine my future without you."

Gianna clasped a hand over her mouth, a sob bleeding through and her eyes went watery.

"Gianna Rostova," I continued, "Will you marry me?"

"Yes! Yes, of course, I'll marry you!" she exclaimed, her voice breaking with emotion, she jumped up and down with happiness and tears of happiness pouring from her cheeks.

I slid the ring on to her finger, it fit perfectly.

Relief and joy washed over me as I stood, pulling her into my arms. Gianna melted against me, her heart beating against mine, and I could feel the warmth of our the moment enveloping us like a blanket.

"I can't believe this is happening!" she laughed, tears streaming down her cheeks as she pulled back to look at me. "You're serious?"

"More than ever," I replied, my heart soaring. "I love you, amore."

"I love you too," she whispered, her smile radiant as she wiped away her tears.

We stood there, wrapped up in each other, the waves crashing around us, the stars twinkling above. It was perfect, just like her.