The Feeling is Mutual, Love.

3. Mutual Ground

Two Days Later:
With a heavy heart and hand Joseph knocks on the Stone's door. After telling the servant he was here for Giavanna he patiently waited for her near the door.

She came downstairs only to realize she was a bit over dressed. With him wearing jeans and white t-shirt and a black blazer over and her wearing a evening gown, upon her fathers request.

After changing into a simple black dress the two headed to Joseph's car. Joseph making no effort to be gentlemanly or courteous. The dead air between them feeding into their tempers, making them angrier about the whole situation.

Then out of nowhere, with no apparent reasoning Joseph placed his hand on Giavanna to hold her in place. He began to drive faster, drifting around the corner then drifting into a available parking spot. Quickly shutting off the engine.

I felt and heard Gia wiggle and complain under my hand. "We are being followed." She stops moving while I use my free hand to point the cars out to her.

' Those are not my men...' Her words only thickened the air around us. This was a different type of thickness though. 'Jo, get the fuck off my boob!'

"What?" I turn towards her "Oh, I am sorry." I am not, I move my hand and return my focus to the now empty street. I take out my phone to alert my men; from my perfil vision I can see her do the same.

I slowly pull out of the parking spot and begin to drive again. Again that dreaded silence formed between us. So, I pull over once more and face her.

"We are not going to spend the rest of the night in silence. We have a long night and important one ahead of us. I do not care if you yell or threaten to kill me for the rest of the night! Just do not ignore me!"

We stared at each other for a long time before she grudgingly sighed and looked down. ' Okay' I could feel a ghost smile or smirk play on my face before giving her a curt nod and driving off again.

They arrive at the crowded restaurant and Gia actually wraps her arm around Joseph's. The moment their arms touch they stare at each other in shock and awe.

They both felt it, an electrical pulse that ran up and down up and down their arms.

Choosing to ignore it they walked past the crowd and into the restaurant. They had a reservation so they were seated immediately. As soon as Giavanna's arm slipped away from Joseph's he immediately began to miss that feeling it brought him.

They sat in silence for a few more minutes "I am sorry about the other day..." Giavanna's voice was monotone but her face was sincere.

It slightly confused Joseph but he still accepted her apology. "Well, you have done worse." A playful look formed in his eyes as he chuckled. "So, how is the ever so smooth and charming Joseph Zwon going to do this?"

It was clear Gia was being sarcastic. As she stared at me with a blank face but a violent look in her eyes. I preferred this to the silence of the other night. "Actually..." I look around.

"I know our fathers wanted this to be a public affair, but this...." My eyes return to hers "... This is bit too public for my taste." I suddenly notice a look of disappointment and anger play on her face as she looks down.

'Why can we not just call this whole thing off?' "I HAVE NO CHOICE!" My angry words flew out of my mouth before I could comprehend that her words were more to herself then they were to me.

She stares at me for a second or two. Both of us soon notice everyone now staring at us. She purses her lips, and glares at me, telling me off in Italian before running off and out of the restaurant.

Joseph pays the bill then goes to chase after her. The waiters and some other men blocking his path. He took a few steps back as if to back off.

Then without warning charged straight at them, and flew right through the little barricade they tried to form. Some of the men even chased him down a few blocks before he managed to lose them.

He still continued to run around, now in search for Giavanna. Eventually he stopped and sat on the curb, taking out a cigarette and lightning it. "Well it took you long enough to get here..."

I looked up and could not help but smile as I found Gia standing before me. Arms crossed over her chest before she bent down and took the cigarette from my mouth and stomped it out.

I opened my mouth to say something 'You curse way too fucking much too.' She sits next to me on the curb and takes a deep breath as a cool night breeze passes us by. A light chuckle escapes my lips as I enjoy the breeze with her.

'This was actually a really good plan Jo. I just hope our little skit helped us actually lose our followers.' I came up with it in the car. I then safely texted it to her and my men on a secure line when I told them we were being followed.

'So now what? We still need to do what our fath-' "Do not worry about it." I stand and help her up "let us just enjoy this moment of freedom, while it still lasts." She gives me a curt nod as we begin to walk.

I gave her my blazer despite her trying to fight me on it. We walked in peace for long time; just taking in the beautiful night. We stopped walking once we reached the boardwalk of Loyola Beach to stare at the reflection of the full moon glistening in the water.

"It is beautiful." She stares at me with her eyes wide; her face looked as though I had said it in Russian and her brain was now trying to translate.

She let out a confused laugh before looking back at the water. 'Well Jo, it would seem as though we have found some mutual ground to stand on tonight.'

There are others on the beach, beach bums, couples, and families. It is just the right amount to satisfy our fathers wills. I see my men walk up with hers just on time too.

Gently I place my hand on her shoulder and force myself to ignore the Sparks that fly from the small gesture. I take a breath, this mutual ground of ours would have to be solid enough to support our coming future.

"Giavanna, I can not promise you love, but I can promise you that I will try."

I kneel down on one knee and stare up at her, her hand in mine. I can feel every ones eyes on us " I promise to be loyal, and to protect your life with mine. I promise that, regardless of our past and even the things we may do in the future, I will always try to make this works between us." I take a small box out of my pocket and open it up.

I can not believe I am actually going through with this.

"Giavanna Stone? Will you give me the honor of being my wife?"