Never Giving Up

Chapter 38

"Shouldn't that have already been done by now? She is the only person left to investigate after all."

"We thought we might have gotten somewhere with the investigators before now but they keep hitting dead ends with every new lead they get." He sits back further in his seat. "If they do put a warrant out, the chances of finding her become greater because people will know what she looks like and will contact the police with a location."

"Seems like that's the only thing that's left to do."

"Seems like it," he agrees quietly.

His gaze drifts off me then falls to look at the drawers at the side of his desk. He stares intensely at them for a long time, his thumbs twiddling from where his hands are clasped together on his lap. His chest rises and falls as he breathes and I narrow my eyes at him.

"Luca," I start, concern lacing the words that come from my mouth, "are you sure everything is okay?"

No response.

"Luca."

He instantly snaps out of his gaze and reaches out to open the top drawer of his desk. He picks something up, closes the drawer, then places the object on the desk in front of me. His hand lingers on the object before he releases it and sits back more professionally in the seat.

"That," he begins, pointing to the velvet blue ring box in front of me, "is the ring I was going to propose to you with nine years ago."

I stare at the box with wide eyes then back to Luca. He clasps his hands together and rests his elbows on the desk, his hands covering his mouth as he continues to stare at the box. "Why are you showing me this the now?"

"I wanted you to see that ring-" He quickly pushes back from the desk, stands up, and makes his way around the desk, all the while pointing to the box that's sitting in front of me. "-because it will show you how much things have changed when I offer you-" He stops next to me. I watch him closely as he reaches a hand into his trouser pocket and pulls out a second box. My eyes widen and he drops to one knee, both of his hands on the other box. "-this one."

He opens the black velvet box and my mouth falls open in shock. I didn't mean for it to do so but I can't help it. My left hand flies up to cover my mouth and I blink rapidly as a way to prevent myself from crying happy tears.

He's proposing to me and for all we've spoken about this – me more so with others – I can't believe he's actually going to do this right here, right now, in his office where anyone can walk in at any moment.

"Luca," I breathe, readjusting my sitting position so I can look at him more directly.

I can't find the words to say to him. There are some that I should say but there isn't any at this point in time. They've failed me.

"After what happened in London, I didn't think I'd get the chance to do this. There were so many horrifying thoughts that clouded my mind when I didn't know where you were or what would happen when Terence was chasing you. I fully admit that I thought I'd lose you for good then. I thought I'd get a phone call from the police telling me that one of my drivers was dead and so was the passenger who was in the car with him.

"But seeing you walk into my home office . . . You have no idea how much relief I had rushing through my body just knowing that you were safe. That I could reach out and touch you. Just knowing you were in my grasp, I knew things would be fine. I knew that if I didn't do this now, I may never get another to do so."

He adjusts his grip on the box, taking a quick glance around his office.

"It's not how I wanted to do this. It's not how I ever pictured doing this, but it's now or never."