VICIOUS DEVOTION

CHAPTER ELEVEN : The Proposal

The Palace Gardens – One Week Later

The garden was bathed in golden light.

Thousands of fairy lights twinkled in the trees. Rose petals—red and white—carpeted the stone pathway. A string quartet played softly from somewhere in the shadows. The entire palace had been transformed into something out of a fairy tale.

Serafina stood at the edge of the garden, her breath caught in her throat.

"What is this?" she whispered.

Dante stepped out from behind a marble fountain. He was dressed in a black tuxedo, his dark hair swept back, his eyes burning with that familiar intensity.

"A surprise," he said. "For you."

She looked around, her heart pounding. "You did all this?"

"I had help." He shrugged. "Your staff adores you. They were happy to assist."

She laughed, tears pricking her eyes. "You're impossible."

"I know." He walked toward her, each step deliberate, predatory. "But you love it."

He stopped in front of her, close enough that she could feel the warmth radiating from his body. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box.

Serafina's heart stopped.

"Dante—"

"I told you I'd ask you properly," he said, his voice rough. "With a ring. And a grand gesture."

He dropped to one knee.

The world fell silent. Even the music seemed to fade.

"Serafina Valerius," he said, his eyes never leaving hers. "You are the most infuriating, brilliant, beautiful woman I have ever met. You are a queen without a crown, a warrior without a sword, a flame that refuses to be extinguished."

He opened the box. Inside was a ring—a massive diamond surrounded by smaller rubies, set in a band of black gold.

"I know we haven't known each other long. I know we're both disasters. I know the world will call us insane." He smiled. "But I also know that I have loved you since the moment I saw you. That I will love you until the day I die. And that I will spend every moment of my life trying to be worthy of you."

He held out the ring.

"Serafina, will you marry me?"

---

She should have said no.

She should have laughed. She should have told him it was too soon, too reckless, too insane.

Instead, she started crying.

"Yes," she whispered. "Yes, you absolute lunatic. Yes."

Dante's face broke into a smile—a real smile, not the smirk, not the mask. Pure, unfiltered joy.

He slid the ring onto her finger. It fit perfectly.

Then he stood, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her.

Behind them, the palace staff erupted into applause. The string quartet played something triumphant. The fairy lights seemed to burn brighter.

And Serafina, Princess of Asteria, kissed her mafia prince and felt, for the first time in her life, that she was exactly where she belonged.

---

Later, they danced in the garden.

The music was soft. The night was warm. The world was perfect.

"I can't believe you did this," she murmured against his chest.

"I told you I would." He kissed the top of her head. "I don't break promises."

"I know." She looked up at him. "That's one of the things I love about you."

"One of them?"

"Don't get cocky."

He laughed. "Too late."

They swayed in silence for a moment. Then Dante's expression shifted—the light dimmed, replaced by something harder.

"What is it?" she asked.

"We need to talk."

Her heart stuttered. "About what?"

He led her to a marble bench, sitting beside her, his hand still wrapped around hers. He looked at her—really looked—and she saw something she'd never seen before.

Fear.

"The Viscardi family has enemies," he said quietly. "You know this. You've always known this. But there's one enemy in particular—one family that's been a thorn in our side for generations. The Marchetti family."

Serafina's blood chilled. "I've heard of them. They're—"

"Ruthless. Powerful. And they want what we have." He paused. "They've been watching me. Watching us. They know about you, Serafina. And they know that you're my weakness."

Her throat tightened. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying they'll come for you. To get to me." He squeezed her hand. "And I need you to be ready."