Page 126 of Heart of a Villain

“Your restaurant.”

She pulled out of his hold. “What did you just say?”

“I’ve risked my life, sometimes in very close calls, to make the sums that I did,” he explained. “It’s more than enough for us both. After all this time, I think you now deserve to have your own place. To be in charge. So, I bought this restaurant, and it’s here for you when you’re ready.”

Stunned into silence, she looked around again, this time from a different vantage point. Had it not been for years on the run, she might have already had something. It wouldn’t have been as beautiful as this, but it would have been hers. This, she would have still been dreaming about.

“Adrían, I don’t know what to…” Her hands were trembling so much that she had to squeeze them together. “Thank you, baby. Thank you so much.”

“There’s something else. You’ve made all of this effort to learn my songs and the language I was born speaking, so I asked Ayesha about that song she was singing to Tiare.” He pressed a few buttons on his phone, and instead of the phone speaker, the music lifted around them.

She frowned. “Wait, I know this song.”

“Ayesha said it was very popular.”

“No.” She closed her eyes. “No, no. Somebody used to sing this to me. A man.”

“A who?”

“When I was little, Adrían. Calm down.”

“Ayesha said her father used to sing this to her all the time.”

She opened her eyes. “My father. I think…I think I remember his voice.” She hummed the last couple of opening lines. “Oh my god, Adrían. I think it was him.”

“I learned it for nothing, then. I’d planned to sing it to you.”

“Yes, don’t do that. You’ll ruin the moment.”

His jaw dropped. “I have had bullets hurt less.”

“I know, and I’m sorry.”

He pulled her back against him, swaying again, their gazes locked, and this man was her all, her everything.

“I love you, Adrían.”

“Not more than I love you,” he said. “We might forever be in competition.”

“It’s a good problem to have. But, in honor of your wonderful gift, I will let you sing a few lines.”

His eyes lit up. “Really?”

“You’re adorable.”

His eyes lit up further. “Oh, wait. It’s time. This is my favorite part.”

He cleared his throat and puffed up his chest.

“Say you love gnats, gnats forever, never stop, wrap me in whatever, near but far not always, everywhere and every?—”

“Hold on, say you love what?”

He continued. “Say you love gnats, gnats forever. Never stop, wrap me in whatever…”

“Babe, stop. Just stop.”

He sang louder.