Page 115 of Mafioso's Muse

And just like that, she was his again. That realisation was everything. She was the only true addiction he had. The only one he would never recover from. That was why he would bulletproof them against the world. He would protect her heart and mind as if they were his own.

Breaking the kiss, he held her head to his chest. ‘You’re loved. You’re safe.’

Willow entwined her fingers with his. ‘I never thought I’d have a moment like this with you again after everything that happened.’

His thumb stroked the back of her hand. ‘Well, now you get thousands more just like it.’

They remained there for a long time, quietly loving each other while the world carried on around them. When the wind picked up, Willow burrowed into him. He covered as much of her with as much of him as he could. Only when she started to tremble did he open the car door and usher her inside.

‘Afternoon, Miss Hayes,’ Finn said into the rear-view mirror, a faint smile on his face.

She met his gaze in the mirror. ‘Hello. I’ve really missed these heated seats.’

‘I turned them on just for you,’ the driver replied. ‘Where to?’

Willow looked at Vaughn. ‘I don’t really feel like going home yet. I just got you back.’

Vaughn didn’t consider himself an overly empathetic person, but when Willow was afraid or hurting, he felt that fear or pain as if it were his own. ‘Come to my apartment. Stay there until you know with certainty, until it’s imprinted on yourvery soul, that any separation is temporary.’

She suppressed a smile. ‘Okay.’

Vaughn dragged her to his side of the car, then pulled the middle belt across her, clicking it into place as the car pulled away from the kerb. Willow leaned her head against his shoulder, and he kissed the top of it as they headed to his apartment.

Epilogue

October 2025

The newly opened Star Theatre was a blend of modern design and old-world opulence. It was the perfect setting for Willow’s debut as Michaela inCarmen. The fact that Lili was one of the principal dancers that season was the icing on the cake. Who else could bring the necessary level of tenacity to Carmen? Liliana Chén had been born for the role.

Vaughn sat in his usual box. The new velvet seats provided luxurious comfort, blending seamlessly with the fresh interior. There was no better theatre in Melbourne.

His gaze travelled to the box on the other side of the space, where Willow’s mother and brother sat with their eyes glued to the stage. Vaughn was very cautious when it came to them. He didn’t socialise with them in public, because he didn’t want them connected to his family in any way. So when they did fly down, they met only in the privacy of their homes.

His own parents had insisted on being front row and centre to the stage. ‘I want to be as close to Willow as possible,’ his mother had insisted. ‘See every expression on that pretty face of hers up close.’

While Vaughn enjoyed seeing her face up close, too, being far away from other people was always optimal.

The curtain rose, and Vaughn sipped at his scotch while waiting impatiently for Willow’s variation. It was around the twenty-minute mark when she entered the stage in a black-and-gold dress with a sheer skirt, dancing in a circle around Don José—who was the luckiest dancer in the southern hemisphere in Vaughn’s view. Her body moved effortlessly with the music, her feet light and arms sweeping gracefully. Vaughn sat captivated, just as he’d done the first time he saw her dance. Every person in the audience could feel the love and joy she emanated. It fuelled each movement. One year on, and Willow’s ability to silence an audience had only intensified.

Nigel visited him during intermission, and the pair spoke comfortably. Despite their working association having ended, their relationship had evolved into something resembling friendship. After a lavish reopening, Victoria Ballet had attracted a new breed of young, wealthy patrons—and Vaughn couldn’t have been happier for them. The new creative director Nigel had poached from a dance company in Singapore was possibly the best investment Victoria Ballet had ever made.

That, and a brand-new state-of-the-art stage.

Vaughn sat enthralled through all thirteen numbers. Every scene was as good as the last. When the performance came to an end, he rose to his feet, clapping, while Willow soaked up the applause onstage. Her smile was enormous when it was her turn to curtsy. She looked in Vaughn’s direction as she rose despite being unable to see him due to the bright lights. He hoped she could feel how proud he was.

She stepped back as the principal dancers returned to the stage. No one applauded harder for Lili than Willow. Though admittedly, Vaughn was a close second.

The curtain fell, and Vaughn left the box and headed backstage to find Willow.

The pop of a champagne bottle was one of Willow’s favourite sounds—even if the champagne was alcohol-free since they all had to perform the next day. It was the ritual of celebration and acknowledgement that she loved, and Victoria Ballet’s new creative director, Evan Janek, liked to keep the dancers’ spirits high. He’d worked in director roles all over the world and joined Vic Ballet with a fresh vision and an open heart. Everyone adored him.

‘Here’s to all of you,’ Evan said, raising his glass. ‘I couldn’t be prouder.’

They drank and laughed as they took their costumes off and handed them to the anxious wardrobe crew doing the rounds. Drunk on joy alone, Willow dressed and gathered up her belongings, keen to see Vaughn.

‘You know you have your own dressing room with your name on it,’ Willow said to Lili, a smile on her face.

Lili had brought her bag into the main dressing room. ‘I know. It’s just so lonely at the top.’ Her tone was playful.