"I love you, Fabricio Sandrino Pugliesi Russo, I know that now," I said, and I saw as his eyes widened, and filled with disbelief. "I know what love is now, my mother taught me... I love you."

He stood up so fast the chair flung back and hit against the wall. He strode over to me, grabbing my arm that was folded over my chest, and smashed his lips against mine.

"I love you too," he said, not breaking his lips from mine, "I have waited so long for you."

I pulled away from him, and we just looked into eachother's eyes for a moment or two. "Fuck me."

He chuckled, and it was music to my ears. After multiple rounds of pretty rough, but passionate as fuck, sex, over the desk, against the wall, on the chair, all over the office, we got in the car and started to drive home.

"Happy birthday by the way," he smiled, glancing over at me, before looking back at the road.

"Fuck, I'm twenty-five now. I'm old."

"I'm twenty-six, what does that make me?" he smiled.

"A bloody grandpa." This made him laugh.

Inside the house was all of the family, plus Nadia and Dimitri, who I guess are basically family, sat in the longue, looking really damn sad.

"Why does everyone look so pissed off?" I asked, and every head snapped up to look at me, then over to Fabricio, then down to where we were holding hands. "I was in the country before midnight, and I was in the warehouse before midnight too, just spent some time with the Don," I shrugged my shoulders, and felt Fabricio lightly squeeze my hand.

"You came back!" exclaimed many people in the room, and they all ran over to me and hugged me.

"I was always going to come back, what's the big deal?" I chuckled.

"You're pretty unpredictable," grinned Dimitri.

"I knew she was coming," smiled Nadia, as Dimitri put his arm around her shoulders.

"Happy birthday, my dear," Donna said, hugging me, "now get some sleep! You have a huge day today!" She ushered me upstairs, and I couldn't stop grinning.

"I'll make sure, she, um, gets to bed okay," said Fabricio, met with many laughs and "of course you will"s by the family.

I felt his hand in the small of my back as we made our way up the stairs.

"So, where are you sleeping tonight Fabricio?" I asked, smirking slightly.

"Wherever you are," he smirked back at me.

"What if I was to sleep in a tent, on the ground?"

"Can't be more uncomfortable than that damned fold-up bed in the hospital room." We both chuckled. He grabbed my hand and lead me up to his room, where we both undressed and got into pyjamas, of sorts. I wore one of his t-shirts and a pair of his boxers, and he just wore boxers. He walked over to me, and put his hands under my top, so his hands were resting skin-on-skin on my waist. "So, Savannah, you told me you loved me," he raised an eyebrow, playing with me.

"Only after you told me like a million times," I stuck my tongue out at him.

"You really mean it?" he turned serious.

"I really mean it. You really mean it?"

He didn't answer, he just pulled me closer and kissed me passionately. Then he told me he really meant it.

"Oi, I don't want to be tired tomorrow for whatever your mother has planned!" I complained, as he brushed kisses all over my face, jaw and neck.

"When are we getting that secluded cabin," he said in between kisses, but not stopping.

"After Christmas," I giggled. What the fuck? I giggled. Who even am I?

"Did you just giggle?" he asked, trying is best to hold in a laugh.

"I don't know what came over me," I tried my best to look angry, but I don't think it worked, because he just burst into laughter.

"The big, bad assassin just giggled... this is priceless!" I punched him in the arm, and he yelped in pain.

"You're sleeping on the floor." He tried to complain but I put a hand up and stopped him from talking. "No discussions." I grabbed two of the pillows from the bed, and a blanket that was draped over the sofa, and put them on the floor, at the end of the bed. Then I moved my pillows into the middle of the bed, and proceeded to starfish. He grumbled a bit, but accepted his fate.

When I woke up, there was a heavy arm draped across me, hot breath falling on the back of my neck, and legs intertwined with mine.

"FABRICIO!" I yelled, and he got up instantly.

"What? What's wrong? Baby?" he scanned the room, looking for danger.

"YOU! You're supposed to be on the floor!"

"I must've sleepwalked," he smirked, making me only angrier. "Come on, you can't get angry at me for sleepwalking."

"I hate you."

"I love you too," he grabbed my face and kissed me. "Happy birthday. Stay here." He got up and left to go into his walk-in wardrobe. He came back out with bags and bags of presents.

"What the fuck is this?" I asked.

"It's your birthday!" he grinned, his smile reaching from ear to ear, which only made me smile too. I opened the presents in the order he handed them to me. The first lot were bags, some shoes, and some jewellery, as well as a stunning ballgown.

"It's for the New Year's Eve ball. Every year there are two balls for all of the mafia men, one on New Year's, one at some point in summer. You crashed the summer one, which was masquerade themed."

"I can't wait to go," I leant over and kissed him lightly. The next present he gave me was a charm bracelet, but it wasn't just a random one, it was carefully chosen. There were five charms on it. The first charm was the letter 'F', studded in diamonds that glistened in the sun, standing for 'Fabricio', obviously. The next charm was a bear's head, with two diamonds in the eyes, which he said was because he thought I was strong, cunning and had pure power. Next to that was a knife, with what looked like a ruby in the hilt. Then there was a little crown, with different coloured jewels embedded into it, because he said I was a queen, which made me blush. I have never blushed before. The penultimate charm was a handgun, and looked like a Smith and Wesson one. The final charm was, of course, a white rose, dotted with tiny diamonds that made it sparkle, with one tiny ruby, looking like a droplet of blood.

"I love it," I said, looking up at him. I tried to put it on with one hand, but failed, and he helped me.

"This bracelet represents the assassin in you, but this represents the you I see and love," he brought out another box. Inside was a necklace with a black swan pendant. "A black swan can represent spiritual love, and freedom. They are aggressive, but very elegant and graceful, just like you when you are fighting, but they are also loyal, to their partner, and their family, just like you. I am also fairly sure they can't cook." He chuckled, making me absolutely grin like a Cheshire cat.

"I love it more," I put it around my neck. "Who's my partner then?" I said, raising an eyebrow.

"Me?" he looked sheepish.

"Is that you asking to be my boyfriend?" I took his chin and lifted his head so he was looking at me.

"Maybe."

"Yes, you can be my boyfriend," I smiled, and he grabbed me into a huge hug and didn't let go.

"You have more stuff, but those are for Christmas."

"SHIT!" I sat bolt upright. I forgot about Christmas. I never celebrate it, so I never need to buy anyone anything, but fuck, Christmas. FUCK. Loretta's birthday, I hadn't even gotten her anything. Fuck. FUckkckckkckckckfifkkcufkck.

"Don't worry baby, I got you something for Loretta, you can give it to her on Christmas, she won't mind. No one will mind. You were in a coma, don't forget that, no one else has," he stroked my back, and I relaxed slightly.

"I need to go shopping." I stood up, went to my room, had a quick shower and got changed. I quickly grabbed a set of car keys from the garage, but was met with the stern faces of Loretta and Nadia on the other side of the garage door as I opened it.

"Where are you going?" asked Nadia.

"Shopping."

"No, Donna has set you out a lovely breakfast. We will go after," stated Nadia.

"You aren't my boss anymore," I raised my eyebrow at her.

"Please, please, let me come with you," said Loretta.

"You can," I indicated to Loretta, "you can't," I said as I looked at Nadia.

"We will see about that."