A MONTH HAD PASSED. A month of FBI interviews and interrogations, a month of repeating the same things over and over. Ilaria had been sick of it but when they told her that her and Kai had been wrong about there being a partner - she didn't know if she should be happy or dissapointed.

The month had exhausted Ilaria down to her bones, between school, the FBI - she also had to deal with her mother and Tate's unending questions and scolding about the dangers she'd put herself in.

The conclusion that there was no partner didn't make sense to her but she never argued it - they were the FBI after all and Michael was being sentenced for life, Elle had informed her that he would eventually be put on death row.

That satisfied Ilaria enough to ignore the twisted feeling that things still weren't quite over.

Once they'd bid their farewells to the agents, Ilaria had grown oddly fond of, she immediately jumped into Kai's arms, she wrapped her legs around him and squeeled as he spun her around.

"Holy shit." he grinned setting her down, he kissed her slowly"We did it, agent. We fucking did it."

"we did, didn't we?" she grinned, she liked the word we alot lately. One could argue that it was her favorite.

She felt like a massive load had finally fell off her shoulders. Ilaria stared at Kai a smile still playing on her lips.

"That date." Kai began "How about tonight?"

"Tonight? Like tonight, like In a couple of hours?" she asked and Kai nodded frantically.

"Okay" she grinned, she didn't want to prolong it anymore anyway.

Ilaria pulled Kai into one last kiss before leaving him to go see Rose "Wear a dress!" he called behind her.

"We'll see" she called back as she left.

♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎

Rose hugged her so tightly, Ilaria was afraid she'd pass out. She tapped her friends shoulder "Let go."

Rose pulled back, green eyes shining with tears "You got him, Ilaria." she wiped at her tears and suddenly glared at her "But I'm still pissed you went through with it in the first place, anything could have happened."

Ilaria wiped her friends tears "Can we just be happy the monster is finally gone?"

"I've got cake!" Her friend exclaimed as she went to the kitchen, Ilaria sat at the island and watched her cut the cake and fill glasses.

"Where'd you get that?" Ilaria asked eyeing the champagne.

"Stole it from my mom" Rose giggled and handed Ilaria a glass "We had to have something to celebrate with."

They clinked their glasses together and Ilaria swallowed down the hot champagne, twisting her face in an expression of disgust "Why do people like that shit?" she asked and Rose laughed still sipping on her own glass.

"I like it."

"you have poor taste buds."

Rose rolled her eyes and Ilaria grinned "Kai and I are going on our first date."

"When?" Rose squeeled "It's about fucking time."

"Tonight"

"Tonight!" this time she exclaimed in horror "What time tonight!?"

"8?" Ilaria said as she watched her friend lose her nerves "Why are you so jumpy?"

"Do you even have an outfit?" Rose threw her hands up and dragged Ilaria to her room "It's going to be 8 in 2 hours!"

Her friend began throwing a bunch of dresses at her, Ilaria didn't know where they were going and she told Rose this so as to not over dress or under dress.

When Rose threw a gold satin dress her way Ilaria nodded "This one." she held the dress up to the light "This one's beautiful"

Rose dragged Ilaria off her bed and shooed her to the bathroom to shower, in the mean time Ilaria threw on leggings and a plain shirt. They didn't want to mess makeup on the dress.

No sooner had she been dressed had Rose sat her down infront of her vanity and began turning her head at every angle that was humanly possible.

"I think we should just heat curl it" Rose nodded to herself, Ilaria never interjected - Rose became insufferable when it was time for a 'makeover'.

They decided to do Ilaria's hair after her makeup and once her dress was on so that the curls never messed up.

Rose didnt do her makeup too extravagantly but she sure did a great job. She did a light smoky eye with winged eyeliner, she decided on clear lip gloss and red blush with highlighter. As simple as it was Ilaria thought, for the first time in a long time, she felt beautiful.

When the clock struck 7:00pm Ilaria quickly pulled on her dress, Rose helped her zip up the back and Ilaria analyzed herself in the mirror. The dress dipped slightly in the front and hugged her hips perfectly - it ended mid thigh, it complimented her figure well.

Rose gave her a thin gold waist chain that Ilaria added to the dress, it made it look even better.

She also paired it with simple diamond earrings and a few rings, she decided against a necklace since that felt quite too much.

Rose curled her hair and by the time she was done, it was 7:45pm and her stomach was swarming with nervous butterflies, her hands were even sweaty.

Why was she so nervous? They were already dating anyway, she had nothing to be nervous about.

"Are you sure my makeup looks fine?" She asked Rose as she peered at herself in the mirror.

"You look amazing, now shut up" Rose rolled her eyes "I think boywonder just pulled up"

And indeed, he did. Ilaria grabbed her bag off Rose's chair and followed her friend downstairs as the doorbell rang.

Rose answered the door, Kai didn't so much as glance at her as his eyes immediatley found Ilaria's. Her cheeks heated as they traveled her body, she didn't feel self conscious though - Kai never made her feel that way.

He made her feel like she was the moon and the stars and that was precisely how he was looking at her then. Like she was a beauty he'd never full be able to comprehend.

If some people were paintings, Ilaria was a museum.

When he finally dragged his eyes away from her, like it was a major struggle to him Rose began babbling on about how if he ever hurt her friend she'd find him and kill him herself.

Ilaria let out a laugh behind her friend and Kai grinned, eyes piercing into hers.

Rose pushed Ilaria infront of her and out of the door "Okay go now I'm tired of watching you two eye fuck each other." and with that she shut the door.

Kai chuckled and stopped Ilaria infront of her door, he pulled her in by the waist, Ilaria's skin burned where his hands were and then he kissed her, like a man starved.

When he finally pulled away he traced her lips. "You have no idea what you do to me."

Ilaria's cheeks burned, she didn't answer. He trapped her briefly as he leaned around her to open the door and gesture her in.

When he got in the car Ilaria plugged in her phone and asked "Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

"You're not kidnapping me, are you?"

"Would you let me?"

"It wouldn't be kidnapping then." Ilaria deadpanned and Kai laughed "Fair point."

♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎

"Kai Romano is a romantic." Ilaria laughed, gawking at the lights he'd strung up in the trees, the candles surrounding the blankets, the food - all of her favorites "How did you manage this?"

"Its a small town" Kai said "I didn't want it to be too fancy, I know that sort of thing makes you uncomfortable. I hope this is okay?" he asked, a tinge of pink covering his cheeks.

"it's perfect"

After eating themsleves stuffed, they collapsed on the blanket - Ilaria lay with her head on Kai's chest as they looked up at the stars.

It was things like stars that reminded her of the beauty of life, things like stars - and the boy next to her.

Ilaria wasn't sure how much time passed when Kai decided to sit up.

"I know you said no gifts." He began and Ilaria punched his shoulder "You just don't like following instructions, do you?"

"In my defense, I didn't promise or agree" he grinned at her and pulled out something gold.

It was a bracelet, he handed it to Ilaria "I got it made, just for you. I chose gold because I know you like it more than silver."

Ilaria didn't look at her hand "Kai, how much was it - I can't -"

"Yes you can" he pleaded with her "You don't want to break my fragile little heart now do you?"

Ilaria finally looked down at the bracelet in her hand, it was cold to the touch - the front had their initials.

Ilaria smiled despite herself.

K + I

Kai and Ilaria.
Ilaria and Kai.

"Look at the back" Kai whispered and Ilaria flipped it over.

In small writing it read "I'll choose us. In every lifetime."

When she looked back up at him he took the bracelet from her and clasped it on her wrist "I'll never take it off" she told him and his whole face lit up.

Ilaria moved onto his lap and kissed him deeply, she let that kiss say everything she was too scared to. She let it tell him.

I love you.
I love you.
I'll always love you.

Ilaria buried her hands in his hair and tugged on it causing a soft groan to pass his lips.

Their hands were everywhere, Ilaria was getting frustrated with the clothes between them but Kai stopped her when she tugged on his shirt.

He shook his head "Not here"

"Then take me home." she kissed his neck, as fast as they could, both of them flustered with hearts beating erratically they shoved everything in the back of Kai's car.

Once they found themselves back in Kai's room, they gravitated towards each other like magnets. Kai left kisses down her neck and pulled away to allow Ilaria to pull his shirt off.

She traced the scars that were left there 3 years ago and kissed them, she'd love every part of him. She'd make sure he never doubted that he deserved that love.

It didn't take long for Ilaria to step out of her dress, Kai pulled her down to the bed and balanced his elbows on either side of her head, for a moment, he just stared at her.

"you're sure about this?" he whispered and Ilaria nodded, with that he brought his lips back to hers.

That night, he kissed every part of her, memorized every part of her and she kissed every part of him, memorized every part of him.

It wasn't just their bodies that came together, it was their souls too, that moulded together and became one. He branded himself in her soul.

Ilaria couldn't get enough of it, she was experiencing the best high of her life and she wanted to overdose.

A little more than that, even.

♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎

Hey heyyy

So so so sorry for the rob 😭You guys are probably so pissed. I'm sorry but I just can't write Smut - I tried! I really did - buttt I hope this shows that you can show that intimacy and bond without writing full blown Smut lmfao.

In my defense, you guys got a quadruple update so??? Cut a girl some slack 😭

What do you guys think of this chapter?

I hope you guys enjoyed it 🤍

And let the chaos officially begin! (maybe get your tissues ready for these next 10 chapters) 😭😭

All my love
Saali ❤️