Chapter 64

*1232 Ocean Drive*

**"Ciao Grace, do** you think we can talk? And is Silva here?" Nikolai hugged and placed a kiss on Grace's cheek when he walked into the main house kitchen that Grace was standing in.

She nodded before replying, "Silva is here, what do you want to talk about?" Nikolai rubbed his hands together and asked Grace if they could all talk in Silva's office.

She silently replied by leading Nikolai down the hall to the office where he first officially met Silva as Tatiana's boyfriend. Silva was once again shouting on the phone in Italian which caused Grace to roll her eyes.

They both took a seat in front of Silva’s desk when he pointed to them before holding up one finger, asking for a minute.

After what felt like 10 minutes Silva silently put the phone on the table before standing up to place a kiss on Grace's cheek and shakes Nikolai’s hand. Then taking his seat again behind the big wooden desk.

"I came to ask you guys something." Silva nodded and waved for Nikolai to continue. Nikolai stood up and took out the small red velvet ring box out of his leather jacket.

He opened the box before showing it to Grace and Silva. Silva glared at the box while Grace gasped and grinned.

"I would like to ask you permission in asking for Tatiana's hand." Silva silently glowered at the box before looking up to Nikolai. Still not saying anything Silva stood up and walked closer to him.

It suspiciously looked like Silva was about to attack Nikolai. When he was a hair's breath away from Nikolai he placed a hand on his shoulder a squeezed.

In a calm voice, Silva stated, "Took you long enough." Nikolai sighed while Silva and Graced burst out in laughter.

Grace patted the seat next to her and asked Nikolai to sit. "So how are you going to do it?" Silva asked after taking his seat again.

"Well, actually that was another reason I was here. I have a few ideas but I would like second opinions." Grace nodded and grinned "Molto, tell me your idea's (Good)."

"Well, I thought of a picnic proposal, a walk in the wood's proposal, a beach proposal. I'm just not sure exactly which one because I would like to have you there and maybe a few friends."

Silva and Grace both nodded and stayed silent. It was like a light bulb exploded above Grace's head. She started rapidly talking in Italian but Nikolai just stared at her because he didn't understand a word she was saying. When she was done she took a deep breath and grinned at Nikolai as she forgot for a second that he could not understand Italian.

"Okay, let's try that again, but in English this time." Nikolai words caused her to laugh and shake her head.

"We have a family friend that takes pictures for a living. So what if you tell Tatiana that you got a photographer. It's going to be a couples and friendship photo shoot. We'll say the photographer is our friend and that's why we are there."

Nikolai grinned and thought about how perfect it would be. Their friends would be there, Grace and Silva as well and Tatiana would not expect it. It would be the perfect proposal. Nikolai himself couldn't think of any better way to do it and make sure that the most important people in their lives are there.

« • x • x • x • »

"Love, are you done? We need to get going, the shoot starts at 4 pm!" Nikolai shouted from downstairs hoping it would reach her ears. "I'm right here." Nikolai jumped out of his skin and turned around.

Tatiana was standing behind him looking gorgeous. She was dressed in a white dress with a slit that reached mid-thigh. The dress had a gold belt in the middle where the lace started moving up over her shoulders.

Nikolai was dressed in a navy blue suit with a white button-down shirt and had a burgundy tie with white dots on it.

"Oh, okay let's go!" Nikolai was starting to sweat everywhere and maybe getting a little nervous too. If all worked out perfectly they would take a few group photos, then Olivia and Gabe would take photos together before Kade and Rose. After then Nikolai and Tatiana would take photos and as the sun sets he'll get on one knee as the photographer keeps taking photos, and pop the question.

« • x • x • x • »

"Okay so the sun is setting, it's time for the last and final couple to take photos." The photographer, Eden, proclaimed as he ushered Tatiana and Nikolai closer to the beach.

They posed and laughed in all the funniest positions. Eden also made them pose where Nikolai kissed her and where Tatiana kissed his cheek. He made Nikolai pick Tatiana up and stare down at her.

Finally, it was time. Nikolai nodded to everybody and they took their positions. The photographer took the two of them under the gazebo and told them to stand with Tatiana in front of Nikolai and Nikolai behind her. Nikolai placed a kiss on her shoulder.

Eden told them to turn so that he could see both their bodies but with Tatiana looking to the side so she couldn't see Nikolai. Nikolai went down on one knee and he snapped a few photos. The photographer told Tatiana to face Nikolai but with closed eyes.

He held out the ring and showed a thumbs up to the camera as her eyes were closed. When the photographer stated that he was done, he had already turned the camera on video to record the next few moments of their lives.

Tatiana opened her eyes and stared down at Nikolai, her lips parted.

"So I love you. I love you so much, words can't describe it. I want to spend the rest of my life with you and with nobody else. I want to buy you roses for no reason, send you loving texts whenever I feel like it. I want to take you for picnics at a lake or for a late night drive. You are physically and emotionally all I want. You're the first thing I think of every morning, and the last thing on my mind every night. My heart stops when you look at me and I have to catch my breath every time I see you. I know this is not going to be easy. I know we are going to have to work at this every day but I want to do it because I want to be with you. I want it to be you and me forever. Every morning when I look into your eyes, it's like falling in love all over again. And without you, my life is nothing. I fell for you unexpectedly but now I plan to be with you forever."

Nikolai swallowed nervously after the speech that he'd been preparing for the last week.

"So, in front of your parents and our friends, I want to ask you Tatiana Aksakor, if you would do me the unbelievable honour of becoming my wife and my forever?"

A smile broke out on Tatiana’s face and tears started running down her cheeks as she nodded her head. Nikolai stood up and she jumped into his arms.

"That was so unbelievably cheesy. But I loved it. I love you!"

In the last few years that Nikolai had known Tatiana, he learned that she is a hard shell to crack. Nikolai found out that she didn’t do the love thing but that she had a soft spot for a few selective people. Her closest friends, her family, the mafia and finally for him.

Nikolai was going to protect her. She would be his weakness and he would be hers. Outside of their little bubble, they’d both be cold hard people but just have soft spots for each other.

**Copyright © 2018 by Grace Write**