For a second, he just stared at me, like he didn't quite believe it. Then suddenly, he pulled me into his arms, holding me so tight I could barely breathe. His body was actually shaking. The silver ring on his right hand pressed cold against my spine where his fist clenched the fabric of my dress.
"Arianna," he whispered into my hair, his voice raw, "don't ever leave me. I thought for a moment you were going to disappear. I can't… I can't live without you."
I rested my hand lightly on his back, pretending to soothe him. On the outside, I smiled faintly, calm and steady. Inside, though, my heart was already somewhere else. I knew the truth. I was leaving soon.
That afternoon, while he was tied up with the Family's capos in the war room on the second floor, I slipped away. I went straight to the consulate office and signed the last of my papers. My hands were trembling, but my mind had never been clearer.