The RV's interior was quiet again, the echoes of Remy's hysterical laughter and sobbing having faded, leaving a profound, almost sacred stillness. Remy lay in Theo's arms on the plush sofa, her face buried against his chest, her body still trembling occasionally with residual shock and relief. Her tears had finally dried, leaving salty tracks on her cheeks, but her grip on him was fierce, almost desperate.
Theo held her, his heart swelling with a fierce, protective love so potent it stole his breath. He pressed kiss after kiss into her blonde hair, murmuring reassurances in Italian, words he barely understood himself but that felt right, felt like a balm. The reality of it was still settling – she was fine. His Remy, the vibrant, chaotic, life-affirming woman who had somehow kidnapped him and irrevocably altered his world, had a future. A long, beautiful, unburdened future.
Finally, Remy pulled back, her eyes red-rimmed but shining with a brilliant, almost blinding light. A small, shaky laugh escaped her. "A shadow," she whispered, shaking her head in utter disbelief. "My entire 'live every moment like it's your last' philosophy... built on a shadow." Her voice held a note of bewildered wonder, a dawning realization that shifted her entire existence.
"They really tried to reach you, Remy," Theo said gently, his thumb stroking her jaw. "The doctor said they've been calling non-stop."
Remy grimaced. "I know. I saw them. 'Unknown Number.' I just… I couldn't. I figured it was more bad news. More of the same. I just wanted to do my list. Experience everything before… well, you know." She waved a hand vaguely, a self-conscious flush creeping up her neck. "This is... so humiliating. And amazing. And I'm going to sue them for emotional distress. And for all the hot dogs I ate because I thought they were going to be my last."
Theo chuckled, a low, rumbling sound that vibrated through her. "You ate the hot dogs because you like them, Remy."
"Maybe!" she retorted, a flash of her old spirit returning. "But now I can eat them without the existential dread! That changes everything!" She pulled away, sitting up fully, her mind visibly racing, processing this monumental shift. Her hands fluttered, pulling at her hair, rubbing her temples. "My list! It's not a bucket list anymore! It's just… a list! Of things I want to do! I don't have to rush!" Her voice rose in pitch, a giddy, almost frantic energy. "Oh my god, Theo, I can take my time with the world's largest ball of yarn! I can spend weeks arguing with that chupacabra vendor about the ethical sourcing of goat cheese!"
Theo watched her, a profound love shining in his eyes. She was still Remy, still gloriously chaotic, but there was a new kind of light in her, a boundless sense of possibility that he found breathtaking.
"So," Remy said, her gaze intense, suddenly serious. "You… you risked yourself. To find this out. For me."
Theo reached for her hand, intertwining their fingers. "Yes, Remy. For you." He brought her hand to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to her knuckles. "I couldn't… I couldn't let you live like that. Not when there was a chance it wasn't true." He looked at her, his dark eyes unwavering. "I told you, Remy. You have all the time in the world. And I intend to spend it with you."
Her eyes filled with fresh tears, but these were purely tears of overwhelming joy and relief. She launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck, burying her face in his shoulder. "Oh, Theo," she sobbed, her voice muffled. "You… you big, scary, amazing mafia boss. I… I love you."
Theo's breath hitched. He closed his eyes, holding her impossibly tight. "I love you too, Remy," he whispered, the words heartfelt, raw, and utterly true. It was a confession he hadn't thought he'd ever make, to a woman he'd never expected to meet, in a life he thought was already set. But here, in this RV, bathed in the soft glow of twilight and the even softer glow of their shared relief, everything felt possible.
They remained like that for a long time, simply holding each other, processing the monumental shift in their world. The immediate physical danger from Theo's past had been neutralized. Now, the invisible clock that had governed Remy's life had been shattered. They were free. Free to truly begin.
As darkness fully descended, Theo looked out the panoramic window. The Las Vegas lights glimmered in the distance, a glittering testament to human endeavor. But his gaze returned to Remy, her head resting contentedly on his shoulder, her breath soft and even. The city's promise of endless possibility felt like their own, a future stretching out, bright and unburdened. And he knew, with a certainty that resonated deep in his bones, exactly what his next move had to be. He would get her that ring. Soon.