Tempted By The Mafia Boss

EPILOGUE

Charlotte

Two months later…

The princess cut engagement ring on my finger glistens against the radiant rays of the sun as I lay the single white rose on Abuelita’s grave.Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

She loved white roses.

I brought red roses for Freddo and Tony. They’re all buried together in the family plot at Rose Hill Cemetery.

It’s the first I’ve been here since being back in Chicago.

It’s the first time I’ve had the emotional strength to bring myself here.

Today felt fitting, not for any special reason in particular it was just that I wanted to come here before going to St. Lucia next week for my wedding.

God did Gabe ever have a bunch of plans in store for us… for me.

He proposed to me on the night I officially moved into the house with him. My moving in consisted of buying a whole bunch of stuff that he classed as adding a woman’s touch to his bachelor pad which technically was big enough for a family of four.

On that night the man surprised me on bended knee with a ring, popping the question of belonging to him on paper.

Be his Mrs. Giordano?

Absolutely.

It was a no brainer and the easiest yes to fly from my lips.

We’re getting married in St. Lucia next week. I still can’t believe it.

I’m starting to show too. I have a little baby bump but my wedding dress is beautiful. The kind I don’t want to wait until after the baby to wear.

It’s the kind I would have loved my grandmother to see me in.

I look over the grave and feel … well I’m not sure what I should feel.

I miss her so much and nothing will quite take the pain away from the day she was killed.

My grandmother and my brothers should be there next week but they won’t be.

That’s the hard part and what I need to move past.

I think they’d like to know that I’m okay. That’s why I’m here.

“I got out of the dark Abuelita,” I say and find myself smiling. “I found my way out and chose the right path. You don’t have to worry about me anymore. I made my way back to the path I was supposed to be on and the darkness is gone. Love led me to the light.”

That felt good to say and what cements it is the warm hands that cover mine.

I look up at Gabe and he slips his arm around me.

He’d hung back so I could do this but he always seems to know when I need him most.

Like the light you look for in the dark.

That’s him for me.

Always and forever…

Gabe

“What does it feel like to be married?” Salvatore asks me.

We both gaze out to Charlotte sitting on the sand on the beach.

“Feels like I … belong to her now.” I smile. “Feels like I got more than my wish.”

He nods. “I like that.”

We’re sitting on the patio of the beach house resting after a long day. The wedding was last week and I’m sort of in work mode now but still enjoying my honeymoon with my wife.

Everyone should be flying back home tomorrow leaving us here for another two months to enjoy the paradise of the Caribbean.

It’ll be the first time in years that I won’t be around my brothers at The Dark Odyssey or in some form or way.

“You made it Gabriel. You did it.” Salvatore smiles back at me.

“Salvatore,” I straighten up and rests my elbows on the table. “I made it, but don’t think I missed the part of how well you had my back.”

He had my back the whole time and I won’t forget how he saved Charlotte back at the mine.

“I promised I’d take care of her,” he says with a smirk.

“Yeah, well I know you would have done it anyway. Without me asking.”

“Yeah… well, looks like you grew up on me. I don’t think you’ll need me anymore watching over you. Wife and child on the way, that’s big stuff Gabriel.”

“Yeah, it’s big stuff. Maybe it’s time for me to watch your back now.”

He chuckles. “You already do that.” he stands up when his phone starts ringing.

He checks it and the smirk on his face tells me exactly who that is.

“Mimi calling?” I ask in a purely nonchalant manner because they still think they’re friends.

“Mimi calling. Last night she needed my help finding the cooking channel. The night before she claimed she couldn’t find her keys.”

“Oh… okay.” I chuckle.

He laughs. “I’m gonna see what it is tonight.”

He nods, gives me a tap on my back and leaves.

I watch him go. There must be only a few things left that will work in this game of theirs.

We’re a bunch of mobsters who own a sex club and she works for us. This must be some weird foreplay stage of their game.

I wish them luck.

I return my attention to my wife as she walks up from the beach. She looks amazingly beautiful with her wild velvet hair. The sun is making it sparkle and she’s glowing.

I rise to my feet and meet her half way, scooping her up so I can carry her the rest of the way. Straight to our bedroom where I plan to devour her forever.

And ever.

My goddess. My girl.