Mafia King’s Forbidden Obsession (Savage Mafia Empire)

Epilogue Raven

Two Months Later

Soft music fills the grand hall, echoing gently off the high ceilings. The gold and white decorations around me blur into the background. Even the crowd and my father walking beside me seem distant. All I can focus on is the man in the navy blue suit waiting at the altar, his eyes locked on mine.

Ezra.

His smile sends my heart skipping a beat. I move toward him, each step I take synchronized with the wedding march being played. My free hand instinctively rests on my very visible baby bump, covered by the flair of my white dress, with delicate streaks of gold and navy blue lining the bottom and along the bodice. Just then, I sense a kick, and a smile breaks out across my face. Overwhelming joy blooms in my chest, making my heart flutter.

I never imagined a wedding this lavish. Everywhere I look, there are flowers — white roses, lilies, and artificial gold orchids hanging from tall displays. I inhale deeply, letting their fragrances calm my nerves.

Harper stands across from Elio by the altar. Streams of tears mar her face, and she dabs at them with a handkerchief Elio handed to her. Elio stares at me, a small, proud smile on his lips. He can’t believe it either.

I'm about to become Raven Marino, Ezra’s wife.

My gown sways gently as I walk, Dad’s bright smile urging me on. My heart hammers in my chest as the distance between me and my lover shrinks.

When my father places my hand in Ezra’s, the warmth of his touch calms me instantly. His grip is reassuring, comforting, and when our eyes meet, I inhale sharply.

“You’re gorgeous,” he whispers, his voice soft in my ear.

A grin spreads across my face. “You don’t look so bad yourself,” I whisper, in return, squeezing his hand a little tighter.

The ceremony starts, and the officiant shares heartfelt thoughts about love, commitment, and family. When it’s time for our vows, my heart starts racing, anticipation bubbling within me.

“Raven,” Ezra begins, his voice thick with emotion. “You’re my heart and my home. You’ve shown me the kind of love that I never knew existed, and I vow to always nurture it. I promise to cherish you, to be your better half, and to love you for the rest of my life, no matter what comes our way.”

Tears gather in my eyes as he finishes, and I can’t help but smile through them. I take a deep breath and say, “And I promise to stand by you, to always love you, and support you through every challenge and joy. You are my heart, Ezra. I will be your rock, your confidante, and your safe haven.”

The officiant nods, looking at me. “Now, Raven Nightshade, do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

“I do,” I reply, my smile widening, my heart swelling with profound joy in the moment.

“Ezra Marino, do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?” the officiant asks.

Ezra’s answer comes quickly. “I do.” His smile radiates as he holds my gaze.

“By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride,” the officiant declares, his voice ringing through the hall.

My focus is on Ezra— the warm glow in his eyes, the way his hand tightens around mine, and the way his smile lights up his face just before he leans in to kiss me.

When our lips touch, the room erupts in cheers and applause, but all I hear is the pounding of my heart. His lips are soft, his tongue tasting like melting candy. His arms wrap around me as if he’ll never let go, and truthfully, I don’t want him to. When we finally pull apart, I catch the glisten of tears in Ezra’s green eyes and realize my own are the same.

As we stand there, surrounded by our friends and family, everything feels perfect.

***

Seven Weeks Later

I inhale once and exhale twice, holding both sides of my waist with my hand as I pace the hospital’s hallway, patiently waiting to dilate. With the pain of contractions hitting me every few minutes, it takes everything in me not to turn around and cuss at Ezra. He walks behind me, massaging my shoulders.

“We’re almost there, baby, a few more squats, and you’ll be as dilated as the doctor says you need to be.”

“If you think it’s so easy, you should come do it yourself,” I snap, and stare daggers at him.

“I’m sorry…” he apologizes, but it does nothing to pacify me.

Suddenly, I groan out when a sharp pain rips through my cervix, pushing me backwards. Ezra catches me just in time, whispering sweet nothings that barely register.

“Take me back to the room,” I whisper, as the contraction subsides.

He obeys without hesitation and we start walking back the way we came. The doctor and two nurses are still there when we arrive, preparing for the delivery.

“Please tell me we’re at ten centimeters already,” Ezra says, as he helps me onto the bed. “I can’t bear to see her in pain anymore.”

“Well, let’s see,” the doctor chimes, slapping on his gloves. Just like earlier, I bend my legs in two, spreading my feet apart. The doctor invades my privates, sticking two fingers in.

“Yes, fully dilated and ready to bring these little ones out,” he announces a few moments later.

From the corner of my eye, I see Ezra heave a sigh of relief. Just then, another severe pain hits me hard. I bite my lip, trying to suppress a scream as waves of pain ripple through me. My body feels like it’s breaking in half.

“You have to push with every contraction,” the doctor says, and I nod repeatedly. “Remember to breathe,” he adds.

“Breathe, Raven,” Ezra urges, his voice soothing yet urgent. He grips my hand tightly, anchoring me. “You’ve got this.”

“Don’t tell me I’ve got this when you did this to me!” I scream at him, as yet another contraction pierces my lower abdomen.

Tears roll down my cheeks, my throat suddenly parched. I’ve never felt so much anguish all at once.

“Mrs. Marino, you need to calm down,” I hear the doctor say. “You’ll need your strength for the babies.”

I nod stiffly, and sniffle while working on reining in my emotions. My babies need me.

I fling my head back in agony and squeeze Ezra’s hand while clamping down on my lips to stop the scream bubbling in my lungs. With that, I push. Hard.

“Very good, I see baby number one, just a few more pushes.” Hearing the doctor’s words gives me the encouragement I need.

With each pulse of sharp pain, I push with everything in me, a fresh batch of throat-tearing cries accompanying each one. It doesn’t take long when I hear a tiny cry that immediately melts my heart. However, I don’t get the chance to celebrate as a newer set of contractions rears its ugly head. This time is agonizing, searing through me like a glass shard.

I push almost instantly, tears filling my eyes as the pain envelops my entire being.

“Take slow breaths and give the last few pushes. You’re almost there,” I hear the doctor say, his voice a distant echo.

Though I feel no strength, I nod anyway as Ezra brushes a strand of sweat-soaked hair from my forehead. I scream, leaning forward and push with all I have.

The cries of our second baby fill the room at that moment, and I collapse on the bed, my body spent and exhausted. Ezra’s lips press gently to my forehead, though his words are lost in the whirlwind of emotions surging through me. The sound of our second baby’s cry joins the first moments later.

Ten minutes pass, and my attention locks onto the nurses approaching with the two tiny bundles, now cleaned and swaddled, in their arms. When they place my babies on either side of me, I let out a shaky breath, my chest tightening with overwhelming love as they instantly quiet in my arms.

I glance up at Ezra, standing beside me, his eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “Our babies, Raven,” he whispers, his voice thick with emotion. “They’re perfect.”

I can only nod, a smile curving my lips as I look down at our boys, their tiny fingers curling around mine. My heart swells impossibly larger, love surging through every part of me. A few hours later, we’re moved to a private recovery room, where the soft beeping of machines fills the silence.

Ezra coos at our babies in my arms, a proud smile lighting up his face as the doctor and two nurses check on me. I can’t help but smile as I take in the joy on his face.

“Everyone seems to be in good health, but we’ll be back later to check on you three,” the doctor says, with a warm smile before stepping out.

Just as I nod, a soft knock pulls our attention to the door, where a nurse peeks her head in. “Sorry to interrupt, but… there’s a package. From one Elio.”

“Elio?” Ezra repeats, surprise flickering across his face.

Before we can ask anything else, the nurse steps aside, revealing a massive box and Elio himself, looking as smug as ever. “Congratulations!” he announces, wheeling in a cart stacked high with bright pink boxes.

My jaw drops at the sight below. The entire truck is loaded with Barbie toys— dolls, playsets, even a life-sized Barbie Dreamhouse.

I turn to Ezra, my eyes wide in shock. “Didn’t you tell Elio we’re having boys?”

Ezra rubs the back of his neck, looking sheepish. “He asked,” he admits, “but... I wanted to surprise him.”

I blink, then burst into laughter. I can’t help it. The idea of Elio, tough-as-nails Elio, gifting us a truck full of Barbies because he thought we were having girls is just too much. Ezra chuckles beside me, and soon, we’re both laughing so hard that it feels like I might burst from sheer happiness.

Leaning back, I shake my head and glance down at our babies, their tiny faces perfect and peaceful. I’m so tired, my muscles aching in every possible way, but I can’t tear my eyes away from them. Ezra bends down and plants a soft kiss on my head, his eyes locking with me.

“I couldn’t be happier,” he says, his voice thick with emotion.

I smile through my own tears, reaching out to touch his cheek.

“Me, too,” I whisper.

The End.