Epilogue #2
This can't be real . "Um, this—" I wasn't even sure what to say. I had no experience with any of this. My mother died long before I started dragging people home. "I can explain."
"Please don't. We are open-minded parents but we don't want to know what our children get up to in that aspect," Samson said.
No, no. If the world could open a hole under me and swallow me whole right now, that would be fantastic.
"Ma, did you find them?" Elia was right behind her. His blue hair was pulled back in a low bun, showing off his angular jawline. He had the audacity to smirk. "Oh, you did. Wow!"
Did the whole fucking family come at once?
"Louis? Really?" Adam asked, in his hand was a tray of food.
Where the hell did he even come from? I invited him over, but he'd clearly told me maybe. Not to mention I’d offered to pick him up, which he declined, and yet he was here with Lucero's family?
Adam shook his head in a disapproving way, but he couldn't hide the laughter as he twisted around. "This is too much for me."
You? I'm dying here.
What was this, embarrass-the-fuck-out-of-me day? I cleared my throat, trying to gain some kind of control over the situation. "You're all early."
"A little too early, apparently," Elia joked. He looked around the kitchen, laughing. "Good thing we missed the fireworks. I'd have to bleach my eyeballs if I had to see anything."
I slapped Lucero's arm. Why the fuck was he still kneeling? He wasn't making any of this better.
"Get up already," I said through clenched teeth with barely restrained rage. At least my embarrassment and anger calmed my desire down. I wasn't sporting a hard-on now that our place was full.
"All the sticky stuff around the kitchen is—" Emir looked terrified to touch anything. He was dressed modestly, a stark contrast to his loud twin, Elia.
As if on cue, more of Lucero's siblings filled in behind their parents. Prince just shook his head, and Dominique, the youngest, walked away the moment he saw us. Damian was the only one to walk in, sit something on the messy counter, and walk back out as if he saw nothing. Why couldn’t the rest of them do the same?
"Gross, Lucero, Ma and Pops are here," Nash pointed out.
"Whatever everyone is thinking is wrong. We were baking," I blurted out. I needed to fix this. "I was trying to make a dessert for tonight, and as you can see, it got out of hand."
"More like you came all—Ow!" Elia dodged the next smack to the back of the head from his mother.
"Say something," I demanded from Lucero.
He stared at his family and looked serious. I was certain he was going to clear up the whole mess.
"If this was Onyx's mess, I wouldn't let any of you touch it. I'd happily li?—"
I punched my idiotic husband in the stomach, cutting off his words. Why the hell had I asked for his help?
Lilian cleared her throat. "Dear, put all the dishes in the dining room.
You can take the two kids in the living room down to get the rest out of the car.
" She took charge without prompt. "You two, go clean up.
And since all my children have something to say, then you can all help clean up the mess and get everything ready for dinner. "
There was a resounding groan of displeasure from all her children, but one look from her had them all moving. Mrs. Marino walked over to me and patted my cheek. "My apologies, we were under the impression that you two would be ready to have us over."
I cleared my throat. "A heads up would be nice next time."
She smiled. "I'll make sure to send it to you and not Luci." She gave him a pointed look.
That told me everything I needed to know. The fucker knew and still hadn't told me. I was going to make him pay later. He was going to be begging to cum later and it was going to be a no. "Sorry about the mess."
Lilian waved me off. "Go change. We have a big family, which means more hands to help clean up messes."
I had a family. A trickle of something I couldn't quite understand yet fluttered in my chest.
***
Dinner went by faster than I’d liked. It was over before I knew it. I liked my alone time, and yet I didn’t want the evening with the Marino’s to be over just yet.
"Maybe next time you guys ask to host, don't get freaky before your guests are supposed to come," Nash suggested. He chewed on a toothpick as he glared at us.
If they hadn't showed up early, I would have filled Lucero's throat with my cum.
"That wasn't what was happening. Lucero was just helping me?—"
"Get post nut clarity, we get it," Elia teased.
"Ugh." Was this what having a huge family felt like? It was maddening. They took any chance they could to poke fun at me. A part of me felt like I should be more annoyed than I actually was.
"Leave my husband alone," Lucero said, pulling me against him.
His body felt warm and like home pressed up against me. I soaked in the comfort it brought me before turning in his arms. "Lucero, they are so mean to me." I pouted, laying it on thick.
"Ah, come on, you know he’s gonna try and kill us," Nash pointed out.
I shrugged. It wasn't my problem.
"Bella, are you okay?"
I gave him my best kicked-puppy look. "No."
"Fuck." Nash grunted.
Prince headed our way, clapping his hand on Nash's shoulder. "Lucero, don't go on a rampage. And you two owe me for the mess before and this one."
And for a short second, I had thought Prince was the good brother. Nope, they were all assholes.
"Bring it on. I've been itching to beat your ass, Lucero. This time, I'm taking you down," Elia said as he jumped up and down. Heels be damned.
"No fighting." Damian broke it up before I could even get my payback. “Ma will get pissed off. You two know the rules.”
“I don’t,” I interrupted.
Damian didn’t so much smile as he did smirk. “Onyx, if you want your chance at a fight, take them up in the ring."
My eyes widened. I had never been to one of the underground fights. I knew Lucero worked there sometimes, but I hadn't seen the point of ever joining in.
"Maybe I will."
He nodded, heading for the door. "Family gets in free but any fights you enter need to be paid for."
Family.
"And if I kick everyone's ass?" I asked.
"Like fuck you will," Elia answered before Damian could.
"Stop flirting,” Lucero growled.
I really needed to have a talk with my husband about what was flirting and what wasn’t. His perception was warped.
Elia and I both shook our heads.
“No one is flirting,” Nash added. “Fucking nut job.”
“Back off, Onyx is mine." Lucero yanked me away from his brothers.
"None of you can have him." His arms were like steel bands around me, holding me prisoner.
I took comfort in knowing that no matter what happened, he'd always be there, holding me.
I never wanted to know a life outside of Lucero's arms ever again.