Chapter 5 – Fifteen Years Later - Age 47
RAQUEL
The years have blown by and it’s a wonder to sometimes look back on the life we’ve built and stare at it in amazement.
Dante and his brothers continue to thrive, opening additional hotels and clubs, growing their empires, making their parents and Tomás proud. I wish I could meet that man and thank him for everything he’s done for Dante.
As for me, I finally did become a doctor, and currently run my own surgery practice for a good five years now.
It took some time to convince myself I could do it though.
I think I still held on to that fear, to that doubt, that I was capable of creating something that’s mine.
I hate to admit it, but my mother’s tiny voice was still there, somewhere deep, telling me I was nothing without her.
But I am. I always was. She was the one holding me back.
I never saw her again after the day in the grocery store.
I bet anything she followed me there. Why else would she go miles from home and shop there.
She doesn’t live in the same home my father was paying for.
A year after my father’s death, she was holed up in a small apartment.
She could no longer afford the luxuries in life and I bet it was killing her.
And those scars I once carried, in my heart, are nothing but invisible reminders of a past I no longer remember.
One that no longer controls me. I’ve survived it all.
I’m here to tell the story. And my family, they’re shackled in ruins.
The Palermo name holds no meaning anymore, not even among the other families that still exist.
I ball the comforter around my chest, waiting for Dante to come out of the shower. The years have done wonders on him, and my lord, if that man doesn’t get hotter.
It’s our twentieth wedding anniversary today, and he’s planned a surprise for us. I can’t wait to know what it is. He’s been entirely too secretive about it and it’s making me anxious and excited.
He finally exits, his hair still as long and as thick as I first remember, drops of water dripping past the edges and onto his forehead. “You keep looking at me like that, sweetheart, and we’ll never leave the house.”
“And what if I do this?” I pop a brow, gently pulling the comforter down my body, exposing my breasts.
His jaw flexes as he finds my nipples hard, my breaths rough when I notice his cock jerking beneath the white towel draped around his hard, defined abs.
“You sexy, little thing,” he growls, a hand fisting his hard-on beneath the towel.
My breathing grows ragged the more he touches himself, and my hand slips under the blanket and fits around my wet pussy, my clit throbbing for his expert hands to take over.
“Are you touching your pussy under there and denying me the view?” he rasps, jerking himself still. “Show me, baby. I wanna watch.” He rips the towel off himself and my lips part when I see his thick and heavy length.
“I need you,” I groan, my fingers slipping inside slow, rubbing myself every time I slip out. His exhales are rough as he marches to the bed, ripping the comforter off my body, exposing every bare inch of me for his eyes to feast on.
“That’s more like it.” His gaze hungrily cruises down from my heavy breasts to where my hands play.
“How does it feel, baby? Is that cunt nice and soaked for my cock?”
“Dante,” I cry, arching the small of my back, my eyes aligned with his, loving the way he still looks at me—like I’m the center of his world. And he’s always been mine. This man who never let me forget that I matter. That my happiness is important too.
The bed sinks beside me and I find him there, sitting close, watching me touching myself, his gaze growing heavy-lidded, the stubble riding his jaw, vibrating with the gritting of his teeth.
His fingers reach for my knee, pushing it down onto the bed, spreading me open. I fuck myself harder, the throbbing in my core growing. “Yeah, good girl. Just like that. Make yourself come.”
I work myself into a frenzy, unable to snap my gaze from his lustful one, the fiery sensation growing over my entire body, tingles spreading down to my toes, the need spiraling.
As I’m about to come, he swipes my hand away, gripping under my ass with his rough palms until I’m lifted to his mouth.
It’s all tongue and lips, my fingers clenching the sheets, my heartbeats loud as he enters me with his tongue, flicking it over my clit.
When he does it again, I’m flying, soaring, refusing to land. He lets me soar again, then his body finds mine, and we soar once more. Together.
DANTE
With my hand on her thigh, we drive into the city for the anniversary surprise I have planned for my beautiful wife. I’m surprised Chiara hasn’t spilled. That girl is terrible at keeping a secret, but she knew how much it meant to me. I wanted to make this day special.
She shifts uncomfortably in her seat as my fingers sink into her skin, and I chuckle, loving that after all this time, I can still make her squirm.
“Where exactly are we going?” she asks once I find a spot by Central Park, narrowing a playful gaze. “My heels won’t survive that grass.”
“Then I’ll carry you,” I say, picking up her hand and bringing it to my lips for a kiss before my knuckles stroke the softness of her cheek. The way she stares deep into my eyes, it sends a chill down my spine. “Twenty years. Can you believe it?” I ask.
“I can.” Her affection spills freely from her tone, her brows furrowing. “The way you love . . . it doesn’t even feel that long.”
“Until my dying day, Raquel. That’s how long I’ll love you.” I grab her by the back of the neck and pull her to me until those lips brush against mine. “And then for eternity after that.”
I capture her mouth, my fingers sinking into her hair, gripping tight as she groans for me, her tongue slipping past my lips. Her hands fist my shirt and she moans for me.
My cock aches to get inside, but breathlessly, I pull apart. “Shit, baby. I’d fuck you right here, but we have somewhere to be, and we’re already late.”
She giggles, peppering my jaw with hunger-filled kisses, before drawing away, desire still perched in her gaze. “Later, then?” She bites into her lower lip.
“Did you even have to ask?” My words hold all the promise of what she has to look forward to.
With a rough exhale, I finally open my door, then come around to open hers, giving her my hand as we exit together. As we stroll across the grass, I’m taken back to the day I proposed.
We were once right here, having a picnic, before I took her to the very same place I’m taking her now.
She lays her head against me as I clutch her in my arm. “Are we heading to the castle?” There’s excitement lined in her words.
“I’m sorry we haven’t come back here in a while,” I say. “I swear I meant to, but the days, they flew by.”
“I know the feeling.” She lets out a content sigh, circling her arm around my back. “I’m glad we get to go now.”
The last time we were here was five years ago when we took the kids with us.
Carnelia was twelve at the time and wanted to see where I had officially proposed.
She said when she grows up, she wants to get engaged at the very same spot we did.
Now at seventeen, she’s every bit her mother—smart, beautiful, wanting to become a doctor too.
And love, well? It’s the last thing on her mind.
She kinda hates it right now. Your first breakup will do that to you.
Seeing her sad, it has me wanting to do things to a young kid, I never thought I would.
We near the castle and climb up the steps. When we reach the last one, she glances over at me with the widest smile, and together, we climb the rest of the way.
“Happy anniversary!” people shout from all around us, and she almost stumbles against me.
“Dante?” She slaps a hand over her mouth, unshed tears glazing within her eyes. “How did you pull this off?”
Everyone we love is here—family, friends, our children. Now, we’ll have another day to look back on, to remember our love, to remind our kids of it when we’re too old to do it ourselves.
I cup her face, a smirk melting to my face. “I had some help.”
She shakes her head in wonder, taking my hand as we face our guests together.
“He got you good, huh?” Chiara laughs, giving each of us a quick hug, while Dom nods in greeting.
Raquel shakes her head. “You all did. I can’t believe you didn’t tell me,” she tells Chiara, her gaze narrowing playfully.
“Believe me . . .” Her eyes enlarge. “It was hard. It was why I didn’t answer any of your calls today.”
The DJ begins to play as guests rise from the long, decorated tables, lined with candles and tall vases filled with calla lilies.
Tristen gets up from his table and hugs his mother tight. “You look pretty, Mom,” he tells her and she ruffles his hair, kissing his forehead.
“And you look very handsome in your suit.”
Just then, Carnelia approaches, wearing the same knee-length flowy dress her mother is, the same one I had bought for each of them for today. Carnelia’s face alights with a beaming smile at both of us.
“So . . .” She props a hand on her hip, popping a single brow. “Are you surprised, Mom? Daddy worked really hard on today.” She wraps an arm around my back and I tighten mine against her, kissing the top of her head.
“Beyond surprised. You two were in on it too?”
“Yep.” Her chin rises proudly. “I’m the one who chose all the decorations.”
“Wow.” Raquel’s voice tightens with overflowing emotion. “You guys are so good to me.”
“We love you, Mom,” Tristen says.
“We do, baby,” I tell her, my gaze boring into hers, loving this family of mine with every inch of my heart.
“I have one more surprise for you,” I say, giving my daughter another kiss before heading toward the DJ booth and grabbing the mic.
“Thank you, everyone, for being here on this special day for Raquel and me. See, today isn’t just our anniversary, it’s a day where we get to do it all over again.
” I slip my eyes to the woman I love, her gaze widening.
“I always told you that I would marry you all over again, but today, I get to keep that promise, baby, and this time, it’s with our amazing children with us.
So, what do you say, Mrs. Cavaleri?” With the mic in hand, I tread up to her, getting down on one knee.
“Will you do me the honor of marrying me one more time?”
She gasps on a cry, her fingers trembling as they find her mouth, tears sprinkling into her eyes when I remove a box from my pocket and reveal the ring I gave her years ago. Except, there’s a new diamond there, something a little bigger to symbolize our growing love.
I had told her I was going to have it cleaned a week ago, but little did she know, it was all part of my plan.
“What do you say, baby? Would you marry me again?”
She nods frantically, her features softening. “I’d marry you every single time you ask.” Her voice cracks, more tears drowning in her eyes. “Every single time.”
“That’s a good thing.” I chuckle. “Or the next part might have been awkward.” Everyone explodes in laughter, cheers, and whistles.
The sound of clapping envelops around us as I slip the ring on her finger.
As soon as I rise, I circle my arms around her, pulling her flush against me, and slam her mouth to mine.
More celebration explodes and I almost forget why we’re here until it starts to quiet and the wedding officiant clears her throat behind me—the same one we used on our wedding day.
“Dante . . . this is . . .” Raquel cries, swiping under her eyes. “I’m speechless.”
“Are we ready?” the officiant asks. “Or do we need more time?” There’s a glint of a knowing smile on her face and Raquel’s cheeks grow pink.
I tuck her chin in my palm and turn her face to mine. “I’ve always been ready.”
“Okay, eww,” Carnelia says from my right. “Could you guys not make out again until, like, after we’re all gone?” Her tone slinks with revulsion.
More laughter breaks and we’re both laughing too. And because I’m that kind of dad, I snap a hand to the back of my wife’s neck and kiss her like mad.