Epilogue
Devious
Three Years Later…
I t’s been three years since our wedding day, since I forced Roselyn to marry me, and I can’t believe that she’s still here, choosing to be with me every day. She still does her street artist job, and she has a lot of her paintings in an art gallery I bought for her. I gave it to her last year on her birthday.
I set my keys onto the basket in the foyer, and I hear soft jazz music playing in the mansion. I trip over my son Apollo’s toys that he leaves everywhere. We decided not to get a nanny. It feels good to give my son the childhood I’ve never had, a home filled with love and peace.
Once I follow the sound of the music, I spot her sitting on the barstool with a canvas in front of her outside on the balcony. Her curls cascade down her back, and she wears one of my old T-shirts and baggy pants.
I lean in the doorway as I watch her in her element. She’s so beautiful and I can’t wait until I peel her clothes off her body. She turns her head and a smile ghosts her lips. Roselyn rushes up to me, stands on her toes, and kisses my lips. We’re supposed to be having dinner with Aiden and Maya tonight, but I’m not in the mood, I just want to stay home with her. My brother and I patched things up after he betrayed me by marrying Maya. It took a little bit of time, but I realized my brother was operating out of love. He’ll never let her go. As a man that’s in love I understand because I went against my own oath for Roselyn. He finally told me the real reason why she broke up with him, and I understand him completely.
“How was your day?”
Being in the mafia, your life hangs by a thread. There will always be enemies that are after me.
So every day I look forward to hearing those four little words. They warm my heart.
“It’s okay. Been busy.”
“Can we not have dinner with your brother and his wife? Apollo and I aren’t feeling well.”
“Where is he?”
“He’s in his room sleeping, I just put him in there. He ate too much candy without me knowing. He’s all over the place.”
“What’s wrong with you?” I frown, examining her.
“My breasts are sore, and I missed my period. I’m pregnant.”
My mouth widens and I look at her stomach. “I thought you were taking your birth control.”
“I was, but I needed antibiotics for the virus, and they interfered with it. Are you mad?”
I shake my head. “I plan to give you so many babies.”
I bring her in my arms and pepper kisses all over her face.
“Daddy?” Apollo rubs his sleepy eyes. “Up. Up.”
He’s almost three years old and spoiled rotten.
“Yes, little man?”
“Can you come lie down with me? I’m tired. I don’t feel good.”
He pukes all over my shirt, and I set him down to remove my shirt.
“Sure. I’ll give you a bath and we can lie in bed and watch PJ Masks .”
“Not your bed, my bed. Big boys sleep in their bed, not Daddy’s bed.”
“Right.”
Roselyn follows me, goes to lie down in Apollo’s bed while I bathe him, put him in his pajamas, lay him in bed, right next to his momma. Once Apollo is asleep, I grab Roselyn’s hand and lead her to our bedroom, and we lie in bed together. I wouldn’t trade this moment for anything in the world. She kisses my forehead and removes her clothes, and I do the same. I tie her to the headboard, duct tape her mouth shut, and fuck her until we’re both out of breath.