Epilogue #2
“Go back to the pool if you don’t want to hear your mother and me gossiping then,” Sienna tells him with a grin. She looks around. “Pietro and Angelo look like they’re ready to get a football game going.”
That distracts him and he’s off and running. Pietro and Angelo are Lazaro and Amara’s oldest boys. I look across the grass to see that most of the kids are heading that way too. Urso and his wife, Maria, are pairing up the kids with help from Kida.
It surprised me to find out that he was dating her even when everything went down in New York, but they work. She’s shy, sweet, and wonderful with the kids. She’s often asking for them to come over and spend time with them and their kids.
Sofia told me that she got it out of Urso that she grew up as an orphan, and she always wanted a bunch of them around. So I let her have the kids whenever she wants. Her and Urso have two kids, Rocky and Remo, eight and six, and they’re cheering when they get paired together.
Rounding out the group, I see Soren—who as the oldest cousin takes his job seriously to keep the youngest kids in line—Dante and Sofia’s boys, Stefano and Aurelio, Alessio and Sienna’s youngest boy, Theo, and finally Zeno and Kida’s three kids, Rocco, Grace, and Naomi rounding out the group wanting to play.
“I really can’t believe I’m about to have a teenager in a little over a year,” Sienna mutters, looking at Luca. “It’s not fair, Rori.”
I snicker. “At least I get to see you fail at it first, then I’ll know what not to do.”
She rolls her eyes, but she doesn’t deny it.
She, Amara, Kida, Lucy and I have all been working together to figure out this whole parenting thing, and there are days we all fail at it, but we have the support system.
I don’t know what I would do without it.
Especially in the early days where there was a shit ton of babies around.
It took a good year for Lucy and I to be on good terms, but we talked it out and finally moved past it.
Now, we’re close, and it’s like none of it ever happened.
Which is good considering that we each had a baby only a few weeks apart and relied on each other a lot.
Luna, Massimo and Lucy’s only daughter, and Salvatore being so close in age meant we went through a lot of milestones together.
Including deciding that two kids each was more than enough for us.
I’m pretty sure none of us slept for almost six years with how many kids were being born, but it’s worth it.
All our kids are close. Even with Gia and Sofia on the other side of the ocean, we do weekly group calls, and yearly girls’ trips.
Much to our husbands’ annoyance. It’s a security nightmare for them, but they learned the hard way after the first time they tried to forbid us to go and I managed to sneak us all out anyway without any guards not to bother arguing.
I think they’re all afraid I’m going to teach the kids. I haven’t ruled it out, but as of yet, I’ve kept it my little secret weapon. It also makes me very good at figuring out when the kids are up to something that’s going to get them in trouble.
I’m the cool aunt, of course. Even if it does drive Alonzo crazy.
“I really wish Pietro and Aurelio were here to see them grow up,” Amara says as she comes over with a sad smile.
“They’re probably causing shit wherever they are, so I think they’re alright,” Sienna snickers, but I see the sadness in her eyes.
We lost Aurelio first four years ago, but he was almost ninety when he passed, and his health had been declining for a long time. He lost his second wife, Angelica, four years before that, but he hung on long enough to see his final grandchild be born.
Pietro wasn’t long after that, passing peacefully in his sleep. Personally, I think that he didn’t want to be without his best friend, but I keep that to myself.
It’s still hard to have family get-togethers like this without them, but it’s not as sharp a pain anymore. I got very close to both of them, and they made my transition into the family almost seamless.
Not to mention, Pietro loved to call on me from time to time to help with a particular problem. Alonzo hated it, but he never went against his Don. But the moment Alessio took over for his father when he retired at seventy-five, he made Alessio promise never to put me in that position.
So far, Alessio has kept that promise, but I’ve already made it clear that if he ever needed me, all he has to do is ask. I’m not as sharp or fast as I used to be, but I’ve never allowed my training to slack. If danger ever comes, I’m going to be ready to defend my family, no matter what.
“Rori, did you say Lane and the others might show up?” Gia calls out.
The tension doesn’t come like it used to, but it still lingers at the mention of our final additions to the group.
The relationship is new, and mostly at the insistence of Amara wanting to be close to her sister, but with Lane finally hanging up her assassin knives after a couple of decades, it’s made things easier.
I nod. “They said they’ll try to get in by the end of the week. Zakhar and his wife just had their newest baby and they’re waiting for doctor approval to fly.”
“Jesus Christ, another one?” Alonzo groans as he makes his way over. “That’s like, what ten?”
“That’s their fifth,” I correct with an exasperated look.
“Feels like fucking ten. He needs to get the hell off her,” he mutters, pulling me into him.
“Didn’t Mila just have another baby too?” Massimo asks as he and Lazaro come over. Zeno has made his way over to the football game, unwilling to miss out.
“Yeah, her third,” I say with a grin. I wasn’t sure we would stay in touch after everything, but damn, I’m glad we did. That was a whirlwind. It helps that I had some inside information on her husband, of course, but I’m just glad they’re both so happy. “A girl this time.”
“Weird as shit that Zakhar is a grandfather and still having kids of his own,” Alonzo points out. “What the hell do they call each other?” I roll my eyes, but he has a point. Sometimes it still messes with my head, but they’re all happy, so who am I to judge?
“Shit, that means if they’re all coming, they’re bringing that damn wolf and panther, aren’t they?” Nico bites out.
“Not this time, but Oleg told me to tell you that’s only because he doesn’t want to see your kids cry again that you won’t let them have one.”
Nico gives me a cold stare. “He lets his own kids ride those fucking things like horses. I don’t need mine getting any more ideas.”
I roll my eyes, but I get his point. I’ve been very clear with my two that the only pets they’re allowed to have are dogs. Even if I secretly really want a wolf pup to train. A panther is cool too, but cats aren’t my thing. Maybe some day when the kids are all grown up and out of the house.
Alonzo must realize where my head is at because he narrows his eyes at me in warning. As if that’s going to work. I just give him a sweet smile and pat his arm. I like keeping him on his toes.
“I’ll get the staff to make up the guest houses for them,” Sienna offers. Then she grins. “But I’ll warn Signora Francesca they don’t have the animals with them this time. Might save off all the cursing.”
I laugh. “Yeah, good idea.”
“Hey, Uncle Boo Bear, are you going to come and play?” Luca suddenly calls out, drawing our attention.
“I really am going to shoot you,” Nico mutters to Alessio.
“Boo Bear, you’ve been promising that for years. First you rejected the cock ring idea, then the ceremony, and you named your kid after me. I’m getting mixed signals. Fuck!” he yells as he goes flying into the pool. He comes up sputtering and glaring at Nico, who smirks and walks towards the kids.
“Papa!” Gemma squeals happily, paddling over to him. “Toss us. Toss us!” The other girls in the pool all swim his way. It’s their favorite game.
“These are the times I think about having another one.” Sienna sighs dreamily, watching him toss the kids over and over again into the pool, grinning.
“No, you fucking don’t.” I laugh. “You puked your entire pregnancy with her.”
Sienna cringes. “Right, never mind. I’ll just get my baby fix when Mila and Roan get here.” She heads for the water, and soon everyone disperses, leaving me with Alonzo, who grins at me.
“You sure you don’t want another one, orsetta?” he teases. Then he leans down, his eyes darkening with desire. “You drained me dry earlier if you recall.”
“And push out another one of your giant-ass babies? Forget it.” But I give him a wicked grin. “But I wouldn’t say no to us sneaking away for another quickie. I haven’t reached my orgasm quota for the day. We can call it pretend baby making practice.”
I let out a shrieking laugh as he hauls me over his shoulder and sprints toward the house.
THE END