Epilogue 2
GAbrIELLA
Three years later…
The audience was engaged, actively listening to my lecture on paediatric medicine. I had transitioned back into the workforce two years before, when Celeste turned four, more than ready to return to the specialty I loved.
However, my interests had waned somewhat, altering the trajectory of my career. My life experiences had ignited a new passion, leaving me wanting to explore the area of psychiatry and mental health, especially in the context of children.
After what my family and I went through with Nico, I was always hypervigilant with my own girls and their ongoing well-being. Five years later, and they were thriving, displaying no residual side effects from that awful moment. If only I could say the same for myself.
Healing was not linear, as proven with the many ups and downs I had faced on my recovery journey. I also knew Leonardo battled similar demons to my own, as proven by this weekend away.
It was the first time we’d left the children overnight since the incident. Not that Angelina or Celeste cared. They’d barely spared a wave when they raced inside the Thorne family home, desperate to play with their brother and stepsiblings.
It took much courage for me to accept the invitation for that work conference, and even more guts to allow Leonardo to join me.
When I first received the request as an honoured guest, I was sceptical, my fears outweighing my desire to attend. There were too many variables, numerous unknowns that could risk the safety of my family.
However, Leonardo saw my hesitation and was adamant that he didn’t want me missing out on such an amazing opportunity. So I agreed.
We communicated, put plans in place and turned to our support system for help. Everyone rallied around us, providing advice and guidance to ease our anxieties.
And after much planning and reassurance, we finally made it.
Alexis and Owen were beyond gracious, sending us regular updates of the kids with photos, texts and voice messages—most of those consisted of straight squealing, but even that managed to fill me with comfort to the point that I was actually able to enjoy myself.
The medical conference was a hit. I’d forgotten how important it was to pursue my wants and be kind to myself. The time away reassured me that it was okay to be a little selfish and take something purely my own.
However, I could not deny that Leonardo played a vital part. If it weren’t for him, I never would have reached that point of acceptance.
He had proved himself over the years. Aside from taking a bullet for his family, Leonardo consistently showed up. He promised to earn back my trust and rebuild my belief in him. With both words and actions, my husband managed to do just that.
As I came to the conclusion of my presentation, the room erupted in applause, a blush rising on my cheeks from the complimentary response.
Yet there was one clap that overrode them all, coming from my husband standing in the front row, his beaming grin clearly displaying his pride and respect for me.
The crowd soon dwindled, some individuals lagging behind to ask questions and network. Leonardo waited patiently, busying himself with packing and collecting my belongings.
He had been such a great assistant. It was about time I showed him my appreciation.
The evening was warm, the sky a beautiful array of stars as we walked hand in hand back to our hotel after a delicious dinner.
I was blissed out and probably a bit tipsy as we strolled along the pavement, our weekend coming to a close as we were to return to our everyday lives the next day.
“I’m so fucking proud of you, Ella. You killed your presentation today,” he said, his voice thick with admiration.
“I’m so glad we came! It shouldn’t have taken us so long.” To get away, to take time for ourselves.
Leo raised our joined hands to kiss my knuckles. “It happened at the exact time it was supposed to.”
I giggled. Maybe I shouldn’t have had that last glass of wine.
My husband side-eyed me, a smirk playing on his lips.
“What?” I asked, returning his smile.
“Nothing… I just love seeing you like this.”
“Like what?”
“Happy.” His reply was so simple yet held such a deeper meaning.
Staring into his stormy grey eyes, our entire life played out between us. It was then that I accepted my fate, knowing he was always meant to be mine to the very end.
I licked my lips, deciding to overcome that last barrier between us. To regain what we had lost. “You want to make me extra happy?”
“That’s all I ever want,” he said, all husky and sexy, his eyes tracking the movement of my tongue.
I leant forward, tracing my nose up his neck until my lips aligned with his earlobe, and I proceeded to nip.
He jolted from surprise and, dare I say, desire. And utterly drunk on power, I couldn’t help but whisper, “I’ll be deliriously happy to wake up with your dick inside me, husband. Show me you need me. Show me how desperate you are. Show me you can’t live without me.”
Leonardo was trembling, his grip tightening on me as he inconspicuously pressed his thick shaft against my core.
“Are you sure, darling?”
I knew what he was asking. My request was monumental and altogether telling as I hadn’t consented to him using my body while asleep since before the incident five years ago.
To submit myself to my partner in such a vulnerable way required complete trust. Once upon a time, Leonardo had shattered that. Yes, he had proven himself since then, and constantly worked hard for us. But I couldn’t help that I wasn’t ready.
However, that weekend away with my husband had reignited something inside me. He was supportive, encouraging and everything I knew him to be.
He was my Leonardo, my husband, my best friend. And I didn’t want to deny us any longer.
“I’m sure, Leo. I trust you.”
He showed me how much he liked my answer by devouring me… right there on the street.
I woke to my muscles spasming—taut, lax, taut, lax—the sensation causing an electrical current to ignite throughout my body.
A lazy smile widened my mouth before my sleepy lids opened a sliver, catching my husband in the act. Sweat coated his brow, his eyes shut tight in concentration as short, hot pants escaped his parted lips.
We were both lying on our sides, one of my thighs pitched high over his hip as he slowly gyrated against me.
Ah, there it is.
I’d missed that sweet internal ache, the heavy shift of his body, and most of all, waking to my husband’s cock buried fully inside me.
This act required complete surrender and total abandon. Forfeiting that control to the one I loved hit a level of intimacy that was addictive and soul-altering.
With the release of my inhibitions came the primal act of possession from him, of taking me over and over until he was fully satiated—which he wasn’t yet.
His thrusts were slow yet purposeful. Leonardo would pull out right to the tip, leaving me empty and wanting, then he’d fill me back up, sitting inside me a moment before doing it all over again.
It was glorious and simultaneously fucking torturous, and I couldn’t take another moment of waiting.
On the next stroke, when he had stretched me with every single glorious inch, I intentionally clenched my inner walls around his throbbing cock, letting him know I was awake.
Leonardo hissed, his eyes snapping open, giving me that hazy, lust-filled gaze I loved so much.
“Good morning, wife.”
“Mm. It is a good morning, isn’t it?”
“It will be better than good when I wake you up properly,” he said, punctuating the words by shifting my knee higher over his waist and shoving in hard.
I don’t know whether it was the altered angle or the power behind his thrust, but my husband already had me speaking in tongues, and the sun had barely risen.
“Wet my dick, darling. Give me your cum, then I’ll finally feed you mine. Ah, I’ve been waiting all night for this...”
I gasped and whimpered, a linguistic mess. “Have you not come yet, Leo? Surely, that’s dangerous for your health.”
“You deserve all the pleasure, Ella,” he murmured in between drugging kisses. “I don’t mind waiting. You know I like waiting.”
I bit into his lower lip. “No more waiting. Fill me up, husband. I need you to claim me.”
His movements grew purposeful as we moved as one. Gripping his sweaty hand in mine, I placed his palm against my sternum. His fingertips curled, circling the heart-shaped pendant that meant so much to me.
“Thank you for believing in me again, darling. For trusting in me.”
“You fought for us. You fought for our future. Now, let’s live it together.”
We both let the reconnection drown us in pleasure, taking and giving until we found climax as one.
With each passing day, we would continue to fight. Our family could endure any struggle; our marriage was worth every battle. A life with Leonardo? Yeah, he was worth it all.