Epilogue
DILLAN
Do I love him?
I’d walk through every single painful hell I’ve ever gone through, if I knew he’d be waiting at the end of it again. Because he’s not just worth everything, he is everything.
—Dillan’s Secret Thoughts
I rest my head on Rome’s leg and close my eyes, enjoying the way the summer sun warms my skin. The hand not currently holding a book curves around my enormous belly, and my husband possessively runs his fingers along one of the feet currently kicking me.
“You think that’s our boy or our girl?” he asks, smiling, and my God, it’s the most beautiful smile.
“I think they’re both your babies, so they’re both going to be feral. It could be either one.”
He leans down and kisses me upside down, his scruff tickling my face. “You feeling okay?”
“Why? Because I’m about a million months pregnant?” I ask and close my eyes, tired. So damn tired.
“I was thinking more like you had a late night last night with the book launch party, your doctor’s appointment this morning, and how many podcast interviews did you do after that?”
“Three,” I tell him and turn until I get more comfortable.
“I think I’m a little sad to be saying goodbye to Cassia, Draven, and Radix after spending five books and five years bringing them and their kingdom to life.
I guess I’m a little sad it’s over. I sort of feel like we fell in love when they did. ”
“I loved you before you ever wrote a single word, stellina. I always knew it was you and me. You just needed to accept it too.” A smug smile curves his lips, and he looks down at the book. “And I will love you long after you write your last book.”
“You sure do say the prettiest things,” I tease, but really, he does. When it’s just us, Rome is actually a hopeless romantic. My hopeless romantic.
“You want me to read to you?” He runs a finger along my face, pushing my hair off my shoulders.
I look around the private patch of beach we’re enjoying behind the house we bought two years ago, after we got married, with the advance I was given for the movie rights to my world.
My own little piece of heaven.
No one bothers us here.
Here, we’re just Rome and Dillan.
No one snaps pictures or puts us on social media.
They don’t ask for their books to be signed or their boobs to be signed, in my husband’s case. Honestly, how does the fact that his wife is right next to him and as big as a whale not give some of these twats pause?
We’re just happy and at peace here.
“I always want you to read to me, husband.” I adjust my sunglasses and sigh. “Where did we leave off yesterday?”
“I think we’re up to H.” Rome opens the book, and I watch his eyes soften. “Haven, Harper, Hayden, Hadley, Harrison, Heidi. Hope—”
“Uh . . . Rome.” Oh shit.
“You like Hope, baby? I can add it to the maybe list.”
Water trickles down my legs. Shit. Shit. Shit. “Rome.”
“Dillan?” He says my name like a question as realization dawns. “You okay?”
“I think my water just broke.”
“You were just at the doctor’s.” He stares down at me in shock. “Are you sure?’
I laugh because what else can I do. “Yeah, love. I’m sure. We need to get to the hospital.”
“Holy shit,” He stands and helps me to my feet. “We’re having a baby.”
“Two,” I laugh as Rome lifts me, and I throw my arms around his neck and squeal.
“We’re having two babies . . . Holy shit. I love you, principessa. You ready for this?”
“Absolutely not,” I tell him as the first contraction hits hard, and I scream and breathe and have a brand-new respect for my mother. “I love you too. Now let’s meet our babies.”
The End