Epilogue
Sienna
(Three years later…)
“You have a healthy baby boy,” Dr. Milazzo says as I slump back against the pillows, my skin soaked with sweat and breaths rushing over my lips from just giving birth.
Christiano’s tight grip on my hand begins to ease, and leaning over me, he presses a kiss to my forehead. When I started having contractions, he brought me to the Cosa Nostra’s personal hospital.
A tiny cry sounds up, and my eyes snap to where Simone, the nurse, is tending to our baby.
She wraps him in a soft blanket, and when she brings him to me, my heartbeat speeds up dangerously fast. By the time she lays the small bundle in my arms, the monitors are going crazy.
“Oh my God, Christiano,” I whimper as I look at our son. “He’s so small.”
“He’ll be the most protected child on this planet, princess,” my wonderful husband reassures me for the millionth time. Brushing his palm over my damn hair, he leans closer as he takes hold of our son’s tiny hand. “Thank you for giving me an heir. You were so brave.”
A tearful smile curves my lips. I can’t tear my eyes away from the scrunched-up little face of our baby, thinking I’ve never seen anything more beautiful in my life.
“Hi, Damian, I’m your daddy,” Christiano coos lovingly. “Welcome to the world, son.”
As carefully as possible, I hand our son over to him, so he can hold our precious bundle while the medical personnel finish with me.
By the time I’m moved to a luxurious private room, my eyes won’t stay open and keep drifting off.
Every once in a while, I hear Christiano talk to Damian, who’s making cute fussing sounds.
When I wake up, the room is empty, and not seeing Christiano or Damian, my heart sets off at a crazy pace.
An alarm starts beeping out in the hallway, then I hear Christiano snap, “Fuck.” He rushes into the room, and I notice the face of his watch is showing red as it continues to beep.
“I’m here, baby. You’re okay.” He quickly pushes a button on his wristwatch to silence it, then leans over me. “I’m fine. Damian’s fine. We’re here.”
“Sorry,” I whisper as my heart calms down.
“Don’t apologize,” he murmurs while hugging me. “We’re all safe. I won’t allow anything to happen to Damian. He’s with our fathers. No one can get to him.”
I nod, feeling much better. In my mind, our fathers are indestructible, and knowing they’re with our son, it eases my phobia.
“Can we come in?” I hear Dad ask.
“Yes.” Christiano moves back, and when I see our parents come into the room with proud and happy looks on their faces, a lump forms in my throat.
Dad comes to press a kiss to my forehead. “You did a good job, sweetheart. I want you to rest while we all watch over you, Christiano, and Damian.”
“Thank you, Daddy.”
Mom sits down beside me, rubbing her hand gently over my stomach while my father-in-law moves closer. He carefully places Damian in my arms, saying, “I think he’s hungry.”
Our fathers leave, shutting the door behind them, so I’ll have privacy. Mom and Christiano help me sit up and fluff the pillows behind me.
As Mom helps me get Damian to latch onto my breast, and I feel him suck, a wide smile spreads over my face. “There you go, my little prince.”
“I like that,” Christiano says, his tone sounding emotional. “Our little prince.”
And the next heir to the capo dei capi title.
Fear slithers through my veins, but I manage to keep calm.
A couple of seconds later, I’m filled with contentment because I’m able to breastfeed and provide nourishment for our son.
Soon, his sucking slows down until he falls asleep. “He’s so cute,” I whisper.
Christiano gently takes him from me so I can cover up, and as I lean my head back against the pillows, my eyes lock on my husband and son, and I’m hit with a wave of overwhelming love.
When we started talking about having children, Christiano didn’t want to know anything about the matter. He said Asher would be his heir and refused to take a chance with my mental health.
It took some convincing on my part, and as I keep staring at them, I’m glad I won. I know Christiano and the rest of the families can protect Damian.
With Christiano’s help, I’ve learned to live life to the fullest instead of hiding from the world.
His love is so strong that it keeps my phobia at bay.
I pat Mom’s arm and whisper, “Take a photo of them, please.”
She quickly digs her phone out and takes a couple. “I’ll send them to your phone.” Setting her handbag down again, she asks, “Are you thirsty?”
When I nod, she pours me a glass of chilled water. While I drink some, she rubs my stomach again.
“That feels good.”
She arranges some of my strands of hair so they're not sticking up. “Do you need anything else?”
I shake my head. “I’m good.”
My mother-in-law comes in with a smoothie. “How’s the new mother doing?”
“Very well,” I answer.
She places the smoothie down beside me. “It’s your favorite.”
“Thank you.”
I watch as she moves closer to Christiano and fusses with her son and grandchild, hoping that will be me one day.
“It’s time for Sienna to get some rest,” Christiano announces.
Mom kisses my cheek before getting up, and when the women leave, Christiano comes to sit down beside me, holding Damian so I can see him. Lifting my hand, I gently brush my fingertips over his tiny hands.
“We did good,” I whisper.
“You did all the work, princess.” His eyes lock with mine, and they fill with a look of awe. “I love you both so much.”
I look at our son again before glancing back at Christiano. “And we love you.”
Christiano
“Careful,” I murmur as I place Damian in Asher’s arms.
My nephew sits frozen as he stares at my son. “Why does he sleep so much?”
“It’s a hard job being born,” I reply as I crouch in front of them.
Damian makes a fussing sound, then his eyes open. They’ve turned dark brown over the past couple of weeks.
“Hi, little man,” Asher says. “I’m your cousin.”
So cute.
“You know how Uncle Enzo is my underboss?” I ask as I place my hand on Asher’s shoulder.
“Yeah.”
“You’ll be Damian’s underboss.”
“I promise I’ll always look after him, Uncle Christiano.”
My fucking heart melts, and I get up to press a kiss to his forehead. “And I’ll always look after you.”
“Food’s ready,” Valentina calls out.
Sienna comes into the living room and smiles when she sees that Asher is holding Damian. “Let me take him so you can go wash your hands.”
“Okay.” He’s so careful when he hands Damian over to her, and it draws a chuckle from me.
Placing my arm around Sienna’s shoulders, we walk out of the house to where tables have been set up in the backyard. It’s the first time Valentina is hosting Thanksgiving, and with all five families here, she looks very happy and relaxed.
Things between her and Remo are moving slowly, but I can see a wedding on the horizon.
I pull out a chair for Sienna, and once she’s seated, I take my position at the head of the table and wait for everyone to sit down.
My eyes drift over my loved ones as I say, “This is what I fight for.” I take a breath before continuing, “Family. Love. Loyalty.” You can hear a pin drop as my voice carries over the yard.
“Thank you for helping me keep the Cosa Nostra strong so our children can one day take over as we did from our fathers.” I look down at Sienna and Damian.
“I’m most thankful for my beautiful wife and our son.
” My voice turns hoarse as I end with, “You and Damian are my strength. Everything I do starts and ends with the two of you.”
Sienna gives my hand a squeeze as I sit down, a loving smile on her face. “And we are thankful for everything you do for us.”
One by one, everyone gets a moment to say what they’re thankful for, and when it’s Remo’s turn, he gets up and pulls Valentina to her feet.
“Come stand by us,” he tells Asher and Talia.
I hear Mom sniffle as the kids join them, then Remo goes down on one knee and removes a ring from his pocket.
“I’ve always loved you, Valentina, and I would’ve waited a million lifetimes for you, because I can’t imagine my life without you and the kids in it.
I want nothing more than to officially become a part of your family, to be your husband and your children’s father.
” Every woman is wiping tears away by the time he asks, “Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
“What do you think, kids?” Valentina asks, her tone playful. “Should I marry Remo?”
“Yes!” Talia shouts before throwing herself at Remo and hugging him.
Asher smiles from ear to ear. “Yes.”
We all cheer when Valentina nods and says, “Yes, Remo.”
When he stands up and pushes the ring onto her finger, she smiles lovingly at him. “I love you.”
As soon as my best friend leans in to kiss my sister, I call out, “Show's over. Let’s eat.”
The sound of cutlery clanking and people talking fills the air, and in true Sicilian fashion, chaos ensues as we all load our plates with food.
This right here is what makes all the hard work, the blood spilled, and the constant weight of responsibility worth it.
These are the people I would burn the world down to protect.
The End.