Epilogue One
Maksim
I blinked in surprise at the sight of the looming Christmas tree in the corner of the large sitting room.
Sometime during the night, it’d been erected, and a massive number of presents rested beneath the tree.
The smell of gingerbread cookies assaulted my nostrils, and my stomach rumbled.
I could smell other foods cooking too, a Christmas feast well on its way to being made.
Anurak popped out from behind the tree, the multi-colored lights reflected in his brown eyes. “Merry Christmas, Maksim!” he exclaimed, still holding an ornament in his hand.
I smiled. “Merry Christmas, Anurak.” I couldn’t remember a time I’d celebrated the holiday.
Anatoly kept the holiday festivities for his immediate family.
The rest of us just did whatever, and as an orphan, I’d never participated in the festivities.
This was new for me, but I couldn’t deny the warmth that bled through me as I continued taking in the room.
Lights had been strung up along the ceiling edges, and stockings hung from hooks on the walls, already filled to the brim.
“Merry Christmas, mouse,” Alfonzo murmured as he wrapped his arms around me from behind. I sank back into him, my throat thick with emotion. I was experiencing too much to name just one, but I knew for certain I wasn’t unhappy.
When Alfonzo had told me I was now part of their family, he’d meant it, and he spent every day proving it to me.
“I could have helped decorate,” I rasped. In fact, I would’ve loved to experience decorating for the first time.
“Papi told me you haven’t had a real Christmas before,” Anurak said, “so I wanted to surprise you.” He smiled widely, bouncing on his toes, so excited he could barely contain it.
“But you can help me decorate next year! We usually do it a lot earlier—like as soon Thanksgiving is over—but I thought this might be more fun and memorable.”
I tipped my head back against Alfonzo’s shoulder, then turned my head just enough to look up at him. “Did you know about this?”
He hummed. “I did. Thought it might be good for you, too.”
There was no question as to whether Alfonzo was a monster.
And while Rico assured me he was not a psychopath, the man was still as psychotic as they came.
But there was a softness about him, too.
A softness he really only showed with me.
And he was thoughtful, always looking out for me and somehow constantly Intune with what I needed without me ever having to say a word.
This was just yet more proof of the way this man loved me. And goddamn, I couldn’t get enough of it.
“Papi!” Anurak exclaimed just as Rico made his way into the room. Bento also walked in, holding two mugs of hot chocolate. He passed one over to Anurak as Anurak passed him to get to his husband. “Can we open presents now? Please? Maksim is up now!”
Rico chuckled, wrapping his arms around Anurak’s slim frame. Leaning down, he planted a soft kiss on Anurak’s lips. “Yeah, perrito. We can open gifts now.” He looked at me. “Merry Christmas, Maksim.”
I dipped my chin in thanks. “You, too, Rico.”
Rico took a seat on the couch, watching as his boy immediately began shuffling through the gifts.
Alfonzo led me over to the arm chair, then tugged me down on his lap, his arms wrapping around me once more.
Anurak knee-walked over to me, then presented me with a rather large but flat box.
I frowned, my brows furrowing as I took it from him.
Being part of the Christmas festivities was more than enough.
But I’d gotten gifts, too? My heart was going to melt.
“This one is from me,” Anurak gushed. “Open it.”
Chuckling at his excitement, I began to carefully peel the paper off. Alfonzo huffed, his warm breath fanning the skin of my neck. “Just rip it off, mouse. It’s not like we’re using the wrapping paper ever again,” he chuckled. “Trust me, Anurak demands new wrapping paper every year.”
Anurak rolled his eyes at Alfonzo in a very rare show of brattiness. Rico laughed softly. “Because every year has to be special,” Anurak told him in a ‘duh’ tone.
Alfonzo rested his chin on my shoulder, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw him stick his tongue out at Anurak, who just stuck his tongue back out at him in return.
“Open the gift, mouse,” Alfonzo said, giving me his attention once more.
I ripped the paper off, this time with much less finesse, and peeled the lid off the plain white box. Inside was a thick, super soft sweatshirt. I pulled it from the box, laughing softly at the inscription that’d been stitched into it.
I like my men with dark souls.
Alfonzo barked out a laugh and pressed a kiss to my throat.
I smiled at Anurak. “It’s perfect. Thank you.
” And just so he knew for sure I liked it, I pulled the sweatshirt I was wearing off, then tugged my new one over my head.
It fit perfectly, and damn, it was the softest thing I’d ever owned. The boy really knew how to damn shop.
“Grab mine for him next, will you, kid?” Alfonzo asked. “Then, you can find the one I got you and open it.”
Anurak hurriedly dug through the presents, finally revealing a small box.
He passed it over to me, and I frowned, my throat tightening.
It had the similar consistency of a ring box, and I swore to fuck if Alfonzo was about to ask me to marry him, I was going to combust. And I might fucking cry.
While I knew none of them would judge me for my tears, I still wasn’t used to showing that much emotion to anyone but Alfonzo.
“Open it,” Alfonzo murmured in my ear before pressing a kiss to my lobe. The sound of Anurak ripping open his own gift reached my ears.
Blowing out a soft breath, I peeled off the plain black wrapping paper, revealing a black velvet box.
Swallowing thickly, I lifted the lid, revealing a sterling silver band with tiny diamonds encrusted all around.
It was masculine while still making a very large statement that I was one hundred percent taken.
“Alfonzo…” I breathed, blinking rapidly as the Christmas lights gleamed over the diamonds.
“Marry me,” Alfonzo murmured. I turned my head to look at him, tears already glistening in my eyes. His smile was soft and patient—for once. “Marry me, mouse.”
I nodded all while a tear ran down my cheek. I was too choked up to speak, but for once, Alfonzo didn’t push me to vocalize what I wanted to say. He just took the ring from the box, then grabbed my left hand and slid the band onto it.
It fit perfectly.
Lifting my hands, I cupped his face, then kissed him.
Alfonzo groaned and deepened the kiss all while Anurak shouted his excitement over the newest gaming console.
And right then, I knew I was exactly where I was supposed to be.
The Bratva was still my family, but this one, this family within the Martinez Crime Family, was where I was meant to be all along.