Epilogue
MARCELLA
After four weeks of rest with a lot of restrictions and being homebound thanks to my prince, I’m starting to go insane.
Rowan has been dividing his time between me and searching for Antonia.
I’ve been rehabbing with Emily, getting stronger as my ribs heal and the full extent of the toxin works its way out of my system.
Per my doctor, given the concentration of the cyanide, it could take a couple of months.
The twins are set to come home, hopefully next week, but Bellamy is here today, spending time with the children even if I can see she hates being away from the twins.
The children, including Jaqueline, and I are all in the pool while Bellamy sits on the edge with her legs dangling in. She’s still recovering from surgery but has started light yoga with Althea, which is helping her body and her mind recover.
There’s recovery needed for all of us.
Jaqueline and I have started therapy. She was having nightmares, and I clearly have a lot to work out from my past. We’ve been doing it three days a week to start, and so far, it’s been immensely beneficial for both of us.
“Mommy, watch!” Sabrina cries from the top of the high diving board. “I’m going to do a flip!”
“I’m watching, legendary princess!” Bellamy calls back with a wave.
The renovation plans are in full swing now that parliament has approved the ones for the palace, and Rowan and the children signed off on the ones for the pool.
“Sebastian mentioned a nanny to me again last night,” she murmurs to me.
This is where I attempt to hold in my smile. Ironically, I mentioned this to Rowan the other night, and he thought it was brilliant but wanted to mention it to Sebastian first.
“Oh? And?”
“And he said I need a nanny, but I trust no one. Especially not right now. I mean, think about what’s happening. Charlotte was Marie’s daughter. Who knows how far and deep this all goes?”
That was a kick I hadn’t known. Unfortunately, we have no leads on Antonia. She’s slipped into the void and disappeared completely, but that won’t stop them. Not ever. They’ll find her. No one can stay hidden forever.
“Rowan was supposed to talk to Sebastian, but you’re here now, so I’ll just bring it up, and you can tell me no and that’ll be that.”
Her brows furrow and she tilts her head. “Huh?”
“What if I were the children’s nanny? At least for a little while or until you find someone better. Jaqueline is going to be starting school this fall here at the palace, but she can help me with them—I know she wants to—and the three of us can go from there.”
Bellamy blinks at me, astonished. “You’re serious? You’d want to help me with the children?”
I gnaw on my lip as my hands move in the water. “If you’re comfortable with that, yes.”
“Oh my god! I’d fuc—er, I mean, I’d really, really love that. Like, seriously love that. The children already adore you and feel so comfortable with you, and Jaqueline is so sweet and helpful. Yes. If you’re sure, it’s a big yes from me.”
I laugh. “I’m sure.”
“Oh hell, Marcella, you’re going to make me cry. These freaking hormones are a beast. I’m so happy. I’m going to call Sebastian and tell him—”
“Tell me what?” comes from the sliding doorway that leads to the pool area. Sebastian and Rowan close the slider behind them and head out toward us.
“Marcella wants to be our nanny with Jaqueline as a nanny helper.”
Sebastian appraises me. “You do?”
“I was going to mention it, but never quite found the right time,” Rowan says. “I love the idea.”
“I do too!” Bellamy states, standing up to face him.
“What about you, Marcella? It’s a lot of work, and I don’t want you to do this out of a sense of obligation.”
I shake my head and climb out of the pool. “Honestly, it would give me so much joy, and I think taking care of children in a happy, positive environment would be good for my soul.”
A smile cracks across his face. “Perfect. Thank you. That’s a huge load off my mind.”
Rowan wraps a towel around me and tugs my hand back toward the house. “Great. You start tomorrow.”
I laugh. “What are you doing?”
“Taking a lunch break.” He winks at me and pulls me inside and up the stairs to our bedroom.
Not that I had a lot of stuff, but he moved me into his room before I woke up from my nap that first day.
He announced to the staff that we were together and in love, and that was that.
Good thing my stooges were gone. Who knows how they would have reacted?
We’ve been careful with sex. I mean, we’ve been doing it—we can’t keep our hands off each other—but he’s been very careful with me. The look in his eyes tells me that might all be over now.
Honestly, these last four weeks have been the best of my life.
Being with him is like living in an eternal dream.
We talk about everything, holding nothing of ourselves back.
He’s gone to some of my therapy sessions, and with that, we both have a deeper understanding of what I endured at the hands of Antonia and Signoria and even Samil.
I’ve made my peace with him. It’s all I can do.
Rowan strips me out of my bathing suit, his eyes fierce and hungry as he guides me to the bench at the end of the bed and sits me down. “How are you feeling?”
“Good. Strong.”
“Any pain?”
I shake my head. I wouldn’t call what I have pain. Just occasional discomfort, but it’s nothing I can’t manage.
“Good. Spread your legs for me.”
I do without hesitation, opening myself up fully to him. He licks his lips, then flicks his tongue against my clit. I moan, already so wet and ready for him, I can hardly stand it.
“You’re still dressed, Your Highness.”
He gives me a wicked smirk as he reaches behind his back and pulls off his shirt, treating me to a sinful view of his tanned shoulders and arms. So perfect. So mine.
“Speaking of Your Highness, I wanted to run something by you.”
He blows cool air on my pussy, and I shudder. “Hmm?” I ask absently, watching as he stares ravenously at my cunt. “Rowan, give it to me,” I whine when he rings my entrance without pushing a finger in. “Don’t tease me like this.”
He chuckles and kisses my clit. “I’m not sure how to do this. I’ve thought about it. I thought about tying you up and making you come, and then doing it. I thought about bringing it up over dinner. I thought about waking you up with it. I can’t decide because I don’t think you’ll be happy with me.”
I push him back, and he lands on his haunches. “What are you talking about?”
“Do you remember when you mentioned you didn’t want to be a Russo? How it felt wrong and weird since they were blackmailed by Signoria?”
“Yes.” I shake my head. “Why are we talking about this now?”
“You mentioned your father’s middle name to me. Alexander.”
“What about it?” I whisper, closing my legs and drawing them up to my chest, suddenly feeling vulnerable. Except Rowan isn’t having that. He puts my feet back on the floor and wraps his arms around me, putting us chest-to-chest and face-to-face.
“Your last name, as well as Jaqueline’s, is officially Alexander. You’re Marcella Alexander.”
Tears prickle my eyes. “I am?”
“You are. It’s legal. We had a judge sign off on it. You have a birth certificate. A national identification number. The works.”
“I’m real?” I swallow. “We exist?”
“Yes.”
Oh god. A sob clogs my throat, and my eyes shudder shut. My forehead falls to his shoulder, and I let go, crying my eyes out. “I didn’t know you were doing that.”
“I wanted it to be a surprise.”
“It’s a surprise.”
His hand runs down my hair, and he holds me to him. “Good surprise?”
I cling to him. “The best. Thank you. Thank you so much.” I can’t even begin to describe what this feels like. To be shed of the past and born anew. What it will mean and do for Jaqueline and her future.
He pulls back and wipes my tears with his thumbs. “Marcella Alexander, will you do me the enormous honor of marrying me?”
My eyes bulge. “What!”
He smiles at my reaction, but there are nerves in his eyes.
“You’re my girlfriend, and it’s been fun and all, even when you tried to break up with me.
But you’re more than just my girlfriend.
You’re what makes the blood pump through my body.
Every cell I’m comprised of has your name on it.
I love you. I want you to be my princess.
I want us to chart our new future together. ”
More tears fall, but before I can respond, he pulls a box out of his pocket and opens it. Inside is a large pink diamond heart on a solid platinum band. He stares down at it as it glimmers up at me.
“This came from Desta’s tiara,” he explains.
“I found it in the safe after Marie broke into the home and possibly retook the tiara. Maybe it’s weird to make your engagement ring out of that, but I wanted to make something beautiful from something tragic.
Bring hope and love from something lost and broken. ”
I cup his cheeks and stare into his eyes. God, this man. How did I get so lucky to find this man? So beautiful. So charming. My midnight prince.
“Yes, I’ll marry you. I’ll be your princess, though I can already tell you I will never want to be called that.”
He laughs, the sound jubilant. I draw his face to mine and kiss him with everything I have. Everything I am. Everything I want to be.
He pulls the ring from the box and slips it onto my finger before he kisses me again.
Then it’s nothing but breath and lust and love.
His shorts hit the floor, and his body crawls over mine.
He interlocks our hands, and with his eyes on mine, he pushes deep inside me.
My back bows at the intrusion, at the fullness of him.
My eyes close but only for a moment. I don’t want to look away from him.
Not for another second.
I want to feel him inside of me always. Knowing this connection, this love, can never be severed. We’ve been through hell together. Tested our limits. And came out indestructible on the other side.
He pumps into me, filling me up, making me feel every inch of him. His head dips, and his mouth takes mine. I climb my leg up to his shoulder, setting my calf there so he can fuck me deeper. Kiss me harder. Bend me in fucking half.
“Marcella,” he whispers. “I need you.”
“You have me. I’m here. I love you.”
He growls, pummeling his hips harder into me. My hand with the ring is still locked with his, but his other hand plants into the bed beside my head, using it for leverage. But he wants more. We’re not close enough.
He rolls us over until I’m on top and he’s sitting against the headboard. His arms wrap around me, and I sink back down on his cock, moaning at how fucking perfect that feels.
“Only me, mia stella. Say it.”
My head falls back as I start to bounce on him. “Only you. My prince.”
He groans and thrusts up into me, making my eyes roll back into my head.
His hand is all over my tits, squeezing and pinching and pulling. He drags one up to his mouth and sucks my nipple in hard.
Oh fuck, yes.
Heat is already curling up through me, growing stronger with every pump and push of his cock. His tongue dives back into my mouth, making me groan, and the heat between my thighs burns hotter. I’m on fire. My clit pulses as I rub it against his pelvic bone every time I come down on him.
He presses me down harder, shoving himself in more and more to get to that exact spot. The one I need him to hit.
“Yes!” I cry, especially when I feel his finger on my asshole.
He loves to play here, and he hasn’t taken it yet.
But I know it’s only a matter of time. I haven’t sucked him off yet either.
All these things we have yet to do, but now that I’m healthy and strong again, I know there’s no limit.
It shoots a thrill through me and has me moaning.
He smiles against my lips. “What are you thinking about?”
“Sucking you off. Having you fuck my ass.”
He groans, low and loud. “Shit, sweetheart. You’re going to make me come.” He pants against my mouth as we rub and grind and ride.
I hold the back of his head and kiss a trail up his neck. “Not yet,” I tease. “But after you do, I want those lessons. I want to put you deep down my throat.”
“Oh fuck!”
I laugh. “Still quick to shoot your load, Your Highness?”
“With you? Always.”
He thrusts a finger into my ass, fucking me with it as his cock fucks my pussy.
His other hand comes between us and rubs my clit, and it’s so intense, all the stimulation, feeling my pussy and ass full.
I grind into him, seeking more, wanting it all deeper.
“How’s this?” he rasps against my mouth as he adds another finger to my ass.
Holy shit! A moan rips from my lungs, and he smiles against me.
“That’s it. Take it. Stretch yourself on me, baby, because after this, I’m going to put my cock in your mouth and you’re going to get me nice and hard again.
And after that, my cock is going here.” He pushes his two fingers knuckle-deep.
“Yes,” I cry. “Please.”
“Such a good girl, Marcella. Such a good princess for your prince.”
That’s when I lose it on him. He presses his thumb harder on my clit, and his fingers fuck my ass, and my pussy fucks his cock, and I’m done.
Just so done. I come harder than I’ve ever come in my life, my face against his neck, my arms slung around his shoulders as I surrender and take wave after wave of endless bliss.
Just as I start to come down, Rowan pounds up into me three times and comes on a roar.
I pull back and watch him, mesmerized, the same as I was that night all those months ago at the wedding.
Except now there will be no running out, no clock striking midnight.
It’ll only ever be us. From now through all eternity.
Thank you for reading Midnight Prince. There is more to come in this world with the next book, Stolen Princes. Turn the page for an exclusive look at chapter 1.