Epilogue Drea
Six Months Later
“Would you quit being stubborn and let me get you dressed!”
Luca responded by kicking his legs and blowing a raspberry at me. “You are just like your father. You love giving me a hard time.”
Leo appeared in the bathroom doorway. “Did I just hear you shit talking me to our son?”
I laughed. “I think we can agree to disagree on any alleged shit talking.” I gave him a knowing look. “We both know it’s the truth.”
He came striding toward me with a towel slung low across his hips. Wrapping his arms around my waist, he said, “I will admit that I do love giving you a hard time in the bedroom.” He smacked my ass. “Very, very hard.”
Wriggling out of his arms, I huffed, “Do not even start getting fresh with me. The gallery’s opening is in an hour, and I’m not showing up with cum dripping out onto my couture.”
Leo laughed. “What if I wore a condom?”
“Will you please make yourself useful and wrangle our son into his suit?”
“I thought we were waiting until the absolute last minute to do this so he doesn’t puke or shit himself?”
I motioned to my evening dress. “This is the very last minute for me. I need to get to the gallery early.”
Most people would question why I was bothering to dress Luca when I could've had Vittoria do it. Especially while wearing an expensive dress and having my hair and makeup professionally done. But I was determined to be a hands-on mother. It was one reason why Luca was even coming to the opening.
He was the sun of my world, and everything else just rotated around him.
Leo motioned to the door. “Go on. I’ll get me and the little monster dressed, and we’ll see you in half an hour.”
“Are you sure?”
He smiled. “This is your night to shine, Drea.”
My heart beat a little faster at his words. “Okay. I’ll see you there.”
As Guilio helped me into the SUV, I found Romano behind the wheel. He flashed me a grin in the mirror. “I didn’t want to miss your big debut.”
I laughed. “I hope you’ll be able to come in for a little while.”
“Absolutely. My wife and daughters are meeting me there.”
“I look forward to meeting them.”
As the SUV pulled out into traffic, I exhaled a nervous breath. The last six months had been a whirlwind. I’d spent time trying to take it easy for my C-section recovery while at the same time trying to regain all my movement in my left arm.
After my father’s torture and murder allegedly at the hands of Vincent Moreno, Antonio retaliated by taking Vincent out. That left the expansion lot Leo needed for his casino to be unchallenged. So, he purchased it. We had the groundbreaking for construction last month.
Because Leo’s heart was here with the casino and mine was here with the gallery, we decided to drop roots in Philadelphia.
We bought a house in the historic district because I wanted Luca to have a yard to play in.
It was only fifteen minutes from my parents’ house, so that meant Audrianna and Adamo could come for dinner a lot.
When the SUV came to a stop, I couldn’t believe there was a tiny red carpet and some paparazzi outside. In my mind, I wasn’t a celebrity or a socialite. But in their eyes, I was the daughter of the late Edoardo Caruso, and the wife of Leandro Neretti. That made me worth knowing about.
Their flashes blinded me as Guilio helped me to the door. Once inside, I went about checking to make sure everything was going well with the caterers and the champagne was ready to be served.
As time started ticking down to the official opening, my stomach twisted in knots. But then my tribe began arriving. Callum and Caterina came in from Boston while Rafe, Maeve, and Gianni came from New York along with Bianca and Yuri.
Vittoria looked stunning in her evening wear as did Adamo in his tux. Audrianna’s dress had a slit in the side that I would be giving her a talking to about when I got her alone. She was now fourteen going on twenty-one, and with Father gone, she was testing the waters.
To my surprise, my mother arrived with Antonio. “What a quaint little place,” she remarked before grabbing a flute of champagne.
“Thank you, Mother.”
She gave me air kisses on both cheeks before spotting someone she knew. Antonio merely gave me a nod. “I can’t say I agree with what you’ve done, but at least it’s impressive.”
“I appreciate it.”
Finally, the two men I’d been searching for all night arrived. Leo had anticipated the flashbulbs upsetting Luca, so they’d come in the back door. “There’s my handsome men!” I cried as I hurried over to them.
Luca looked absolutely adorable in his little suit and tie while Leo appeared edible in his tux.
“What a crowd, D,” Leo said, with excitement in his eyes.
“I know. I might actually sell a painting or two tonight.”
“Seriously? I think they’re going to buy us out.”
Excitement radiated through me. “Wouldn’t that be amazing?”
“Da!” Luca called to someone over Leo’s shoulder.
“Um, excuse me, little man. I’m the only Da around here,” Leo replied.
When I looked to where Luca was staring, I covered my mouth with my hands. “Oh, my God!”
“What is it?”
“He’s looking at Submission.”
Leo’s eyes widened before he whirled around. That made Luca turn his head to point at the pictures of Leo on the wall. “Da!”
For the first time ever, Leo Neretti actually blushed. Covering Luca’s eyes, he replied, “You don’t need to be seeing your dad like that.”
While I giggled, Luca huffed and tried wriggling his head away from Leo’s hand. Leo shot me a look. “I need to get him the hell out of here.”
“How about a drink?”
“That’ll work.”
When we got to the bar, Luca was craning his neck to try to see the back wall, which just made me laugh all over again. “Seriously, Drea.”
“I can’t help it. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you blush.”
“Yeah, well, I hope that series sells tonight, so I don’t have to run the risk of him seeing it again.”
As Leo downed some whiskey, I said, “Why don’t I do a new installation of the two of you to replace Submission with?”
Leo appeared thoughtful. “I would hate to see it go. I mean, my body is like a masterpiece in those.” He patted his stomach. “I gotta get back to the gym.”
“Oh please. Like you still don’t have the body of a god.”
He grinned down at me. “You say the sweetest things.”
My assistant tapped me on the shoulder. “Drea, the Globe would like to ask you a few quick questions.”\
I gave Leo a quick kiss on the cheek. “Gotta go.”
***
The next two hours were packed with interviews and greeting customers. I barely got to put away any champagne, let alone food. Just when I thought I was going to pee my pants, I finally slipped away to the bathroom off my office.
After I’d flushed, I went to the sink to wash my hands. When the door jerked open, I jumped in surprise. “What are you doing?” I asked Leo.
“I just came to check on you.”
“I’m fine.”
“Your cheeks look a little flushed.”
“Just all the excitement.” Glancing past him at the door, I asked, “Is it still pretty packed?”
“Yep. Bettina said she might have to turn some people away so we can get closed down on time.”
I covered my mouth with my hand as I shook my head. “That’s insane.”
Leo shook his head. “It’s reflective of your amazing talent.”
I placed my hands on the front of his tux. “I just want to say again how grateful I am to you. Not only for buying the gallery for me, but for believing in me and my dream. That means more to me than anything in the world.”
Leo dipped his head to where his lips hovered over mine. “You’re welcome.”
I brought my hands around his neck and drew him closer to me. Our kiss was reverent at first and then turned into something white hot. All the pent up emotions and nerves and stress bled out of me at that moment in a bolt of lust.
When I pulled my lips from his, he grunted in protest. “You know, I was just thinking that we never formally christened the gallery.”
“What happened to cum on your couture?”
I grinned. “Maybe I’ll swallow you down before you come.”
Leo threw his head back with a groan. “Never, ever lose that mouth.”
“Considering how well you go down on me, I could say the same.”
With a wicked smirk, Leo grabbed me by the waist and hoisted me on the sink. His hands disappeared under my dress and up my thighs. When his fingers gripped my thong, he jerked it down my thighs.
When he started to go to the door, I shook my head. “Don’t lock it.”
“Ooh, someone is diving into her voyeurism kink.”
I laughed. “Maybe I’ll be ready to go to Inferno with you soon.”
“I’d love that.”
Gripping my knees, Leo pushed them far apart before he sank to his knees. He then buried his head in my pussy. God, he was so good at it. He licked and sucked and nibbled at my center until his cheeks were coated with me.
“You know I’m having a little deja vu,” he murmured against my pussy.
“What?” I panted as I thrust my hips against his face for friction.
“The first time I made you come was under a dress.”
“Quit reminiscing, and fuck me,” I commanded.
After his head came out from under my dress, he winked. “Yes, ma’am.”
After making quick work of unbuttoning and zipping his pants, Leo took his swollen cock in his hand and brought it to my core. When he met my eyes, he gave me that genuine smile of his that I loved so much. “I love you.”
As I replied, “I love you, too,” my voice got cut off with him thrusting all the way inside me.
Instead, I took a deep breath to replenish my lungs and then started to scream his name, but his hand came over my mouth. “You gotta stay quiet this time, princess. But after Luca’s asleep, I’ll let you scream down the house.”
I couldn’t imagine a better end to the most perfect day in my most perfect life.