Extra Epilogue
CARLY
“ Dad!” Reagan yelled as she flew down the stairs. “Put the gun away!”
Brandon turned his dark glare from the front door to me, and I laughed, shaking my head. There was no way I was getting involved. Besides, he knew that if I did, I'd be on Reagan's side.
The doorbell rang again, and Reagan glanced at it with a bit of panic before wiping the anger from her face and replacing it with the same look she used when she was little to get Brandon to sneak her extra dessert.
Her eyes welled with tears, and a big, fat droplet ran down her cheek. I rolled my eyes and suppressed another chuckle, especially when I saw the inevitable crumbling of Brandon's defenses. He’d been a killer enforcer and my right-hand man while I'd ruled the Irish mob in New York City. Then he'd taken over when I decided to focus on being a wife and a mom—though I wasn't out of the business completely. But this badass motherfucker was brought to his knees when one of our daughters cried.
“Please, Daddy?”
Brandon sighed and nodded, then put the safety on his Glock before shoving it into the back of his pants. He stepped back and gestured to the door. “Fine. It's not like he doesn't know I'm armed.”
Reagan's tears had cleared up the second Brandon gave in, and she rolled her eyes as she hurried to the front door and swung it open.
Tommy’s son, Dante, stood on the front porch, and when he spotted Reagan, his face lit up with a giant smile. “Hey, baby,” he greeted her sweetly. She stepped close and threw her arms around him, but before she could go in for a kiss, Brandon's threatening growl had them breaking apart.
Dante bravely kept his arm around Reagan and faced Brandon with a determined expression. The only giveaway that he was nervous was the way his Adam's apple moved as he swallowed hard. “Sir.” His voice was a little raspy, as though his mouth had suddenly gone dry. He swallowed again and cleared his throat. “I'd like to speak with you privately.” He turned his head to smile warmly at me. “Hello, Aunt Carly. You're welcome to join us, but Reagan tells me she already spoke with you.”
Tommy’s family was as close to us as Nic and Anna’s. We’d always been Aunt Carly and Uncle Brandon to them. I returned Dante’s smile and walked over to hug him. “She did. I'd say, 'welcome to the family,' but we're already family. That will never change.”
“We'll see,” Brandon growled.
Dante's determination returned, and he kissed Reagan's cheek before letting her go. Brandon spun on his heel and headed back to his office, expecting Dante to follow. I winked at him and whispered, “He's more bark than bite.”
Both Brandon and Dante snorted, and I shrugged. Okay, so maybe that was a bit of an exaggeration. I'd been hoping to put Dante at ease, but he'd wasn't stupid, and he'd known Brandon his whole life.
Dante squared his shoulders and marched after Brandon, leaving Reagan to cuddle up to me for strength. “He wouldn't really hurt him, right?”
“Nah, you know your Dad, honey. You'd never forgive him, and he wouldn't take that risk.”
She sighed and relaxed a little as I led her to the kitchen for the comfort of ice cream.
Brandon
“Uncle Brandon, I'm sure you know why I'm here.”
I yanked my gun from my pants and set in on the desk, in plain sight, before dropping into my brown leather chair. “I should never have let her date,” I grumbled.
Dante cocked his head to the side and studied me. He hesitated, mulling over his next words for a moment. Then he sat in the seat across from me and locked our gazes. “With all due respect, Sir. Even if Reagan and I had never been on a single date, this would still be happening. I love her more than anything and want to spend my life with her.”
I grunted in response. I wasn't happy with the idea of my baby girl leaving home and giving someone else the responsibility of her care and safety. In my eyes, she was still that four-year-old little girl with pigtails and a scraped knee who came running to me for healing kisses. But I had to face reality. Reagan was twenty-one, and the truth was, I was incredibly proud of the woman she'd grown into.
This day had been looming in my future since the moment Dante and Reagan’s cousin, Niccolo, had punched another kindergartner for trying to steal a kiss from Reagan. Now that it was here, I wasn't ready. Then again, I'd probably never be ready.
“I want to marry Reagan, and I'd like your blessing, Uncle Brandon.” His face hardened, and I was impressed with the courage he was showing. “Reagan would have a hard time if you don't approve of our union, but make no mistake, she will be my wife, with or without your consent.”
Damn. He reminded me so much of his Dad and myself that I almost smiled. When we'd found the loves of our lives, there had been nothing and no one who could have kept us apart. I knew Dante had been raised to respect women, and he'd spent his whole life watching his father worship the ground his mother walked on. He would be a great husband and father?—
“Dante,” I growled as a thought suddenly occurred to me. “You’re both so young, why the rush?”
He looked taken aback by my question but answered without hesitation, “Why wait when I know she's all I'm ever going to want?”
I narrowed my eyes, inclined to believe his explanation. But just in case, I decided not to beat around the bush and find out if there was another reason. One that would probably get him shot. “She'd better not be pregnant, kid.”
His eyes widened, and he shook his head frantically. “No! No. She isn't—” he broke off and gulped. “Not that I know of.”
“What the fuck?” I shouted at the top of my lungs as I lunged to my feet and reached for my gun. I pointed it at his head and flicked off the safety. I kept my finger off the trigger, though, because it felt itchy. The only thing holding me back was knowing Reagan would hate me if I killed her boyfriend.
He stood as well but didn't cower away, another point in his favor even if I did just learn that he'd taken advantage of my daughter. “You took her innocence before marriage!” I spat.
Dante swallowed hard again. “I'm not going to lie to you, Uncle Brandon,” he said. “But I promise you that I have always respected Reagan and treated her with the utmost care.”
“If that were true, you wouldn't have convinced my baby girl to?—”
“I seduced him, Dad!” Reagan yelled as she burst into the room.
Dante sighed, and I stared at my daughter, dumbfounded.
“He wanted to wait,” she insisted. “It was me who convinced him.”
“Baby, I told you I could handle this,” Dante said gently.
Reagan shook her head adamantly. “I won't let you take the blame for something that was my fault.” She glared at my gun, then up at my face. “So, if you're going to shoot someone over this, shoot me.”
Dante jumped to his feet and moved to stand in front of Regan. If it had been anyone else, I would have been offended that he thought I would shoot my own daughter. But I knew the boy better than that. He was showing me that he would protect her with his life. I lowered my weapon and sighed in defeat. “Okay, baby girl.”
I put my gun down and opened my arms. She walked right into them, and I enveloped her in a giant hug. “You have my blessing.” Her face raised, and she beamed at me.
“Thank you, Daddy. I love you.”
I hugged her close again and rested my cheek on the top of her head. “I love you, too. I want you to be happy.” My eyes drifted to Dante, filled with warning. “And if anyone ever hurt you, family or not, they'd never be seen again because chances are, they'd be at the bottom of the East River with cement shoes and a hole in their head.” Dante nodded in understanding.
Carly walked into the room and over to my side. She beamed up at me, reminding me where Reagan got her radiance and beautiful smile. “Let the kids go celebrate,” she said softly. Since I'd never been able to deny her anything, as long as it didn't involve her safety, I kissed the top of Reagan's head and released her. She scampered over to Dante and slipped under his arm and placed her head on his chest.
My heart squeezed once more as I thought about how she used to cuddle up to me just like that. I had to accept the fact that she would be turning to someone else from now on.
“It was going to be someone,” Carly murmured low enough for my ears only. “Wouldn't you rather it be him?”
I curled my arms around her waist and pulled her into my side. “Doesn't mean I have to like it,” I grunted, earning a snicker and condescending pat on my ass from my wife. Reagan blew me a kiss before she and Dante left, still glued to each other.
“You'd better get used to it, babe. You're going to have to do this two more times. And Tommy doesn’t have anymore sons to make it a little easier on you.”
I lifted her chin with my index finger and glared down at her. “Are you trying to piss me off, kitten?”
“Of course not.” The look in her eyes said otherwise.
“I think you're angling to be punished. It seems to me, you've earned it anyway,”
Carly licked her lips and canted her head to the side. “What could I have possibly done to warrant being punished?” Her green eyes glittered with amusement even as they swirled with dark desire.
I guided her around, so she was standing directly in front of me. Then I gripped a fistful of her shirt and lifted her onto her toes. “You knew, didn't you? About Reagan and Dante.” I didn't have to spell it out; she knew I was talking about them sleeping together.
She bit her lip and nodded.
Our other three kids were at school, so I glared at her and tore her shirt straight down the front. She gasped, but it turned into a moan when I cupped her tits and rubbed my thumbs over her nipples. “You've been a naughty little pussy cat, kitten.” I slipped a hand around to the back of her flirty skirt and unzipped it. It fell easily and pooled around her feet. Then I palmed one ass cheek and groaned at the feel of her naked skin. “You know I don't like it when any part of you is naked around anyone but me,” I growled.
“I'm not naked,” she argued breathlessly. “I'm wearing a thong.”
My cock pulsed with need as it grew until the skin was painfully stretched. “Your ass is naked.” I lifted my hand and brought it down with a loud smack. Carly shivered and moaned and my dick began leaking steadily, begging for attention. I spanked her a few more times, slapping each cheek equally. When I couldn't take it anymore, I put my hands on her shoulders and urged her to drop to her knees. She readily complied and looked up at me with a wide-eyed, innocent expression. We both knew it was bullshit; my woman loved to get dirty. But for some reason, her virginal act always got me hot as fuck, and she knew it.
I flicked the button on my slacks and freed my aching cock. “Your spanking was for the thong, kitten, but now you're going to make up for keeping me in the dark about our little girl.” I put pressure on her chin with my thumb. “Open up,” I commanded.
She immediately obeyed, parting her lips. “Lose the bra, kitten.” When she tossed it away, her big tits bounced and my mouth watered. But my cock was too hungry for me to feast on her pink nipples right at that moment. I pumped my rock hard dick a few times before guiding it into the warm, wet cavern of her mouth. “Suck my cock, kitten,” I ordered. Her tongue swirled around the tip before she sucked on it. “Oh, fuck yeah,” I shouted. “Take me deep, kitten, yes!” She went down on my dick with gusto, practically swallowing me whole. “Fuck! Oh, fuck yes, baby!” It didn't take long before I exploded, and I bellowed her name as I spurted down her throat. I came so hard I almost blacked out.
Once I was able to catch my breath and was steady enough, I helped her up and spun her around to face the desk. I used a hand between her shoulder blades to push her down and placed her palms firmly on top. Then I dropped to my knees behind her and took the firm globes of her ass in my hands. Spreading her cheeks, I spied the tiny string of her thong and irritation speared through my fog of lust. “I'm pretty sure I've made my stance on thongs real fucking clear over the years, kitten,” I growled. I yanked on the strings at her hips and snapped them, so the thing fell away.
“Did you?” she panted, sounding smug. I sat back and stared at her creamy, white skin. Clearly, the last spanking hadn't been hard enough because there was no hint of pink remaining on her cheeks. I slapped one ass cheek and grunted in satisfaction when a red handprint appeared on the globe. I gave the other the same treatment, then rubbed them to soothe the sting. After repeating the whole process two more times, I spread her cheeks again and licked my lips again as I admired the view. “I love this pretty little pussy,” I purred before leaning in and taking a long lick through her folds. “I'll never get enough of your taste.
I plunged my tongue inside of her, and she cried out, her pussy clamping down and her juices running down my chin. My dick had barely softened after coming in her mouth, but as I drank up her juices, it had hardened fully, and the swollen head was dripping. I began to tongue fuck her as one hand played with her clit, twisting and plucking. I alternated between my tongue and two fingers, driving her crazy with need.
She cried out loudly and frantically. “Yes! Yes! Ah, ah, oh! Fuck, yes! Right there, baby!” Then she screamed my name as I replaced my tongue with three fingers this time and sucked hard on her clit.
“Delicious,” I murmured as I stood, dragging my tongue up her back. Once I was steady on my feet behind her, I cupped her tits and pressed my erection against her ass. “Feel how much I still need you?” I whispered as I nibbled on her ear. I squeezed and massaged her tits and she shuddered and whimpered. “My cock is desperate to be inside you and feel your tight pussy wrapped around it.”
I leaned back and used one palm to push her down, this time all the way so that her chest was pressed into the desk. I grabbed onto her hips and pulled her bottom out and up, so she was on her tiptoes. Then I lined my cock up with her entrance and thrust hard inside. “Fuck,” I panted. “Still so damn tight, after all these years.” I yanked her back against me as I drove deep into her pussy again and our skin slapped together as I bottomed out. “You feel so fucking good, kitten,” I groaned as I pulled almost all the way out and slammed back in. Even more come was dripping from my cock, and my balls were drawing up as my spine tingled, but I wasn't ready to let go yet. I pumped fast and hard, slamming into her repeatedly, while our cries of passion bounced off the walls.
Suddenly, I slipped my hands beneath her torso and cupped her tits as I brought her back up to a standing position with her back flush against my front. I squeezed them and plucked her nipples, muttering, “Fuck!” when her pussy clamped down on my cock. I released her heavy globes and glided my hands down to her thighs, widening her stance. Then I lifted her right leg, bending it and resting the knee on the desk. With the flat of one hand on her inner thigh, I held her wide open. My other hand journeyed down to play with her clit, then I spread her lips with my first and fourth fingers and worked the middle digit inside her for a fuller, tighter penetration. I followed the rhythm of my cock but curled up each time to reach her most sensitive spot. The movement rubbed over her swollen clit, and she began to scream as her hips undulated, not sure when to push into my hand or back against my dick.
“Brandon! Yes! Yes! Ah! Ah! Ah! Brandon!” She screamed my name, the sound ripping from her lips as her hands clenched into fists on the desktop, and her body shuddered violently.
I buried my face in her neck, muffling my shouts of passion. “Fuck, kitten. Oh, fuck yeah. So damn good. Squeeze that hot little pussy, baby. Fuck, yes!” I couldn't hold back any longer, so I removed my finger and pinched her clit hard as I pounded into her two more times, then I roared as my own climax barreled through me like a fucking freight train.
After so many years together, a lot of couples talked about the passion and the magic fading. Whenever I heard them, I always wondered what the fuck was wrong with them. Every minute, every hour, every day, and every year with Carly was even better than the last. I did not doubt that I'd want her just as much when we were eighty or one-hundred-years old. Hell, I'd probably be chasing after her sexy ass even after we were dead.