Epilogue
Laurie
The second Adriano walks into the bedroom holding a strip of black silk, I give him a suspicious look. “Whatever you’re thinking will have to wait until tonight, mister. I just showered, which felt more like I ran a damn marathon.”
A grin pulls at his mouth as he shuts the door behind him. “You don’t even know what I was going to say.”
“You’re carrying a blindfold. Sex is a given.”
Letting out a chuckle, his eyes drift over my body before settling on my heavily pregnant belly, and just like always, a possessive look darkens his features in a way that still affects me after six years of marriage.
“You’re so fucking beautiful, pregnant,” he murmurs.
“Don’t try to distract me.” I go to the dressing room and put on a pair of ballet flats. They’re the only shoes I can walk in with my swollen feet.
“I’m not trying anything.” He moves closer before sliding his hand over the curve of my belly. “I’m just showing appreciation.”
A chuckle escapes me. My husband has only gotten more obsessed over the years.
“Time to put on the blindfold,” he says as he lifts the strip of silk to my face.
Giving him a scowl, I mutter, “Absolutely not. Mom’s coming over so we can work on the nursery.”
Lifting an eyebrow at me, he growls, “Laurie.”
God, I love when he does that.
“You know what it does to me when you say my name like that.”
His chest shakes with quiet laughter before he pulls me carefully against him. “Hmm…” Growling right by my ear, I lean heavily into him while taking a deep breath of his addictive scent.
There are moments I still can’t believe this is my life. Six years ago, Adriano Rizzo terrified me. Now he’s my safe place and the love of my life.
“Fine, but if Mom walks in on us, it’s on you,” I relent.
“I’m going to keep getting you pregnant because those hormones make you desperate for my cock.”
I drag my nose up the side of his neck. “Hush.”
“As much as I would love to fuck you right now, I have a surprise for you. Time for the blindfold.”
“Huh?” I give him a confused look right before he wraps the silk around my head.
“So this is not about sex?”
“No, but I am definitely holding you to it tonight.” A second later, his arm wraps securely around me. “Walk slow, mia piccola farfalla. I don’t want you to fall,” he murmurs as he leads me from the bedroom.
Placing my hands protectively over my stomach, I grumble, “I am walking slow.”
“You’re waddling,” he teases me.
Offended, I feel for his chest before smacking it while he laughs under his breath.
The house sounds strangely quiet as he guides me downstairs and through the back doors. Then I hear chatter and music, and I begin to smile. “Who’s here?”
Adriano says nothing, but the voices grow louder. I hear kids yelling and laughing and smell the delicious aroma of the barbecue.
My sneaky husband pulls me to a stop, then the blindfold slips away.
“Surprise!”
My mouth falls open when I see our backyard has been completely transformed. “Oh, my God.”
Cream and gold decorations fill the garden, and long tables are covered in flowers and gifts. There’s a massive banner hanging above the tables.
Are Mommy Laurie and Daddy Adriano having a boy or girl?
A baby shower for me.
And everyone is here to celebrate with us. The men are gathered by the barbecues, and the women stand near the tables.
Emotion immediately stings the back of my eyes, and I swallow hard.
Mom walks toward me, looking a little emotional herself. “Surprised, bella mia?”
“You did all this?” I ask, stunned.
“It took weeks of planning without you finding out.” She presses a kiss to my cheek. “We all wanted you to have the baby shower of your dreams.”
And just like that, the tears start flowing. “Aww, Mom.” I hug her tightly.
I now have a massive family who love me so fiercely it still overwhelms at times, and I thank the heavens daily for them. Because there was a time in my life when nobody celebrated me, or cared enough to do something special like this, I appreciate everything they do for me with my entire heart.
I feel Adriano’s hand on my back, and it helps me gather myself.
Pulling away from Mom, I glance over the property, seeing Yuki and Nina waving excitedly at me while Valentina stands nearby holding Vittorio on her hip. Remo named his firstborn after Mom. She cried her eyes out the day they told her.
The memory makes my smile soften, then I hear Georgi laughing at something near the barbecue while Augusto shakes his head at him.
Little Ricky grins the second he notices me looking his way, and beside him, Tiny is already eating a hot dog roll while Big Ricky is sipping on a beer.
I hear the children shriek with laughter.
Everything feels alive, warm, and overflowing with love.
Adriano’s hand settles over my stomach again as he leans down close to my ear. “You okay?”
I look up at the man who once terrified the crap out of me. He changed my entire life in a matter of days and fought all my fears like a dark knight.
My vicious devil is still terrifying and as controlling as ever, but only to others.
“Yeah,” I whisper. “I’m just happy.”
His expression turns tender, then he presses a kiss on my forehead. “Come sit. I don’t want you standing for long periods of time.”
When I take a seat on a pink and blue decorated throne, the women instantly surround me and start pushing gifts into my hands and Adriano runs for cover, joining the men.
I peel soft yellow paper from a box, and when I open it, a grin spreads over my face. “Oh, my gosh, this is so stinking cute.”
“You have to guess who it’s from,” Nina says.
“What happens if I guess wrong?”
“Adriano has to drink,” Yuki answers.
Rosie lets out a burst of laughter. “It was my idea, so unless you want your husband getting stupid drunk, you better guess right.”
I stare at the tiny booties, then say, “Sienna?”
She gasps as she sinks down on a chair. “How did you know?”
“You’re obsessed with shoes.” I give her a grateful smile. “I love them.”
The women chuckle while Mom hands me another gift. It’s an engraved diaper bag. Baby Rizzo.
I glance at all the women, and when I see the excitement on Yuki’s face, I tip my head at her with a knowing smile. “Thank you, bestie.”
The next one is baby bath products, and when I try to figure out who it could be from, I don’t get any hints, so I take a wild guess. “Raya?”
“Nope,” Nina’s sister-in-law replies. “Yes, I have an unhealthy obsession with bath products, but that’s not from me.”
“Yo, Grumpy,” Rosie shouts. “You have to drink.”
“Sorry, my love,” I call out.
Georgi hands Adriano a tumbler with a finger of whiskey. “Down it.”
For the next two hours, I continue to unwrap gift after gift, and when I get the fourth one wrong, I say, “No more drinking. I don’t want Adriano getting sick. Make him run or do something funny instead.”
“Do the chicken dance,” Little Ricky shouts.
“How about I punch you everytime she gets one wrong?” Adriano asks.
“Oooh I know!” Nina says. “He has to say one thing he’s excited about as a dad-to-be.”
“Yes!” the women cheer.
Adriano gives Nina a thankful look. “I can’t wait to hold our baby for the first time.”
“Awww.” Everyone coos.
I continue opening gifts while conversations overlap around me. Once I’m done, Yuki keeps showing me tiny outfits she wants to steal because they’re so cute, and Nina snuggles up against Georgi’s side, while he rubs over her pregnant belly that’s starting to show.
Adriano keeps appearing beside me every few minutes like he physically can’t stay away for long. He showers me in forehead kisses and rubs his hand over my stomach.
Sometimes I catch him watching me with the same obsessive intensity he’s had since the day he decided I belonged to him.
‘I love you,’ I mouth to him before blowing a kiss.
He pretends to catch it mid-air and presses it to his heart.
Little Ricky comes over with a huge plate of food I can’t possibly finish, and orders, “Eat it all, boss lady.”
“Have you lost your mind?” I ask. “I’m not eating for a village.”
“It’s just a little of everything.”
“Little of everything, my butt,” I grumble.
“What’s going on here?” Big Ricky asks. “Is my son pissing you off?”
I point at the plate. “Look at what the Hulk over here expects me to eat.”
“But you’re eating for two,” Little Ricky argues.
I scowl at them, but the next moment Big Ricky comes to take the plate and hands me one that has everything I love.
When I smile at him, Little Ricky complains, “It’s the same amount of food!”
“Laurie can’t stomach steak, dumbass,” his father mutters.
“Oh.”
Adriano settles into the chair beside me, his thigh pressing against mine as his hand immediately returns to my stomach. I feed him every second bite while we watch our friends and family enjoy themselves.
The sun slowly lowers as the party shifts into something softer. The men drift closer to the tables, and when I glance over everyone, all I see is love.
I hear Gabriella and Samantha argue over who made the best dessert, but we all know nothing beats Mom’s cannolis. Dad comes to sit on my other side and places his hand on my shoulder. “So what do we still need to get for the baby?”
“Nothing. I think we have too much.”
“You sure?”
I give him a smile while leaning into him. “Yes, Dad.”
He looks at me with fatherly love that makes me feel protected. “How about you, my girl? How are you holding up?”
“I’m good. You all spoil me rotten.” I place my hand on top of Adriano’s and adjust his so he can feel our baby moving.
“Only the best for our daughter,” Dad murmurs.
Adriano
Across the yard, Laurie laughs at something with Nina and Yuki, and my attention locks on her instantly like it always does.
Fuck, I love that woman so much.
“You’re staring again,” Remo says beside me.
“I can stare at my wife whenever I want.”
My brother lets out a snort. “That doesn’t make it less creepy.”
Georgi chuckles into his drink. “He looks at her like he’d start a war over someone breathing wrong near her.”
“I would,” I reply without hesitation.
Augusto lets out a sigh. “Those women have us all by the balls.”
Little Ricky grins. “Adriano’s gone soft in his old age.”
I slowly turn my head, raising my eyebrow at him.
“Fine. Middle age.”
“That’s what I thought,” I mutter before turning my attention back to my beautiful wife, who I get more obsessed with every passing year.
She catches me staring and smiles.
After six years, seeing the love in her baby-blue eyes still hits me right in the chest.
Mom suddenly claps her hands loudly. “Everyone gather over here. It’s time for the big reveal.”
I walk to Laurie and help her up before wrapping my arm around her. “Are you ready to find out what we’re having?”
“I don’t know. Are you?”
I shrug. “As long as our baby is healthy, I don’t care if it’s a boy or girl.”
“You’re right.”
I guide her to where Mom’s standing by the fountain in the center of the garden.
“Everyone count down from ten,” she orders.
The kids dance as the countdown begins, and when we reach one, the fountain comes to life, several streams of water shooting high into the air before the hidden lights beneath the water turn a deep, rich blue.
Our family and friends instantly erupt into cheers, while shock shudders through me.
Laurie gasps beside me, both hands flying to her mouth as she stares at blue water raining back down into the marble basin.
“A boy?” she whispers, her voice strained.
Emotion hits me so hard it almost feels unreal.
Then my wife shrieks, “We’re having a boy!”
As I look at her, I see tears rolling down her cheeks before she throws her arms around my neck. I engulf her against me, processing the shock at the speed of light, then pushing her back, I sink down to my knees and press a kiss to where the woman of my dreams is keeping my heir safe.
My heart swells to twice its size as it fills with love for our unborn child.
“Our son,” I whisper as I press another kiss to Laurie’s stomach, then I look up at her. “We’re having a son.”
Her fingers brush through my hair as she smiles tearfully down at me. “We are.”
Ours.
Mine and Laurie’s.
I climb to my feet, and framing my wife’s face, I kiss the hell out of her as shouts of congratulations fill the air.
When I pull back, Dad is first to shake my hand and Mom hugs Laurie.
Laurie and I already decided on baby names, and it fills me with great honor when I don’t let go of Dad’s hand, but lock eyes with him. “We already chose his name.”
Complete silence falls around us.
“Fuck, you’re going to make me cry, aren’t you?” Dad asks, emotion tightening his features.
My voice carries the power of our bloodline when I announce, “Angelo Rizzo Junior.”
Mom lets out a sob while Dad looks up, blinking hard as he fights to control his emotions.
“There’s no man we respect more,” Laurie says.
Emotion lodges hard in my throat because it’s the truth. Dad taught me everything I know about loyalty, family, and protecting what’s ours.
He clears his throat before he says, “Thank you. This means everything to me.”
The special moment hits fucking hard, and as I pull my father into a hug, I whisper, “I hope I’m half the father you’ve been to me.”
“Christ.” The word is strained, and he grips me tightly. “You never cease to make me proud to be your dad, Adriano. I hope Angelo Junior brings you all the joy you’ve given me.”
Once Dad pulls away, my mother immediately drags me into her arms while Dad grabs hold of Laurie. After we’re done receiving all the well-wishes, everyone returns to their spots and conversations resume.
I turn to my wife, and framing her face with my hands, I stare deep into her eyes. “You’re carrying our son.”
She smiles up at me with more love than I’ll ever deserve.
After a while, some of the younger kids fall asleep in their parents’ arms while the older men sit near the fire pit drinking and talking.
Soft music drifts through the air, and Dad pulls Mom into his arms, dancing between the tables.
With Laurie leaning into my side, her head resting against my shoulder while my hand caresses her stomach, I watch as one couple after the other joins my parents.
“I love you, Adriano,” Laurie whispers.
I kiss her forehead. “I love you, too, Mia piccola farfalla.”
Sitting with my wife in my arms and our son safe beneath my hand, I take in the people who make my life what it is.
Every sacrifice, every hard decision, every brutal thing we’ve done to protect what belongs to us has led to moments like this. We would all turn the entire fucking world into a graveyard before we let anyone touch what’s ours.
The End.