Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 88153 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88153 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Niko may think of himself as a devil, but to me he is an angel. He’s the reason I’m still standing…
He’s everything to me. and I accept him just like he is. In fact, the simple truth is, I belong to him.
Heart. Mind. Body. Soul.
Forever—no matter what.
Epilogue
NIKO
Two Months Later
Emilia is eating cereal at the breakfast bar as the sun slowly rises and begins shining through the kitchen window. I’m supposed to be reading the files that Antonio had dropped off, but I can’t seem to take my eyes off her.
In the past couple of months, Emilia and I have started to heal. We feel the loss of her father every day, but we’re able to find some moments of laughter and joy when we remember him too. There are times that I swear I can feel him with us. It’s going to be a long process, but we will get through this like everything else we do—together.
“Where’s Vic at today? Do you know?” she suddenly asks.
“He asked for some personal time,” I respond.
“Of which you were only too glad to give him,” she jokes, cackling when I give her an annoyed look.
“He wants my wife. He’s lucky I let him live,” I mutter.
“Oh, get real. You like him. Admit it.”
“As long as he’s away from you.”
“He’s got other things on his mind,” she murmurs, her eyes sparkling.
“What’s that mean? Do you know something I don’t?”
“My cousin, Angelina, is moving into her own place today—far away from her mother. Vic seemed awfully interested in that tidbit of information when I shared it with him.”
“Are you matchmaking, my darling wife?”
“It’s possible.”
I shake my head. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” I caution.
“Hey! Vic deserves to be happy. Besides, Angelina could use someone to see past her shyness and the scar on her face. She needs someone to see the woman she is. She doesn’t feel she has much value thanks to her mother.”
“Her mother is a bitch.”
“No arguments here,” she exhales, getting out of her chair and coming over to stand in front of me. I immediately wrap my hands around her to grab her ass, lifting her up to straddle me. “Kiss me,” she breathes.
I claim her mouth and lose myself in her—just like I do every fucking time.
When we break apart, Emilia rests her head against my chest, her fingers trace over my ribs as her lips press over my heart. Emilia lets out a heavy sigh.
“Who do I need to kill?”
She looks up shocked. “Say what?”
“You sounded upset. Who do I need to kill.”
She blinks and shakes her head. “You’re crazy.”
I glide my hand along the inside of her neck so that she’s forced to maintain eye contact with me. I want her to see the truth. “I’m not joking. I want my woman happy. We’ve had enough pain. I want you to experience nothing but happiness from here on out, Emilia. If anyone causes problems with that, I’ll make sure they can’t do it again.”
“We’ll discuss that later,” she mumbles. “In this instance you can’t.”
“I can do anything I want. Try me.”
“You can’t kill our realtor.”
“Our realtor? How is she making you unhappy?”
“I hate every house she finds us, Niko,” she admits with a heavy sigh. “Like the latest one she sent over just looks cold and lifeless. The one before that has way too many rooms and it felt more like a hotel than a home.”
“We can just stay here. We seem to be doing good in this house,” I reason. Hell, the truth is, I don’t care where I live as long as Emilia is with me. When she looks at me, I realize that I said the wrong thing. Very wrong.
“Hell, no,” she all but growls. She shakes her head at me, and I see the tiger my wife is showing more and more. “I am not you. I’m not ignoring the fact that Katherine used to practically live here. The longer I live here, the more I look around wondering what she’s touched—or worse—where you touched her.”
I probably shouldn’t, but I find myself laughing. “You’re being foolish. You’re the woman I love, and the only one I will ever love.”
“My husband is so smooth,” she laughs as color blooms on her cheeks.
“Damn straight,” I joke. “So, what do you want to do then, Em? Do you want me to talk to the agency and ask them to go another direction?”
She nibbles on her lip a second, contemplating something. “Niko, I want to move back home.”
“No fucking way. You get that thought out of your damned head. We’re not living in separate homes. You’re my woman and you will be in my bed every night—even if I have to tie you to it.” This was the last thing I expected. I feel blindsided until she holds up her hand stopping me from spiraling.