Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 78438 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 392(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78438 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 392(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
I open my door, and the sound of a voice I know very well meets my ears. An image of the whiskey-colored eyes matching that voice pops into my head. His breathtaking smirk, the way his muscles move with him in an elegant manner. He is here.
The second my brain catches up, I shoot off like a rocket. I sprint down the hall, not even caring how insane I must look. I won’t stop for anything until I see him with my own eyes, until I feel his skin against my own.
I find him standing at the front door, Jared and James saying something, but I don’t hear their words. My mind is overtaken by the fact that Enzo is here.
He barely sees me coming before I throw my body at him. Wrapping my arms around him, I pant against his chest, happy tears falling from my eyes.
“Piccolo…” he whispers into my hair while cupping the back of my head. I melt into his touch as I sob in relief. I thought I would never hear him say that again. After ten minutes of standing in the same position, I release him.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see the space around us is empty. Jared and our father left us alone at some point.
“I’m so sorry I hurt you. I’m so fucking sorry.” His apology is sincere, and as I stare into his eyes, I can see the pain we both share.
“Where were you?” I question right away. “Why are you not in jail? Not that I’m complaining that you are not, I just want to know.”
“I was being held by the FBI. Eli was there too.”
“You were with Eli?”
“Yes. Eli has been working for the FBI all along. It’s a long story. And I promise I’ll tell you every single detail, but the most important thing right now is that I’m here, and that I won’t be leaving again. I kind of made a deal with the FBI.” His eyes twinkle as he smirks at me.
“What kind of deal?”
“I know you want me to leave this life, and I know I promised you I would, but how would you feel about compromising?”
“Yes!” I blurt out.
He laughs. “You don’t even know the details yet.”
“I don’t care anymore. I just want to be with you, I don’t care about the rest.” With everything in me, I jump on him. Wrapping myself around him, I kiss him with a fierceness I can’t contain.
“I love you,” I whisper softly against his lips.
“I love you, too, piccolo.”
Extended Epilogue
Four Years Later
Amara
“Fuck,” I whisper under my breath and let my head lull to the side. I’m exhausted. Enzo has been gone for two weeks now on a business trip overseas. Over the last five years, he’s turned his businesses more legitimate.
Over the last five years, he’s been working with the FBI to keep heinous crimes to a minimum. Underage prostitution and human trafficking have been eliminated in Enzo’s territory, and hopefully, it will stay that way for a very long time.
Me? Well, I’ve been busy with school full time, all while taking care of Gia, our beautiful little angel. Without Enzo here, I feel like I’m losing my motherfucking mind.
This is my final year of college. I decided to study music, following in my mom’s footsteps to become a music teacher.
“Don’t say naughty words, Mommy.” Gia frowns at my swearing. I roll my eyes and smile. She’s just like her daddy—same eyes, same smile, same glint in her eyes.
“Mommy didn’t mean to say a naughty word.” I smile, bending down to set a bowl of mixed fruit in front of her. The clock on the wall says three p.m.—a half hour separating me from seeing my husband again.
When I married him, I never expected my life to become this mundane. Most days, I miss the fast-paced life we once had. The crazy no holds barred sex, the danger and chaos that surrounded us. Now life is just that… Life.
“Daddy coming home?” Gia asks me, pulling me from my thoughts as I sit down on the floor in front of her. I nod my head, yes.
I’m taking all next week off from school. I’ve told my professors I have a family emergency just so I can clear my mind and spend time with Enzo. I also contemplated doing something that would make him mad, maybe jealous…just to spice it up a little.
I need the darkness that lurks within him. I need something to save us from becoming like every other family on the block. I know it’s petty. I should be glad that Enzo has slowly turned his businesses legitimate. Yes, he is still dealing with the underground world of the city, but on the outside, he has become more businessman than mobster.
He hasn’t actually broken a single law in years. He refuses to even break the speed limit for god sakes.