Total pages in book: 18
Estimated words: 16498 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 82(@200wpm)___ 66(@250wpm)___ 55(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 16498 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 82(@200wpm)___ 66(@250wpm)___ 55(@300wpm)
Brendan’s eyes pop open. “Is everything okay, little love?”
“Everything is great.” I smile at him reassuringly. “I’m working hard on a new project. It’s going to take another eight months or so for me to complete it.”
I squeak as Brendan suddenly sits up in the bed. “Project?”
“Yep. The Bouncing Baby Russo project.” My pulse races as I watch his eyes fill with tears.
“I love you.” He presses me against the soft covers and leans down to kiss me. While his tongue wraps around mine, I momentarily forget our conversation. When Brendan pulls back and smiles down at me with happiness shining in his aqua-blue eyes, I picture our bright future ahead. “And I love this little one, too.” He runs his hand over my tummy and smirks up at me. “I get to tell Marco.”
My new husband lives to screw with my uncle. “It’s a deal.” I laugh, knowing Uncle Marco will be just as excited as we are.
And, of course, my uncle is ecstatic. He celebrates by installing even more security around the compound. I used to feel smothered by all the security measures, but now I’m happy to have a loving family worth protecting. Somewhere along the way, my independent streak combined with his overprotective tendencies to create the perfect balance.
EPILOGUE 1
BRENDAN
ONE MONTH LATER
We’re heading to Atlanta to spend Christmas with my family. Well, most of my family. My sister, Bianca, and Jake, her husband, took their twins on a trip to Jamaica for the holidays. “Are you okay?” I help my pregnant wife into the rental car and lean over her to hook the seatbelt.
“I’m okay until the next round of any-time-of-the-day sickness hits,” Hunter groans. “Your child loves to screw with me.” My poor little love has been experiencing sickness at all hours of the day and night. While I hate that she’s feeling ill, I love the idea of her carrying our child.
“I love to screw you,” I joke, trying to coax a smile from her.
“Don’t push it, Mister,” my adorable wife growls, “or I’ll have to get mean.” My soft-hearted little love doesn’t have a mean bone in her body.
Hunter cried when we dropped the two dogs off at Marco’s place. She’s freaking worried that the animals will be scarred for life since we’re missing their first Christmas. Luckily, Marco stepped in and saved my ass, promising to give the spoiled ass German Shepherds a Christmas to remember. I owe him, and I hate fucking owing the asshole. I’m sure he’ll find a painful way to collect. After all, he’s still looking for a way to pay me back for the Ronnie the Rat situation.
“You, my sweet little love, don’t have a mean bone in your body.” I hold her hand and head out to my parents’ large Victorian home. Halfway there, my pregnant wife’s adorable snores fill the car. At least she won’t spend the forty-minute ride worrying about meeting my family for the first time.
“Wake up, sleepyhead. We’re here.” I lean over to place a soft kiss on her cheek and watch her beautiful green eyes pop open.
My parents rush out onto the front porch before we even get out of the car. “Oh my goodness,” my mother gushes, “You’re so beautiful,” before pulling Hunter close for a hug.
“Thank you.” My little love smiles. It takes a while to introduce her to my large family, but Hunter handles the situation like a pro. I’m not shocked to find that my wife has charmed the pants off everyone in my family within a few minutes.
“Let’s go to the mancave.” My dad steps in and slaps me on the back, and I attempt to refuse, not wanting to leave my wife alone.
“Don’t worry.” Hudson’s wife, Kat, smiles and links her arm with Hunter’s. “We won’t scare her off.” That’s exactly what I’m worried about. My family can be overwhelming, to say the least.
My wife turns and smiles at me. “I got this. Go spend time with your dad and brothers.”
Motherfucker. For the first time in my life, I don’t look forward to our tradition of “blowing off a little steam,” Russo code for the men hanging out watching sports in my dad’s mancave while the women talk about us.
I reluctantly follow my dad, Hudson, and Eric to the game room. I tell myself I’ll give it ten minutes and then I’m going to check on Hunter.
Hudson is the first one to give me hell. “I’m not sure how you got that gorgeous woman to give you the time of day, but way to go, little brother.” Leave it to my asshole brother to give me a compliment and take it back all in one breath.
“Bite my ass,” I growl without much heat as my dad hands me a bottle of beer.
“No, thank you.” Hudson smirks, looking for a fight. “I prefer my ass on the hairless side.”