Tempted By The Mafia Boss

EPILOGUE

Mia

Two years later …

Chloe starts laughing as she watches Nick with Tommy playing in the garden.

I just gaze on at them through the window and shake my head.

My husband and my one year old are having a blast with Porter, our Labrador.

Every time I look at them I wonder if this is really my life.

“Do they ever stop?” Chloe asks.

Nick has Tommy on his shoulders and he’s running away from Porter.

I shake my head. “No, they’re like that all the time. All day, every day. Every second of every hour that the man will allow me to hold the baby and the dog, and when he’s not holding me. That’s what he does.” I chuckle.

I sound like I’m complaining but I’m so in love I could burst with happiness.

Chloe glances at me and smiles. She and Sal have been talking about kids.

They got married a year before Nick and me and spent time travelling and doing all these exciting things Chloe always talked about.

“It worked out Mia, didn’t it?” She rests her hands on the kitchen counter and beams at me.

“It did. Look at us married.”Còntens bel0ngs to Nô(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

“Married and career women with men who love us to no end.”

“We certainly are that.” I nod.

Married career woman with men who love us to no end and on a path that feels like we had to push through some of the darker aspects of life to get here.

She stands and gives them one last look. She’s been here for a few hours visiting.

We had everyone here for dinner.

Dad and Beth were here earlier but left an hour ago because they’re leaving for England first thing in the morning. Dad has business there with Equity Finance and Beth is ecstatic to travel. That’s what they do now during school vacations.

It’s good. Everything worked out for everyone.

“I’m gonna go,” Chloe chuckles again when Porter jumps through the air to catch a frisbee Nick threw to him. Just watching them makes me tired. “Sal wants me to help him pick out a car. You good for dinner on Sunday?”

“Of course.” I grin giving her a hug. It’s her turn to have us for dinner this weekend.

One last smile at my boys and she leaves.

I make my way outside to join Nick and Tommy. Since they’re so engrossed in playing they don’t see me so I hang back and watch them. Sometimes I like to watch and appreciate.

We named Tommy after Nick’s best friend.

It was my idea from the minute I found out we were having a boy. I knew he would appreciate that and he did.

It feels like we started our lives together after that day when I came back to him and told him he was mine.

We just did everything we wanted for our future and it worked out.

I knew my life would change being a Giordano but it was something I saw as part and parcel of being with Nick.

He still does the accounts and books for his family and runs the shipping company, and we go to The Dark Odyssey together. Not as much as we used to but enough. It’s our guilty pleasure that’s wild when we’re there.

It’s the fun thing we do.

I’m a senior partner at Barkers now. I head the intellectual property division and work with the intern college team. As alumni for Harvard I work directly with the student career team too and I absolutely love it.

It’s definitely where I saw myself heading and more.

What I love more than that is all that I have with Nick.

I continue to watch him playing with our baby and our dog, and love him more than I did just seconds ago.

I love that we took the leap of faith to be together and I love that it worked out for us.

He sees me standing over by the pond and makes his way over. Tommy is giggling and starts his cute little laugh when Nick sets him down to play with Porter.

Nick then picks me up and swings me around.

“Angel Doll, I’m as obsessed with my kid as I am with you.” He beams nuzzling his nose against mine. I kiss him, loving the feel of his lips.

“We’re obsessed with you too, you know that right?”

“Yeah?”

“Hmmm, hmmm.”

Something wicked and sinful flashes in his eyes when I kiss him again.

“Tomorrow I’m taking you away for the day, and night,” he proclaims.

“Is that so?” I press my lips to his again.

“Yes. We’ll start at the club…”

The minute he says that I know what kind of adventure this will be. “The club?”

“Yes. Then I want you in my bed wearing nothing but that sexy smirk.”

“I can arrange that no problem.”

“Good… I think we should test out what we’re doing when Tommy takes his nap.”

I nod and smile from ear to ear. “I think that’s a very a good idea.”

He lowers to my lips and kisses me.

It’s the kind of kiss you relish forever and I do.

Nick

I can’t take my eyes off her.

I just can’t.

Everyone loves her. My parents are thrilled I found someone like her and so are my brothers.

They all love her, and I do too, except I’m obsessed with her.

Obsession never left me.

It fills my soul with life and vibrancy. Hope and everything good. Obsession is her.

Mia Giordano…my wife.

Years ago when I looked at her and thought she was the long term I was right. She really is that.

She’s the woman who loves me.

She’s the mother of my child.

She’s the woman I wanted and needed.

The woman who exist in my dreams and my reality.

She’s my forever and I can’t believe a devil like me found some redemption in her. The angel.

It’s Gabe’s birthday so we’ve thrown him a party at The Dark Odyssey.

All these people are around me, but I’m just looking at her.

She and Chloe are both talking it up in the corner by the long French windows and the function room is packed with friends and family.

It all looks normal, the way a masquerade party should look. Without the sex.

That’s happening downstairs in the rest of the club.

Gabe comes up to me and hands me a glass of wine.

He glances at me and gives me that smirk because I’ve been over here watching Mia. I know he thinks I’m some poor sap but I don’t mind it.

“Go on say it.” I chuckle.

“Nothing Nick. Nothing to say at all. I’m just jealous.” He notes and I see he looks off like something happened.

“What?”

“Nothing I should be thinking of.” The minute he says that I know what’s wrong with him.

He’s thinking of Charlotte. It’s been ten years since he lost her and I can’t blame him for thinking of her because they share the same birthday.

I feel bad because I forgot. He wasn’t like this last year, or maybe he was and I didn’t notice. At the time I would have been engrossed in love with my wife and my newborn. A little like Tommy was before he died. That was me now with a wife I loved more than life itself and the baby.

It’s understandable why Gabe might feel left out.

“Gabe, do you need to talk?” I ask.

He shakes his head. “No. I’m good.” He slurs. I can see it in his eyes that he’s not really okay at all. “It’s stupid right? All these people are here for me. You’re here for me and I’m happy things worked out. I just can’t forget her. Ten years and I still remember.”

“It’s not something you just forget.”

He smiles off key. “I knew you’d get it. We’re friends. Always been friends and brothers. You know what I’m thinking, even when I shouldn’t be.”

“Gabe, you will move on. I did.”

He taps my shoulder and shakes his head. “Little brother, you were never in love with Vanessa. You loved her, yes. I didn’t doubt that. No one did. But… you weren’t in love. You see that woman over there…” He points to Mia and she looks over at us. “She is love for you. No one would dare take her from you. She’s your soul mate. Charlotte was mine and I feel like a coward every year on this day for not doing more than the nothing I did.”

“Gabe…”

He shakes his head and smiles at me. “I’m happy for you little brother.” He motions to Mia as she approaches and he bows his head.

“I hope you’re enjoying your birthday.” Mia smiles.

Instantly my attention is on her. I love the silver and green mask she’s wearing. It reminds me of her eyes.

“I am.” Gabe always shows her that respect because he knows what she means to me. He always did even before I told him. “I’ll enjoy it more if I know my brother and my sister in law are having fun.”

She nods. “We are.”

“Good. Then I’m happy.” He smiles but I know he’s putting on a show. “Enjoy the rest of the evening.”

Another bow of his head and he leaves us. I would follow but I know what he’s like when he’s in that funk.

He won’t say any more than he has tonight. So there’s no point forcing the issue. He used to be like that a lot when the wound was fresh then it was sporadic like tonight. I’ll try tomorrow.

Until then I have the woman in front of me providing the distraction I need.

She look sexy as fuck in her gown that hugs her hips and accentuates her breasts.

“Is he okay? Something didn’t seem quite right with him.” Mia gazes on at Gabe as he joins Salvatore at the bar.

“He’s okay. He’s just remembering stuff.” She knows what I mean. I’ve told her everything.

“Oh. Are you sure you shouldn’t go talk to him.”

“I’m sure. There’s something else I need to do.” The look I give her says it all.

I don’t need to say anything more. We had a wild weekend here last week and this is going to be another.

We got a babysitter again this weekend because we knew what was going to happen the minute we stepped in the club.

Her cheeks flush when I take her hand and lead her away.

There’s only one place we’ll be going. The place we always go when we’re here.

Our room. The hideaway.

The masks come off and I can have her to myself over and over again.

She’s mine, she always was.

It’s an honor to belong to her too.

She thinks I’m the one who saved her.

It’s the other way around.

It’s her who saved me.

Thanks so much for reading.

I hope you enjoyed Nick and Mia’s story.

If you loved Nick, you’ll love his brother Gabe too.

They were cut from the same masterpiece GQ cloth.

Get Gabe and Charlotte’s story in Taunt Me.