Dove huffs, but it doesn’t sound nearly as annoyed as she wants it to. With a quick goodbye directed at the Volkov clan, shewaves her hand toward the exit, and I don’t waste time leading her through the party.
“No,” I hear Oaklynn tell her men behind me, “I’m going to get some more of those delicious brie pie things and then we can go. But not before,” the stern note in her voice has me chuckling under my breath.
When my eyes meet Dove’s, we both laugh as I lead her out into the night.
Meeting me might have given my woman the power she never imagined she’d have, but she’s given me her heart, body, and soul as a gift. There’s not a single doubt in my mind who got the better end of the deal.
I’ll cherish her until I take my last breath.
EPILOGUE
ONE YEAR LATER
DOVE
My eyes snap open and I’m instantly on alert. Something is wrong. This whole thing is wrong. Something soft and silky is wrapped around my wrists and something is covering my eyes.
But wasn’t I just sleeping?
And where the hell is my husband?
Yes, husband, but that is a story for after I figure out what the fuck is going on and why I’m tied up.
Am I moving right now? What the fuck?
My hand slides over my baby bump and my little one kicks against it. I almost blow out a huff of relief, but nothing about my problem is solved.
I’m about three seconds away from completely freaking out when I take a deep breath and freeze. Angelo’s scent, woodsy smoke with a hint of citrus, surrounds me. My entire body relaxes, and I will my heart to slow the fuck down.
“I’m going to get you for this, Angelo,” I threaten, knowing he’s there without needing to see him.
The chuckle from somewhere in front of me has me glaring in that direction. “Don’t worry, I made sure you didn’t have any weapons on you before I implemented my plan,la mia pace.”
His voice is rich, deep, and does something delicious to me. Since I’m unable to see, the sound of his voice feels amplified by a million. I’m more than okay with it.
“This is not how someone should wake up on Christmas morning,” I grouse to my husband.
He makes a humming sound and assures me, “The surprise will be worth it. It was last time.”
Damn it. He’s not wrong, but I don’t say it.
The last time I woke up in a car with my hands bound and a blindfold over my eyes was the morning after I told Angelo about being pregnant. I’m pretty sure the man had an out of body experience upon hearing the news. It was hilarious and I wish I had gotten the look on his face on video.
But then I woke up much like I am now and I was not amused.
“Where are we going this time?” I can’t help but ask, but all Angelo does is grunt.
I wasn’t really expecting an answer. I didn’t get one last time either. It was only after we pulled to a stop in front of the courthouse, my hands were untied, and the blindfold was removed that I found out where we were going.
My man decided he wasn’t going to allow me to go through any of my pregnancy without his last name and a ring on my finger.
We were married in less than ten minutes, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. The only thing that would have madethe day better was if his parents were there with us, but they were still traveling. Angelo’s mom gave him hell about it.
I’ve had the chance to talk to them a lot on the phone and in video calls. They’re amazing and are so excited to become grandparents. They promise to be back in Seattle before I give birth, so they have a few more months to go.
Even though I was worried that they would hate me for killing their son, they both accepted it as something that was bound to happen and didn’t resent me for it. It took me a while to believe them, but now I don’t doubt them at all.
They’re part of a world that is different than what most people experience. The rules are clear. Loyalties are drawn. Family, women, and children are sacred.
