I snicker. “Cute to anyone who knows better than to cross us.”
She stops short under a peach tree and tilts her head up at me. The sweet scent wafts into the air around us, moonlight hitting the soft angles of her face. I place my hands on each cheek and smile. “I think you saw that firsthand tonight.”
Aria nods, a wistful look on her face. “It’s nice to know that so many people have your back, no matter what dumbass things you do.”
“If you’re trying to be sentimental, you really need to work on your delivery,” I quip, my eyebrows furrowing. “And, just for the record, one of those ‘dumbass’ things you’re referring to was stowing away on that boat to save you.”
She giggles. “Hey, all I was saying is that dumbass or not, I’m one of those people. I’ll always have your back.”
“Hm. Critical, but reassuring.” I smirk, giving her a smack on the ass.
She yelps. “And here I was, just trying to thank you. I mean, I’ve benefited most from your recent dumbass moves.”
“I guarantee there will be plenty more in the future. Something about you just makes me dig deeper trenches for myself.” I smooth back her hair. “I finally get why my brothers all have their heads up their asses.”
She nuzzles my ear. “Oohh, speaking of asses…how bad is the pain in your side? Think you can handle a little kink tonight? I can do it if you can.”
“If I was bleeding out of my eyes and sans any of my limbs, I could handle a little kink. But don’t take my word for it.” I wink at her. “Lemme show you instead.”
Epilogue
Aria
TEN WEEKS LATER
I eye the arrangement of desserts spread over the long tables at the back of the reception hall. Scrumptious-looking squares of tiramisu, little glass ramekins of panna cotta drizzled with raspberry coulis, heaping bowls full of the fluffiest cannoli cream I’ve ever seen, zeppole, seven-layer cookies, and a cake that has so many layers, it could feed all of Sicily.
There’s also a tray of giant chocolate chip cookies in the middle of the table.
I hear it’s a thing with the bride and groom.
Knowing Tommy, I’m sure there are some creative stories that go along with those sweet treats.
It is a feast of the most delectable kind, to say the very least.
And here I was, thinking nothing could possibly top the dinner I just inhaled.
Gemma, looking like the radiant bride she is, swoops next to me, grabbing one of the chocolate chip cookies, the large diamond perched on her ring finger sparkling under the soft lights. She sinks her teeth into it and lets out a moan like I’ve only heard in porn videos.
Okay, it’s getting clearer to me now.
“Pretty good, huh?” I ask.
“Oh my God, you need to try one of these!” She leans closer. “Just between us, I sometimes think Tommy would rather me moan like that for his cooking than for his cock.”
I snort, almost choking on my own cookie. “Good to know,” I rasp.
“You look a little flushed, love.” She backs away with a knowing look. “Take a load off and indulge a little bit. Give in to your…cravings.” With a wink, she gives me an air kiss and takes off.
I stare at her back, then at the desserts.
Craving?
I don’t have time to crave any of this stuff. Now that Vince and I live together, Tommy has been sending us packages of treats practically every day. And of course, Vince avoids the sugar like it’s the bubonic plague.
So it’s just more for me.
And I can’t seem to get enough of his concoctions.
Although, recently, I’ve taken to drizzling caramel sauce on my mashed potatoes. And I’ve melted his homemade marshmallows and crunched potato chips into the goo. It’s like I’ve created a whole new culinary world for myself.
A strong pair of hands grabs me around the waist and twirls me around.
I land cleanly in Vince’s arms, gazing up at the man who, up until a few months ago, was one of the people I hated most in the world.
And likewise for him.
But look at us now.
Head over heels in love and unable to keep our hands off of each other.
The devilish glimmer in his eye tells me that he has that very thought in mind at this very second.
“I want to show you something,” he murmurs against my ear.
“Oh, really?”
He nods, grasping my hand and pulling me toward the door. We roam the hallway, looking for a marked door, and when he finds it, he pushes it open and draws me toward him.
The bridal suite.
“Weddings make me so hot,” he mutters, tugging at the zipper of my dress, which feels much tighter than when I put it on this morning, oddly enough.
“Mm, I’ve never been to one before, but this is definitely hot,” I whisper, fumbling with his belt buckle, my head suddenly feeling a bit woozy.
“Anyone could come in here and see us.” His lips assault the column of my neck as he drags down the shoulder straps, exposing my breasts. He takes one of my nipples in his mouth and I let out a loud yelp.
“Ow!”
He recoils. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
I shake my head, startled myself. “No, no, it’s fine. I guess they’re just a little sore.” I shove his head back into my chest. “Keep going!”
Vince pulls away slightly and reaches into his jacket pocket, pulling out our familiar electronic orgasm. I call it that because there has not yet been one time he’s used it that I haven’t been rocketed into orbit. Not that Vince needs any help to do that, but we get hella creative with it.
Let’s just say that.
I smile with glee. “You’re always thinking, aren’t you?”
“Occupational hazard.” He slides my dress to my knees, grazing the sides of my torso as he lowers himself in front of me. He slips his tongue between the folds of my pussy, massaging my throbbing clit with his teeth. I fist his hair, my head falling backward as he feasts on me, drinking in every drop of desire flowing into his greedy mouth.
I dig my fingers into his shoulders as he grasps my ass, pushing my hips against him. I thrust forward, once, twice, and then…
My stomach roils and the meal of osso bucco, broccoli rabe, and lobster ravioli churns round and round until I have to clap a hand over my mouth or risk seeing it again.
All over Vince.
My spine stiffens and I stop moving.
I stop blinking, too. Anything that may taunt my stomach.
In fact, I stop breathing, hoping the disturbing sensation passes.
Quickly.
Vince looks up at me clutching my mouth and he straightens, a concerned look on his face. “Babe, what’s wrong? Are you okay?”
I decide breathing at this time would be a smart thing to do, so I swallow some oxygen and expel it slowly a few times, hoping to settle whatever rebellion is going on inside of my belly.
It doesn’t work.
In fact, it rages, forcing its way out of my body to the point where I am powerless to stop it. My eyes widen and I race toward the tiny bathroom, collapsing on the floor next to the toilet, sticking my head into it as I tearfully wait for the agony to mercifully pass.
Minutes later, I lean back against the wall, my dress pooled around my ass. Tears streak my face, my body limp, completely spent from the ferocity of that inner insurgency.
Since Vince ran right after me, he’s half naked, too. I lean backward into his chest, taking deep breaths.
“Holy shit, what happened?” I mumble. “It must have been something I ate.”
“Don’t tell Tommy that,” Vince murmurs. “You know how sensitive he gets.”
A creaking sound makes me jump and I turn toward the door, too weak to give a shit who might have intruded on our moment.
Not that it was the hot one we had planned.
Tommy and Gemma walk in and he narrows his eyes at us. “What the hell is going on in here?”
His gaze drops to the floor and he bends down, pointing to our vibrator. Suddenly, his lips curl into a smile. “So! You guys were gonna get it on at our wedding, in our suite, yeah? I’m glad you finally got use outta that dildo, bro. I knew you were a kinky fucker underneath that arrogant prick exterior.” He peers at us. “You guys are fucking in the bathroom?”
I shake my head, unable to even speak.
“No. Aria’s sick.” Vince smirks at Tommy. “She thinks it was the food.”
“Hey, you told me not to say that,” I say in a weak voice.
“Yeah, fuck that,” he murmurs. “I love the face he makes.”
Gemma lets out a high-pitched giggle. “Oh my God! I knew it!”
“Knew what?” Tommy asks.
“She’s not sick because of the food!” Gemma claps her hands and dances around the suite. “She’s pregnant!”
“What?” I ask. “No, I’m not. I just didn’t have breakfast or lunch. I ate a little too much because I was hungry, that’s all. I’m not used to all this rich food, I guess. My stomach couldn’t handle it.”
“Or maybe the baby growing in your belly rebelled against it all!” Gemma squeals. “I’m right! I’m so right!”
Tommy grabs her and spins her around, giving her a very X-rated kiss, much like the one I saw the last time they were together.
Vince looks at me with furrowed brows. “Are you?”
I give my head a swift shake. “Absolutely no—"
But before I finish, my eyes meet Tommy and Gemma’s excited ones.
Well, wait.
I haven’t gotten my period in a while.
We slept together for the first time just about eight weeks ago.
It’s not like we’ve ever used a condom.
And my clothes have felt a little tighter recently. I just figured that was because of Tommy’s care packages.
But maybe there’s another reason.
My mind runs back over the past ten weeks.
Aside from my new eating habits, my clothes have been feeling a little tighter. I just figured it was because I was comfortable.
Not because I had a calzone in the oven.
Whoa.
Could it really be?
A quick look at Gemma’s infectious smile tells me it might. She giggles again. “Okay, I’ll admit, Gianna predicted it first. But she is so on point with this! You’ve been eating so much lately, you complained about your boobs being sore, and let’s face it. The seams of that dress are about a second away from busting open when it was swimming on you when you first got sized!”
“Okay, Columbo,” Tommy snakes an arm around Gemma’s waist. “Let’s give them a minute to let their reality sink in.” He snickers as he leads her out of the suite.
I press my lips together and look up at Vince.
“If I was…” I bite down on my lower lip. “What would you think?”
He just stares at me for a second, the longest one of my life. And then his lips stretch into the biggest smile I’ve ever seen on his handsome face. “Well, you did say it was cute that we’re one big happy gangster family.”
“Yes,” I whisper.
“I love you,” he says, his husky voice making my skin prickle. “And for the record, you’re already part of the crazy gangster family. You, this baby, and however many more we create.” He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. “This is what I want. You’re what I want. Forever.”
Who knew that hate could ever blossom into a love this deep?
And soon enough, if these predictions are right, we might just have our own brood of happy little gangsters to prove it.
Click here to download the bonus epilogue for one more sexy, steamy chapter!
Fallen: A Dark Italian Mafia Romance (Men of Mayhem Book 4) Page 24