I moan when his fingers tighten around my hips and pulls me back to meet each one his thrusts. I love that even though I’m almost eight months pregnant and huge, Stefan doesn’t treat me with kid gloves when we’re in the bedroom. He’s still the dominant, possessive man I fell in love with and I hope he never changes.
Our relationship moved at warped speed after that night at the club when he threw me over his shoulder and all but dragged me home with him. After Gemma found out about us and Stefan moved me into his house, which didn’t take much since I only came back to Ontario with a duffel bag, and everything just felt right after that. I felt like I was home, which was something I hadn’t felt since my parents moved us out west. I knew home wasn’t necessarily supposed to mean a building but even at our house in Penticton, I never felt like I was home. It wasn’t until I was back here, lying awake in bed with Stefan’s arm wrapped around me while he snored that I realized Stefan was always my home. It was him who settled the constant itch under my skin, the constant need to keep moving, to keep exploring.
He proposed two months after the day Gemma found out and a month later, we were married in a small ceremony. Just him, me, and Gemma. My parents weren’t happy, but I think they finally understood why I did it. I still can’t stand to be in the same room with them. Over a year later and they still like to rip each other apart when they see each other. It sucked that my parents weren’t able to be part of my wedding day, but like Stefan said, I didn’t need the added stress of trying to keep my parents from murdering each other on a day that was supposed to be special.
Not long after that did I finally meet Braxton and the rest of the Famiglia. Stefan was reluctant to formally introduce me to that part of his life, but he couldn’t deny that I was his wife and like it or not I was involved in the life now. Klara, Jessika, and I quickly became fast friends and I think Kai and I are on that path as well. Although I just recently met him and his husband, Antonio. I guess they were on their own second honeymoon when Stefan introduced me to the rest. I like Kai. He’s funny and smart and fucking hot. It’s true what they say, the hot ones are either married or gay. But as my orgasm washes over me and I bite down on my lip while looking over my shoulder, I think I still won the lottery when it comes to who has the hottest husband.
When Stefan gathers me in his arms after cleaning us both up, I still can’t help but think how surreal this all feels. I wish I could go back in time and tell sixteen-year-old me that we get the boy in the end. It may have saved us the heart ache we had to go through to get to this point, but then what would’ve been the point in any of it? I’m a firm believer that we have to go through whatever is meant to break us so that we can come out on the other side stronger than before and that we can enjoy moments like this and never take them for granted.
“I love you,” I say, hooking my leg around Stefan’s and snuggling more into his side.
He grunts, already half way to Sleepville and pulls me closer before muttering, “I love you too.” Then promptly falls asleep.
The baby gives a couple kicks but when Stefan settles his big palm on my belly, the baby begins to settle making me smile. Just four more weeks and then we’ll finally be able to meet Baby M, and I can’t wait.
Acknowledgments
First and foremost, thank you to my readers. These characters would never have been born without you! I hope you enjoyed Stefan’s story as much as I enjoyed telling it.
Nicole, thank you for everything you’ve done and continue to do for me. Thank you for taking the reins when I was on a deadline. I don’t know where I would be without you.
Nikki, thank you for re-editing this story and for being my sounding board.
To my friends and family, I love you all. Thank you for all your support.
If you enjoyed this novella or any of the others in the anthology, please leave a review. Also, be sure to check out the rest of the series starting with Dark Desire (book 1 in the Famiglia series)
About the Author
A.J. wears her heart on her sleeve and is a self-proclaimed hopeless romantic who believes that everyone deserves their happily ever after. She lives in BC, Canada with her husband. When she’s not writing, she’s reading. She loves the NFL and drinks way too much coffee.
If you enjoyed reading Deadly Surrender, please leave a review on your favorite book retailer and/or Goodreads.
Connect with A.J.
FACEBOOK: facebook.com/adanielsauthor
FACEBOOK READER GROUP: A.J.’S NAUGHTY ANGELS
SPOILER GROUP: A.J.’s Famiglia Spoiler Room
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Deadly Surrender: Famiglia 3.5 Page 6
