“I love you,” he says into my mouth and I do the same, leading us both into a laugh.
“Mama. Papa. We need to go to soccer practice,” our twins Giada and Juliana say, tugging at my feet.
“Want me to take them or you got this one?”
“You can put your feet up. I’ve got them.”
“You sure.”
“Or you can go with us. Family time.”
“It’s not family time without me!” our boy Jake says.
“Wow, he’s learning English fast,” I say.
“But he knows the most important word in the entire language without technically saying it. It comes natural to him.”
“And what word is that?”
“Us,” Stefano says. “Because family starts with us, and us starts with you.”
“One for all and all for one.”
“And you’re the only one, who could ever make this possible…and for that, and the sunshine you bring into our lives each and every day we love you.”
“Love you, mom!” the kids say, hugging me from below as Stefano is still holding me horizontally.
His lips touch mine, our kids arms wrapped around me and it’s moments like these I’m reminded of just how much I love dad’s Italian mafia friend.
Because he’s not just that anymore. He’s mine and I’m his.
Forever.
EXTENDED EPILOGUE
Stefano
Ten more years later
“Dinner’s ready,” my wife calls out.
“Last one to the house is a rotten cannoli,” I yell and begin running toward the back door, if you can call what I’m doing running.
Our oldest kids easily beat me and are already inside washing their hands, getting ready to eat.
Our youngest, and tenth child, Alessandra, is going her fastest but her little two year old feet can only move so quickly.
“Almost there,” I say, letting her pull in front watching the determination on her face as we’re ten feet from the door.
I retake the lead but see her determination hasn’t wavered. If anything she’s more determined to beat good ol’ dad. How can I blame her? Sloane’s cooking is amazing. She’s literally become a true Italian wife and Italian woman…my woman.
At the last second Alessandra somehow retakes the lead and taps the door just a fraction of a second in front of me and immediately bursts out in laughter and her little happy dance.
She’s just in her diaper and nothing else and she’s so damn cute…and special.
But I say that about all my kids, but she’s the baby and she’ll be our last.
Sloane gave me what I wanted…ten children. I can’t ask for anything more, not to mention she gave me something that got this all started over fifteen years ago…her heart.
“I win, daddy!” Alessandra says.
“You sure do. And you know what you get for winning?”
“What?” she says, her palms raised. Damn, she’s too cute.
“Kisses from daddy.”
I scoop her up and kiss her everywhere making her giggle even more.
And that is what it took Sloane to teach me, to show me.
Life isn’t just about money and business and keeping hate in your heart. If anything it’s the complete opposite.
When I was focused on myself all the time life was terrible. Now that I focus on others, my family that is, life is amazing.
They give me more joy than I could have ever given myself. Kinda funny how that works, huh?
I carry Alessandra inside and watch as Sloane rolls the cutter across a Sicilian pizza. Damn, my favorite.
“Look at you two,” she says, stopping to take in this moment and commit it to memory.
“And look at you…after all these years, still that hot as hell girl I married.”
Sloane blushes and together our other children say, “Get a room!”
We’ll get a room all right…the master bedroom tonight and Sloane’s gonna get all she can handle.
Her birthday starts at midnight and I’ve got twenty-four hours of absolute fun prepared for her, and of course our entire family. Because what good is a birthday, if you don’t have your loved ones to share it with? And who could be more loved, than a mother…and my wife?
“Dad, you said hell,” Giada says.
“I know, but I’m just referring to the place Dante was talking about.” I’ve made sure our kids read voraciously as there’s no better way to feed a child’s imagination than with good books.
“Do you think it exists?” Juliana asks.
“Don’t know and we won’t ever find out.”
“How can you say that?” our son Anthony asks.
“Because all I know is the heaven you all give me every day.”
“Awww,” Sloane says, coming over to me and wrapping me up in a hug.
“Dad, you’re getting soft in your old age,” Anthony adds.
“You wanna bet, buddy?”
With one arm still hugging my woman I give my boy a nuggie and then get him in a quick headlock…he’s getting bigger and it’s the only kind of ‘hug’ I can give him these days…and you can bet your bottom dollar I’m going to take advantage.
Funny how I made my name and my money in online gambling, but the biggest gamble wasn’t a gamble at all. All it took was finding the one woman in the over seven billion people on earth that was meant just for me and me alone, and then putting a ring on her finger.
And that’s exactly what I did, and this incredible life is the result.
I may be getting older, but I’m far from soft. I grew up in the life, and you can take the boy out of the mafia, but you can never take the mafia out of the man.
I’ve got weapons hidden all over the house. Of course they’re in places the kids can’t reach and are safely stored away, and their purpose is different.
No longer do I crack my knuckles and then skulls for business, but those skills will come in handy if anyone is ever foolish enough to come and try and lay a finger on what’s mine…my family.
Because dad likes to laugh and joke more than he ever did, but it’s because dad is home now…with his family.
And I can flip that switch in an instant if anyone messes with them.
They’re mine. Forever.
“Dad, let go,” Anthony says.
“Never,” I whisper. “You’re mine.”
“And you’re mine,” Sloane says, tickling me allowing Anthony to squirm away, free as a bird.
I’m a dad now and my job is to give my kids wings and let them fly on their own, but they’ll always belong in our little nest here in Italy…where they’re loved and protected by their mother and I, and each other. Always.
La mia famiglia. La mia vita. Per sempre.
A MAN WHO KNOWS WHAT HE WANTS
Book 1: Baby Lust
Book 2: Veteran
Book 3: Built
Book 4: Bambino
Book 5: Rescued
Book 6: Leader
Book 7: Professor
Book 8: Burned
Book 9: Worldly
Book 10: Pistol
Book 11: Policed
Book 12: Driven
Book 13: Lucky 13
Book 14: Lumberjacked
Book 15: Protector
Book 16: Carpenter
Book 17: Italian Stallion
Book 18: Gardener
Book 19: Budapest Billionaire’s Virgin
Book 20: Billionaire’s Babysitter
Book 21: Cocky CFO
Book 22: Fireman’s Filthy 4th
Book 23: Mechanic
Book 24: SEAL’s Secret
Book 25: Police, Pooch, and Smooch
Book 26: Fireman’s Fake Fiancée
Book 27: Billionaire’s Virgin Ballerina
Book 28: Bitcoin Billionaire’s Babysitter
Book 29: Veterans Day Daddy
Book 30: Cowboy’s Christmas Carol
Book 31: Police Officer’s Princess
Book 32: Statham
Book 33: Bodyguard
Book 34: Greek God
Book 35: Billionaire Single Dad's Babysitter
Book 36: Mountain Man
Book 37: SEAL’s Justice
Book 38: Royal Romance
Book 39: Doctor Mountain Man’s Special Delivery
Book 40: Crocodile Dan D
Book 41: Mountain Man’s Secret Baby
Book 42: Doctor Bad Boy’s Secret Baby
Book 43: Cop’s Babysitter
Book 44: Nanny for the Cop Next Door
Book 45: Small Town SEAL’s Saving Grace
Book 46: Cop’s Fake Fiancée
Book 47: Billionaire’s Nanny
Book 48: Cowboy’s Babysitter
Book 49: Steamy
Book 50: Brother’s Best Friend
Book 51: Possessive Professor
Book 52: Firefighter’s Babysitter
Book 53: Soldier’s Secret Baby
Book 54: Ward’s Independence Day
Book 55: Doctor Next Door
Book 56: Possessive Policeman
Book 57: Coached by the MMA Fighter
Book 58: Boss’s Babysitter
Book 59: Virgin in New York
Book 60: Rock Star’s Baby
Book 61: Possessive Protector
Book 62: Possessive Australian
Book 63: Best Friend’s Brother
Book 64: Possessive Cowboy
Book 65: Summer Romanced
Book 66: Possessive Prince
Book 67: Lovers’s Enemy
Book 68: Cop’s Best Friend
Book 69: Possessive Firefighter
Book 70: Football Next Door
Book 71: Doctor December
Book 72: Possessive Canadian
Book 73: Blue Collar Billionaire
Book 74: Possessive K-9 Cop
Book 75: Possessive Brazilian
Book 76: Hockey Obsession
Book 77: Possessive Boston Irish American MMA Fighter
Book 78: Halloween Next Door
Book 79: Possessive Russian
Book 80: Baseball Mine
Book 81: Cop’s Caribbean Captive
Book 82: Instalove Island
Book 83: Dad’s Best Friend
Book 84: Thanksgiving with Dad’s Boss
Book 85: Possessive Italian Neighbor
Book 86: Possessive Portuguese
Book 87: Possessive Christmas Cop
Book 88: Russian’s Obsession
Book 89: Possessive Doctor’s Christmas
Book 90: Possessive Parisian Pilot
Book 91: U.K. Boxing Day
Book 92: Jealous Russian Stalker
Book 93: Italian Mountain Man
Book 94: Aggressive Russian
Book 95: Possessive Valentine
Book 96: Possessive Hunter
Book 97: Dad’s Russian Mafia Friend
Book 98: Russian Teacher
Book 99: Australian Obsession
Book 100: Russian Next Door
Book 101: Dad’s Irish Friend
Book 102: Nanny for the Russian Mafia
Book 103: Best Friend’s Dad
Book 104: Basketball Babymaker
Book 105: Possessive Veterinarian
Book 106: Brother’s Fireman Friend
Book 107: Brother’s Canadian Cowboy Friend
Book 108: Summer Vacation with Dad’s Best Friend
Book 109: Dad’s Italian Mafia Friend
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Dad's Italian Mafia Friend (A Man Who Knows What He Wants Book 109) Page 11
