Bella: The Ending: A Sagatori Family Saga

by Kimberly Soto

  He lifted onto his elbow laughing while he peeked under the sheet at my new triple D’s. “Wow!” His jaw tightened.

  “So what did you feed him?”

  “The milk you pumped.”

  I relaxed into his embrace again. “Oh, good,”

  “I’m actually pretty good with him.”

  “Oh? So what did my two men do while Mommy slept?”

  He cocked a brow. “We watched Christmas Vacation and drank hot cocoa.”

  “I’m totally jealous! That’s my favorite Christmas movie, you know that!” I tossed a pillow at him.

  “I did know that, but did you know some people say that Christmas Vacation isn’t a real Christmas movie.”

  “Shut up! That’s literally the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard you say.”

  “Hey, I didn’t say it wasn’t; I’m just saying that’s what other people say.” He grinned back at me.

  I rolled my eyes. “Mhmm. So tell me, Daddy, how did you sleep?” My fingers danced over his forearm.

  “Actually… the last time I slept through the night was before you were taken, but since all of that’s been put to bed and you and I are back where we belong, I sleep like an angel.” He shrugged, lifting his mouth into a half smile.

  I closed my eyes tight wanting desperately to forget everything that’d happened. “I didn’t realize you hadn’t been sleeping.” Guilt washed over me. “But I was in the dark about a lot of things… most things actually.” My response didn’t come out the way I’d meant it to. “Sorry.”

  His arms tightened around me. “No, don’t be. I should’ve given you answers when you asked for them, but I’ll never keep you in the dark again. I swear to God.” He pulled me close and pressed his lips to the tip of my ear. “You know what I missed more than anything?”

  “No, what?”

  “Laying next to you. Knowing that I could close my eyes and one-hundred percent trust you...”

  He sucked in a breath. “That’s huge. You’re the only person I’ve ever felt that way with.”

  I pushed deeper into his embrace. “I know what that feels like.”

  “Trust… five letter words and all that.”

  I giggled.

  I knew more than anything I needed to be honest with Jax about all that’d happened while he’d been gone, but I had no idea what the outcome would be or the ramifications, quite frankly. That, more than anything, scared me because Chase was family, and I couldn’t let anything come between that. And while I wanted nothing more than to be honest with my husband, this was something I couldn’t confess to him. I couldn’t risk the fallout between him and his brother.

  “Is something wrong?”

  He could read me like a book, and even if he didn’t know what the words were, he knew something bothered me. “Jax.” I wanted to tell him so badly, but I couldn’t bear to ruin this moment; one I’d waited so long for. I couldn’t let anything come in between our happiness ever again. “I love you.”

  “I love you.” He pressed a kiss to my temple reciprocating.

  “Can we stay like this all day?”

  “I wish we could, but it’s our baby boy’s first Christmas.”

  I gasped. “Oh my God! I almost forgot it’s Christmas day!” I jumped from the bed, frazzled, only to fall back as he pulled me. “You did forget,” he laughed.

  “Yeah, I did.”

  Ennio was born a week after the psycho doctor tried to kill me. Labor was not something I enjoyed, as it lasted sixteen hours, but at the end of all of it, a beautiful, healthy baby boy was there. Before him, I thought I knew what love was, its meaning, and the way it filled my heart, but I had been so wrong. The love I felt for him was without a doubt the most beautiful and perfect love ever created.

  I rolled onto my back as Jax began tickling my thigh. “Stop!” I snorted. It seemed a lifetime ago since he’d laid with me. I smiled because he did that now, and the juvenile manner in which he did it was the most endearing of all moments. We’d been through so much, and yet I felt as if everything had only been the beginning. I was determined that we’d have a perfect ending.

  An hour later we were up and dressed. I was in the nursery across the hall nursing Ennio in the rocker while Jax prepared for our Christmas guests. I was so excited that our entire family would be spending Christmas with us, including Emily. She would be on a later flight, getting in around three because her parents insisted she have breakfast with them. But she’d be, here and I was beyond excited to introduce her to my amazing little man.

  Jax snuck in as I lay Ennio into his bed. “How’s he doing?”

  “Shh, he’s sleeping ” I smiled in awe of how beautiful he was. “Can you believe that we created this perfect little person?”

  Jax laced his fingers with mine. “He looks just like you, baby.” He rested his chin on my shoulder. “Let’s make another one right away… five more after that.”

  “Seriously?” I laughed as we quietly left the nursery.

  “I want us to have babies everywhere.” He stood pulling at my hand. “Come on, I got a surprise I can't wait to give you.”

  We descended the stairs and as I stepped off the last step I was in awe of the decorations and the aroma of cinnamon. “I love Christmas.”

  “I know.” He shed a mischievous grin.

  “What’s that about?”

  He tilted his head. “You’ll see.”

  ***

  The house filled with our family, and Chase was no exception. He stood to the side near the huge tree Jax had carried home. He toyed with the tiny ornaments that I’d brought from Detroit. Some were new, ones Jax and I had found together. One especially for Ennio, commemorating his first Christmas. I smiled seeing how happy he seemed. Worried he was putting on a face for family sake, I decided it was time to have a chat.

  “Hey, stranger.” Apprehension was there, but I tried hiding it, probably unsuccessfully.

  He turned to me smiling, but there was something else there hiding as he said, “Hey”

  “I‘m really happy you came.”

  “What, you didn’t think I would?”

  I shook my head. “Honestly, I wasn’t sure what to think.” I cleared my throat and turned toward the rest of the room. “I wanted to tell you that I miss you being around.”

  “Oh?” He lifted his attention to the tree. “Why? Last I remember you were tellin’ me to get out.”

  I sighed harshly. “Chase, I haven’t told Jax, and I won’t.”

  “Hmm,” he said harshly. “Why? You scared of his reaction?”

  “Yeah,” I crossed my arms, “actually, that’s exactly why I haven’t told him.” I paused finding Jax across the room laughing with Wyatt. “I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if your relationship was damaged because of me.”

  He dropped his attention to the floor. “Well, then I guess you should know that I went to him, while he was in New York. I told him I loved you and that I was going to do everything in my power to make you happy.” He sighed harshly.

  “Oh!” I had no idea that he’d done that. “He never said anything.”

  “Of course not, he’s classier than that, Bella. Jax is a good man and, I’m really happy that you’re happy. You are happy, right?”

  I nodded and smiled as Jax waved for my attention from across the room. I lifted a finger signaling him I’d be there in a minute. “ Very much. I um, just wanted to tell you that I hope you’re okay, and you’re always welcome here; this is your home too.”

  “Thanks, Bella, I really appreciate you sayin’ that. I uh… I missed you, more than you’ll ever know, actually.” He chewed on the inside of his mouth, and I could see the struggle as he turned from me and walked away without another word.

  ***

  “Here, here! I have a toast.” Jax tapped his wine glass with his dinner fork and all eyes turned. “First I’d like to say that Bella and I are thrilled that everyone’s here.” He nodded toward Chase specifically with a hand perched on his hip,
and a glass raised in the other. “I have an announcement and a surprise for my beautiful wife.” He said.

  I smiled “Oh?”

  “What’s going on?” Emily whispered as she cradled Ennio.

  Jax nodded to Tony who slipped a box out from under the table. The box was small, the size of a ring box. “Merry Christmas,”

  I smiled wide, not because he had gotten me jewelry, but because we were together and happy after all that we’d been through. That was all the present that I needed and nothing more. “Jax, you didn’t have to do that,”

  He perched a hand on his hip once more. “For you, I’ll do everything.”

  I chewed on my lip and untied the red bow and lifted the top. A small white piece of paper rested over the contents, I tossed it to the side gingerly. “Jax?” I asked confused. “A key?”

  He nodded. “Part two of Moretti Christmas 2018.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  He drew a deep breath. “Bella, we have been through more than any couple should. But we always come out on top… that I know. This, well, this is a new beginning for us. No matter my mess ups you have always been right there by my side, ready to do whatever it takes to save our family, and I want to give some of that back to you.” Jax dropped his eyes to the table in front of him and sniffled. He was crying.

  Tony handed Jax a box which he then gave to Chase. “Merry Christmas, brother.”

  Chase’s face filled with confusion as he untied the bow. “A key?” He drew his brows together. “What am I going to do with a key?”

  “That’s the key to my business, I’m out. I’m giving it to you” The room filled with gasps and whispers. “That brings me back to Bella.” He dropped to his knees threading his fingers with mine, “You came into my life under the craziest circumstances, I can still see you sitting in my car hiding who you were because you were scared I’d be hurt.” he chuckled, “You’ve become something I never thought I’d find. My everything. I could give you jewelry or whatever, but I want to give you a life, one that you don’t have to be scared of. I want to make good on my promises and my vows. That key symbolizes your dream house anywhere in the world you want to go. In the short time we’ve been married we’ve been through more than most people who have been married fifty years. I want to make sure that you’re never in danger again. I never want to be without you. I will never spend another day without my bride by my side. What do you say? You want to run away with me and live happily ever after?

  Happiness and shock washed over me, “Yes!” There was nothing more that I could’ve asked for. “Is this real? Can you really walk away?”

  He laughed, “The only thing I want to do is make you happy, there is nothing for me here if you’re not by my side and I’ll do anything to make that happen.”

  I stared at the large golden key with amazement. “Anywhere?”

  “Anywhere.”

  Since the night that Jax had walked into my life I’d learned how to love and appreciate everything that I had. Being respected by the men no longer seemed important to me. I’d dreamt of a life filled with normalcy and even if our lives weren’t normal I wouldn’t change it for anything.

  ***

  Twelve Months Later (December)

  I walked out onto the deck of the yacht smiling as Jax smoothed Ennio’s wispy hair from his forehead.

  “I don’t remember what life was like before him.”

  I sighed, “Me either, and I never want to.”

  I closed the distance and sat next to my two boys. “We’ve been so blessed with many more of those blessings to come.”

  “Happily ever after and all that?” He smirked.

  I laughed, “Of course,”

  “Yeah, I hope so,” he turned back to Ennio.

  We had been on the yacht for eleven months. We traveled to so many beautiful places such as, the Caribbean islands building sandcastles, and Greece looking out over the beautiful islands with our little man. Ennio loved sticking his little fingers in the sand and thought it was hilarious to bury daddy.

  We hadn’t been back home since we’d left. This yacht had become our home, at least until we decided where we wanted to put down our roots. I know that our family thought we were running from something, but we were running towards something; our happily ever after.

  I sometimes wondered if Jax missed being the Boss of bosses, but then I’d see the way that he watched our son and I knew he was happy. I was happy as well, the happiest I’d ever been.

  Chase was building an empire and I was happy for him. Emily was in Detroit working for Tony who was the new owner of Sagatori Trucking. Dominic and Sal were Chase’s right hand men.

  So many things had changed over the last year.

  Helena for example had taken great care of Ivan after the shooting. He passed away in July due to complications. I wasn’t sad about him dying, but more the fact that he was so insane we were never able to have an actual relationship.

  After he passed away Helena and I began a relationship. It’s new and we are still getting to know one another, but I’m really happy to do that. She doesn’t ask things of me that make me uncomfortable and we seem to be becoming fast friend. I believe that everything will fall into place as it should.

  I untucked a little plastic stick from my pocket and slipped it onto Jax’s chair.

  “Bella?” It took him a minute to realize what he was looking at, “Two lines?”

  I giggled, “Yes,”

  “You’re pregnant?”

  I nodded “Yes,”

  Jax leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine. “Seriously?”

  All things come to those who wait. If someone had asked me two years ago what I’d been doing now I would’ve told them I’d be running an empire, but today I’m changing diapers and hanging out with my husband. There would never be anything that I’d want more than these beautiful people and I thank God everyday he blessed me with such a wonderful life.

  We will see you again soon in Chase’s story! We hope you’ll be there!

  THE END

  Happy Holidays from the Sagatori-Moretti family!

  Thank you for reading our story!

  Chase will be releasing May 15th 2019!

  More books from Kimberly

  BELLA

  The Beginning

  The Ending

  The Angel Trilogy

  His Angel

  My Demons

  Our Sins

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  THANK YOU

  Thank you to my family who continues to stand by me and voluntarily puts up with my crazy! I wouldn’t have been able to finish this series without your support. I love you!

  Thank you to all the readers and fans that has supported me over these last years. There are so many and each one of you are appreciated!

  Thank you so much to the blogs that have shared and reviewed Bella!