by Anya Nowlan
He still fumed, it was almost too much to stand next to him because he was so hot with rage.
“I am now,” she promised him.
“Good,” he whispered, giving her a smile before he looked up at his family again. “May it be known then. My engagement to Rossella Simonetti is off. I will be marrying my mate Julianna Sawyer in a week’s time.
“As head of this family, it is my honor to say that the Capirelli and the Simonetti union will be made true after all, through the bond of Giovanni Capirelli and Rosa Simonetti. If anyone has a problem with either of these arrangements, they are welcome to come talk to me about it, but I will not promise to be understanding.”
The smile that spread across Antonio’s lips was feral, in control. He was every bit the man that Julie had remembered from her night with him, self-assured and the master of his own domain again, no longer embroiled in political nonsense he wanted no part of.
And he was all hers.
“Disperse,” he barked, sharing a wink with Giovanni, who looped his arm around Rosa for the first time in public.
“Thank you,” Rosa mouthed to Antonio, though her eyes were brimming with tears and Julie thought they were more for her sister than the announcement.
Amira was the last to disappear from the doorway. She gave Antonio a measuring look and for a moment, Julie tensed, expecting another showdown. Instead, the woman nodded, not only to Antonio but to her as well. Maybe one day, she would learn what made the woman tick and understand her, but for now, this small token of acceptance was enough to tide her over.
Left alone at last, Antonio turned to face her and her breath caught in her chest.
“I should have asked if a wedding so soon is something you agree to,” he said ruefully, stealing a giggle from Julie.
“Not if I would wish to be your wife to begin with?” she asked.
Antonio’s expression twisted into horror for a moment, and Julie had to rush to explain herself, lest her dragon lose his sanity.
“Of course I’ll marry you! And if you get my family here without abducting them outright, I think a week from now is perfectly doable.”
“La mia bellezza, you should not scare me like that,” Antonio chuckled, kissing her on the lips and then ruffling his hand through Tony’s hair.
“I’m going to try to keep you on your toes,” she promised. “I might not be a dragon, but I refuse to be a boring wife.”
“I don’t think life with you could ever be boring,” Antonio said with a gentle roll of his eyes.
While she might have disagreed with him from time to time, like on the topic of whether being plucked from the ground by a dragon and carried off was a sensible means of conflict resolution, she could agree with him on that much. It was never going to be boring… and she was certain she was never going to feel alone again.
Epilogue
Antonio
The sun was bright in the sky, casting gentle shadows with the white and burgundy red silk banners that had been strewn around the yard, dotted with bouquets of matching roses. The yard was abuzz with family, friends and the royal court of dragons, all itching to see their future king take his mate.
There had been plenty of controversy about it, as Antonio had expected, but he’d also been right in assuming that the younger generation would take his side and the older… well, they still had his mother to complain to, and he would allow them as much. The truth was, the moment he was wed and mated, the crown would be his, the rules of their court requiring a king to have a queen. And what a queen he had.
He stood impatiently at the altar, waiting for his first glimpse of Julie, with Giovanni holding guard behind her. Giovanni chuckled, making Antonio’s head snap to look at him.
“What is so funny, little brother? Do you enjoy to view of your sibling frying in the heat of the sun, wearing a suit of all things to his wedding?” he asked, cocking his brow.
This wasn’t exactly the kind of ceremony Antonio would have had, had he been wedding a dragon, but concessions had to be made in order to satisfy both sides. In the end, he was more than ready to throw tradition to the wind to have a ceremony that would speak to Julie and her family. Then, privately, and without humans watching, they would have the ceremony that bonded the dragon to the mate. It needed a full moon, and apparently that wasn’t exactly a staple of human weddings.
“I do, in fact,” Giovanni said with a grin.
He was a different man now. Antonio had never known Giovanni to be a particularly open man, but he was one hop and a skip away from a show-tune medley at all times now, it seemed.
“I will remind you of that at your own wedding,” Antonio said, but hushed immediately after as the crowd shifted to peer over their shoulders.
The music started and they all stood as the bride came to view. She was on the arm of her father, in a gown of pure white and crimson red, and she looked absolutely gorgeous. Tony was in Julie’s mother’s lap, in the first row, and Antonio couldn’t help but sneak a glance at his little man, growing so quickly. He had never known what happiness truly felt, and now he seemed to be bursting with it.
Impatiently, he waited for Julie to come to him. When he took her hand from her father, he was filled with a sense of pride and peace. His dragon had been right, and that nagging feeling inside of him that had pushed him to look for Julie one last time had now paid off in spades. He would have everything he desired and no one could stand in his way.
“La mia bellezza,” Antonio said, happy that it said everything he wished it did.
“I love you,” Julie whispered, smiling giddily as they were moments from tying their lives to one another for the rest of their days. “But before we go on, I need to tell you something.”
Her expression turned serious for a moment and Antonio found himself squeezing her hand. Had something happened? Was something wrong? A million possibilities blew through his head, none of them good.
“What is it, my love?”
“I’m pregnant,” she said, mischief sparking in her eyes again.
Dumbfounded was a word Antonio Capirelli would not think was applicable when speaking of him, but right at that moment, it encompassed all that he was. Just as quickly though, it warped into joy the likes he’d never known. Without thinking about it, he grabbed Julie and spun her around, much to the gasps of those around them.
“How did I not notice!” he said, inhaling deeply and now sensing it so clearly like a slap in the face.
“Must have been love,” Giovanni offered smugly.
All Antonio knew was that he would be the happiest man for as long as he yet had to live, and he was going to make sure that it would be a long, long time with his mate and his family.
“I love you, Julie,” he sighed, kissing her despite it not yet being time for it. Then, he turned to the crowd and with pride blooming in his chest, yelled out: “We’re pregnant!”
This was going to be a good wedding day.
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Howls Romance
Classic Romance… with a furry twist!
Did you enjoy this Howls Romance story?
If YES, check out the other books in the Howls Romance line!
The Werewolf Tycoon’s Baby by Celia Kyle:
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The Billionaire Shifter’s Secret Baby by Diana Seere:
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The Alpha’s Secret Family by Jessie Lane:
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PS! Don’t miss the excerpt of the first book in Anya’s Treasure Lane Dragons series on the next page! It is out now!
Billionaire Dragon's Bride
Billionaire Dr
agon’s Bride Excerpt
He spoke with the certainty of a man, who had never been wrong. The sheer gall of him knocked the wind out of her sails. Gemma’s mouth fell slightly agape, and she stared at him in abject horror. She knew from ample personal experience that he was a cocky bastard, but she hadn’t quite grasped how bad he could be. Standing there in the darkness of a rainstorm, holding onto her while she had just been in the midst of an escape, he was still as cool and calm as ever in the knowledge that he could never be wrong.
Gemma saw red, easily ignoring the bit in her that relished being a princess to be pushed and pulled by his whims, and smacked him hard across the face.
“I’m not your princess!” she hissed, shaking with anger as he caught her wrist in his hand before she could try again.
His eyes flashed back to her, now blue and clear as day, and he smirked like she’d just given him the greatest treat she could have. Without missing a beat, he forced her hand down, and ignoring her surprised gasp, kissed her hard on the lips. Gemma’s eyes went wide with surprise, but as soon as his tongue dipped into her mouth, everything seemed to drift into the background. Suddenly, there was just Devon and his lips on hers and his arms around her.
Against better judgment, her body molded against his, and her lips met his eagerly, tasting him with the kind of passion she’d thought reserved for sappy romance tales. His hand was pressed flat against her lower back, and he released her wrist, bringing his other hand to snake through her hair, pulling her closer to him. The kiss made a roaring burst of heat uncoil within her, reaching to the very bottoms of her feet and the tips of her fingers before concentrating back together in a tight, hungry ball of desire at the pit of her stomach.
This book is out now!
Billionaire Dragon's Bride
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Shifter Squad Six: Complete Series
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About the Author
Anya Nowlan is a USA Today Bestselling Author who loves sex and writing about it. The sexier and naughtier the better. She mostly writes paranormal and fantasy erotic shorts, focusing on shifters and their lucky mates. Her stories are bite-sized, just what you need to soothe that craving for brave women and growly alphas with a big side-order of smutty sex.
Anya lives in Boston with her boyfriend and several dogs of varying sizes and levels of mischief. She can't go through a day without chocolate and has an unhealthy addiction to purses, but every girl is allowed her little vices, right?
If you have enjoyed her shorts or want to just shoot the breeze a little, don't hesitate to contact Anya via e-mail: [email protected].
Thank you for reading!
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