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“So good,” she breathes, tugging me in for another kiss.
I don’t know what I did in my past life to deserve this woman—this life, honestly—but I’ll take it.
Epilogue
VALENTINA
One year later.
“Goodnight, honeybee,” I whisper, leaning down to kiss Matilda’s forehead. She snuggles into her blankets, a sleepy smile spreading across her face.
Five hours on the jungle gym will do that to you.
“Goodnight, birdy,” I sing, crossing the room to Alessia’s bed.
She’s got a new mystery book tightly clenched in her little hands, totally engrossed. I slip off her new glasses and gently tug the book away as she groans.
“Please, Mom,” she pleads, giving me her best pouty face. “One more chapter?”
“It’s past your bedtime already.” I shake my head, taking on the role of the tough cop. Enzo watches me from the doorway, grinning.
I pretend not to notice their covert little glances and winks. I know that book will be in her hands again as soon as I leave the room.
“Ladies,” Enzo announces, flashing them both a cheesy grin, “it’s my highest pleasure to bid both of you good night. We’ve got a big weekend ahead of us, so you need to be in tip-top shape tomorrow!”
I smile at him as he gives both of them wet, sloppy forehead kisses. Their little squeals and giggles warm my heart, and I melt inside.
I can’t ever imagine being happier than I am at this exact moment, with my husband, my girls, and my little secret.
“Adoption day, right?” Matilda calls from her little burrow of blankets. “We’re gonna make itofficial.”
“Righty-o,” Enzo agrees, joining me in the doorway.
We had explained earlier this month that even though Alessia has been living with us for over a year, it isn’t official. They’ve been counting down the days until tomorrow, when we sign the official papers making her our daughter.
“Okay, it’sofficiallybedtime for everyone,” I say, clapping my hands and looking at Enzo pointedly. “Even you.”
“I think we can postpone bedtime a bit, can’t we?” he whispers in my ear, looking as devious as ever. I shrug casually and flip the lights off, leading him down the hallway.
“The girls are happy,” Enzo says, his face glowing with the ease and happiness of a man whose life turned out exactly as he’d planned—even though it took a while to get here.
“They are,” I agree, climbing into bed. “You know what Matilda told me today? She said Alessia was her karmic twin… where the hell did she even learn that phrase?”
“Been spending too much time with Auntie Lux.” He laughs, snuggling against my chest.
The room is awash with the soft glow of his bedside lamp and filled with the crackle of firewood. I stroke his hair gently, breathing in that classic Enzo smell.
“Can you believe everything that’s happened to us?” I say, cracking up. It’s funny to look back on now, but God—there were some tough days.
Putting Alessia, and Matilda to a lesser extent, through intense therapy and watching their sisterhood grow was the toughest, most rewarding thing I’ve ever witnessed.
“Do you ever regret stepping away from the mafia?” Enzo asks, glancing up at me with genuine curiosity.
“Not even for a second.” I smile, placing a light kiss on the tip of his nose. “This is everything I’ve ever wanted… a husband, children, chickens, a garden, even those smelly goats. I have my ballet studio and the girls’ after-school activities to keep me busy. Enzo, I’m a happy woman.”
“Phew,” he breathes, blowing hot air across my neck. “I was worried you missed the shady back rooms and breaking knuckles.”
“I’ll leave that all up to you,” I say, scrunching my nose.