Page 138 of Bellini Born

“Goddammit! I said—” His words died when he peered up and saw me standing in the doorway, and he rubbed at his eyes, likely wondering if I was a figment of his imagination.

When he lowered his hands, I hitched a thumb over my shoulder. “Should I go?”

He rose from his desk chair, placing both palms down on the polished wood surface before him. For a minute, all he did was stare at me, his gaze roving over me from head to toe.

I bit down on my lower lip to hide my smile. “Hi.”

He huffed out a laugh. “You’re really here?”

Letting the door fall shut behind me, I strode to where he stood and perched my ass on the edge of his desk. “Yeah, I’m really here.”

Shaking his head, Matteo asked, “Why?”

With a hand pressed to his shoulder, I shoved him back into the chair and climbed onto his lap. Once we were forehead to forehead, I whispered, “Because you’re worth the risk. I’m sorry it took me so long to figure that out.”

His arms banded around my waist as he let out a shuddering breath. “You’re sure?”

“Mm-hmm. Even if it’s cut short, I’d rather spend the rest of my life loving you than face growing old, miserable and alone, because I decided to play it safe.”

Matteo buried his face in my neck, breathing me in. “Ti amo.”

My entire being flooded with warmth, and I ran my fingers through his hair, dropping my lips to the dark strands with a smile. “Ti amo. Can we go home now?”

Brown eyes lifted, and within them, I saw my entire future.

“Yeah, let’s go home.”

For the first time, home was so much more than just an address, a place to sleep at night. It was the people within those four walls, that I loved, that I couldn’t live without.

And I was never running away from it—them—again.

Epilogue

Matteo

Four Months Later

Tinopulledthroughthefront gates of the new house we’d purchased only a few streets away from the original estate.

With still no word from Gio, we toyed with the idea of taking over his vacant house, as it was known as the primary residence of the Bellini Don—the same home I’d grown up in and my father before me—but it didn’t feel right. I wanted to give my girls stability, a new place to create memories—happy memories with a mother and a father who loved them more than life itself.

“Welcome home, sir,” Tino said as he opened the back door for me.

Originally, the plan had been to return tomorrow, but I’d missed Summer and the girls too much to stay away anothernight. My early arrival was kept a secret, as I hoped to surprise them.

I pushed through the front door, and my ears were instantly assaulted by the high-pitched shrieks that could be used to track my family’s location.

I found them in the kitchen. Bianca was seated atop the island, her hands and face coated in flour, while Serafina stood on a stool contraption that allowed her to reach the countertops and “help.” And between them was the beautiful woman I married, the love of my life.

For a minute, I hung back in the shadows, content to watch them work together as they made a batch of chocolate chip cookies. Domestic life caused Summer to glow from within. Her smiles were never brighter than when she was with the girls; they lit up her world, the same as they did mine. While she adored our daughters, they absolutely idolized her. There was no question this was the family we were always meant to have.

Clearing my throat, I announced my presence as I stepped fully into the room, and three sets of eyes—one blue and two brown that matched my own—snapped up.

“Daddy’s home,” Summer crooned to the girls.

Serafina reached for me, and I scooped her up before placing a kiss on my wife’s cheek. “Hello,bella.”

“Thought you weren’t coming home until tomorrow?” Summer wiped her hands off on a towel.