Page 21

Epilogue

(One month after the birth)

Alessio

It’s not easy juggling being a new father with running a syndicate. I had no idea how much more exhausting it would be trying to do both. Baby Joseph still isn’t sleeping through the night, which means neither am I. Dario takes three nights a week with the baby, but that means four nights of the week I’m not getting enough rest.

There’s added pressure on me too because Valentino gave me the ports. It’s a complicated situation running the ports. Thankfully, I have Dario to help guide me, but there are millions of dollars flowing in and out of my operation in the form of smuggling firearms, alcohol, and tobacco. It’s stressful as hell, especially when I feel like I’m sleep walking most days.

One evening Dario and I are just about to sit down to dinner. I have the baby in a rocking swing near the table, and he’s snoozing away. Dario pours us wine while I light the two tapered red candles on the table.

“I ordered this lasagna from a restaurant. I didn’t have the energy to cook. Hope you don’t mind,” I say, blowing out the match. “It’s from that little place near the mall.”

“It’s food. That’s all I care about.” Dario sips his wine and nods his approval.

I groan as I take my seat, feeling like a creaky old man. “Did Valentino tell you he called me to yell at me today?” I ask, scooting my chair closer to the table.

Dario instantly bristles. “Excuse me?” His dark eyes flash with anger. “Why?”

“Someone from the Murphy syndicate accused me of human trafficking. They were spreading lies all over town. The Murphy mob has always hated the Abella syndicate. My father had many run ins with them over the years.” I scowl. “As if I’d ever take part in anything that disgusting.” An upstanding citizen, I am not. But I draw the line at smuggling humans.

“And Valentino believed the lies?” Dario narrows his eyes. “He believed my omega would be involved in something like that?”

“He was pretty irate over the phone―”

“He actually yelled at you?” Dario growls, standing up and tugging his phone out of his pocket. “Well, we’ll just see about that. Yelling at my omega for something he’d never do? How dare he?”

I laugh nervously. “Dario, it’s fine. I told him it was a lie and he believed me.”

“Did he?” Dario arches one dark brow.

“He seemed to.” I give a weak smile. “He even apologized for yelling at me. That’s why I thought maybe he’d have told you. He’s probably never apologized to anyone before. I figured it was a traumatic experience for him.”

“No. He didn’t say a word to me.” Dario slowly tucks his phone away. “He actually apologized?”

“He did. Twice.” I laugh. “To be honest, I think I heard Nico in the background. I suspect he was trying to show Nico what a great guy he is. If Nico wasn’t around he’d have probably just hung up on me.”

Dario laughs gruffly. “You’re absolutely right. Valentino has horrible phone manners.”

“Anyway, it all blew over. But I’d love to get my hands on a Murphy one of these days. I’d love to give them a piece of my mind.”

“The entire Murphy clan are scum. If anyone is involved in buying and selling humans, it’s that group,” mumbles Dario.

“Let’s not talk about them. Let’s try to enjoy our meal.” I serve Dario a big helping of the lasagna, and I set a piece of garlic toast on his plate too. He rubs his hands together, looking happy. My heart aches watching him. I find him so endearing these days. It’s hard to remember I ever didn’t love him.

I serve myself a smaller portion, and Dario notices.

He frowns. “You need to eat more. You’re the only omega I know who’s thinner now than before he was pregnant. Nico is always complaining he has an five extra pounds on him.”

“Nico just had two kids. I’ve only had one.” I avoid his gaze and take a bite of my food.

“You’re too thin.”

“And you worry too much.”

Dario watches me, not touching his food.

I glance up. “Why aren’t you eating?”

“Did you choose a live in nanny yet?” he asks gruffly. “I gave you six candidates two weeks ago.”

“I will.” I swallow my food with some difficulty. My throat always tenses at the idea of having a nanny. I wanted one at first, but now, I worry about handing Baby Joesph over to a stranger.

“Alessio,” he rumbles. “You can’t keep on the way it is. You don’t get enough sleep. You’re running yourself ragged with the baby and work. Should I take some more nights with the baby?”

I sigh. “No. Then you’ll just be dragging all the time.”

“Well, something has to change.” He knits his brows, looking worried. “I overheard Valentino arguing with Paolo today. He wants Paolo to get more involved with the family business. What would you think of him helping you with the ports? Paolo is bright. I think he could take some of the strain off of you, once he understands things. What do you think?”

“Valentino did mention he wanted me to train Paolo on a few things. I have no objection to him helping me with the ports. I wouldn’t mind working with him. I like Paolo.”

“Yes,” Dario narrows his eyes. “I know.”

“I laugh. “I mean as a friend. You know I adore you.”

“Well, I am an amazing alpha.” He smirks. “How could you not?”

I force myself to take another bite of food, if only to please Dario. “I’ve actually narrowed down the nanny candidates to two people.”

“Have you?” Dario looks pleased. “I’m happy to hear it.”

I eat some more lasagna and then set my fork down. “You won’t think I’m a failure, right?”

He squints at me. “In what way?”

“If I need help.” My face is warm as I hold his gaze. “An omega is supposed to take care of the offspring.”

“That’s antiquated thinking. Some omegas prefer to work these days.” Dario shrugs. “An omega can be anything they want to be. At least, my omega can be.”

I smile. I can’t help it. “You’re so much more enlightened than I ever expected.”

Dario seems to beam under my praise. “I am, aren’t I?”

My smile fades. “I still worry you’ll think I’m failing at my duties. Nico doesn’t have a nanny and he has two babies.”

“Nico isn’t running a syndicate and he has Marie to help him. Have you forgotten he has a live in babysitter with her?”

“I guess that’s true.”

“Trust me, Nico also makes Valentino pitch in too. Valentino tried to get out of changing dirty diapers and Nico would have none of it.” Dario grins. “It’s fun watching Nico boss Valentino around sometimes. He’s the only one, besides Marie, who can get Valentino to do stuff he doesn’t want to do.”

“Valentino does seem to live in fear of disappointing Nico,” I murmur.

Dario leans toward me, the candles reflecting in his dark eyes. “A good alpha always worries about whether or not his omega is pleased. If our omega is unhappy, we’ve failed at our job.”

My stomach warms. “You always make me happy.”

“I try.” Dario goes back to eating.

I watch him as he eats, feeling truly lucky. He’s right. I need help with the baby. I need to have the energy to focus on Dario too, and at the moment, I have no gas in the tank at the end of the day. I’m being too prideful about the whole nanny thing. I need to stop that. “Do you want to hear about the two nanny candidates I’ve narrowed it down to?”

He perks up. “Absolutely.”

“Okay.” I take a sip of wine and then continue. “They both have impeccable references, but one has more experience that the other. One is a male omega about my age. He’s been working as a manny for about six years. He’d probably have lots of energy because he’s young. The other candidate is an older female omega who has twenty years’ experience and has worked for many, many families.”

“Are you leaning toward one over the other?”

“Logic says I should pick the older woman with experience.” I frown. “But for some reason, I want to go for the younger guy. I want to give him a chance.”

“Then pick him.” Dario nods. “I think you should go with your gut. Why not give the kid a chance, right?”

“Yeah? You think I should pick him?” I smile.

“Absolutely. All I care about is that you get someone in here who you trust. It would be nice to have more date nights with you. But lately, you’re asleep by 8:00 p.m.”

I wince. “I know. Okay, I’ll call Connor tomorrow and bring him here for an interview. Then I can see first hand how he gets on with Baby Joesph.”

“Sounds like a plan.” He holds up his wine glass. “Let’s toast to getting that nanny moved in ASAP. I want more time with you, Alessio.”

I clink his glass, take a small sip, and then I set my wine down. I rise and move around the table. Dario grins at me when I straddle his lap. His hands rest on my hips as I softly kiss his mouth. “How did I ever get so lucky as to meet you, Dario?” I whisper against his lips.

“Well, as I recall, it wasn’t luck. It all started when you went on a murderous hunt for revenge against my boss.”

“Oh, yeah.” I begin to unbutton his shirt. I kiss the side of his neck, and his smooth shoulder. “That’s all in the past now.”

He chuckles, his rough hands slipping under my shirt. “It’s all forgiven.”

My fingers brush over the tiny burn scars on the very back of his neck. It reminds me of all that Dario has gone through. By all rights, Dario should be a bitter, unlovable monster. But he isn’t. He may look intimidating, but he’s the gentlest alpha I’ve ever met.

I cup his face. “You’re my alpha.”

“I know.”

“You’re my husband.”

“I know that too.” His eyes shine with amusement.

“Do you know that I’d die without you?” I say softly. “Do you know I wouldn’t want to breath one second longer if anything ever happened to you?”

His amusement fades and his hands tighten on my hips. “I feel exactly the same, Alessio. Where you go, I go. Whether that’s in this life, or the next.” He stands suddenly, lifting me with him like I weigh nothing. “Baby Joesph is sound asleep, and I think it’s time for dessert.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” he rumbles, lust glittering in his dark eyes.

I slip my arms around his neck, and whisper against his ear, “Sounds good to me, my darling Neanderthal.”