Page 157 of Thorns of Death

The smell of coconuts hit my nose and my eyes found my wife. Her skin glowed golden. Her cuts had faded, but to the careful eye, the scars were still there. They were my reminder of her strength. Since that morning in the bathroom, we’d spent every waking moment outside. Highlights had even turned her ginger hair golden from all the sun.

As if to push all the darkness away from her.

I returned my attention to the horizon. To our home. There was something soothing about watching the sun dip low, the dancing rays across the surface of the sea giving us hope. For our future. For our happiness. For my family’s safety.

“Marito.” Isla’s soft voice pulled my gaze from the horizon and to my wife. My thoughts were always with her. I leaned down and kissed her small nose.

“Sì, dolcezza?” Her Italian was improving. Konstantin hated it. I fucking loved it.

“Would you want abambinoor abambina?”Boy or a girl? My heart stopped and the tiny bit of space that separated us disappeared as I pulled her on top of me. I could feel her soft breath on my lips.

“Are you saying what I think—” Jesus, my voice broke. So many emotions suffocated me.

She wrapped her arms around my neck, brushing her lips against mine. “I am.”

I smashed my lips against hers. “Davvero, amore mio?”

She nodded her head. “Better believe it. You’re going to be daddy to another boy or girl.”

Fuck, I loved her so much. The way she always included the boys into our family. She was my light, illuminating every single inch of my dark soul. I had forced her into my life, but for the life of me, I couldn’t regret the decision.

She had shown me what it was to live. To love. To be happy. All the lies and secrets were out in the open, yet she loved me anyway.Shewas my happy ending.

Her lips parted against mine, our mouths molding together. I brought my hand to her belly, holding it reverently.

“How long have you known?”

“I took the test earlier.” She smiled against my mouth. “After what happened—” A dark cloud threatened to appear. “Donatella’s dead, and we said we’d talk about children then. It was the reason I didn’t opt for it when the doctor offered an alternative. For some reason, I forgot all about getting pregnant with everything else happening.”

Anguish crawled into my chest. “Amore, do you want—”

Fuck, why was it so hard to utter those words out loud?

She closed the distance between us. “I want our baby. I love our family. You, the boys, the baby. I want it all.”

Relief washed over me. “I want it all too. Just with you. Now how did you take the test? Where was I?”

She smiled sheepishly. “I made Manuel take me to the store.” Before I could even frown, she quickly added, “Don’t be upset with him. I threatened his life and told him if he said a word to you, I’d claw his eyes out.” I sighed heavily. “I know I should see a doctor first, but I want us to go together.”

I cupped her face. “Grazie, dolcezza.”

She scrunched her eyebrows. “For what?”

“For loving me.”

She taught me to live in the moment. Live for the now. In the sunlight. Together.

EPILOGUE

ENRICO

Four Years Later

From across the distance, I could see my wife and children making my heart swell. Two little heads full of red curls and one little head with a dark mane squealed happily, running through the garden.

Enzo and Amadeo were away at university—second and first year—and wouldn’t be back until their summer break. They’d grown up into good men.

I was still unsure whether I deserved this happiness, but I selfishly kept it. It was ours. Isla’s and mine, and I’d end anyone who tried to take it from me.