Total pages in book: 148
Estimated words: 143870 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 719(@200wpm)___ 575(@250wpm)___ 480(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 143870 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 719(@200wpm)___ 575(@250wpm)___ 480(@300wpm)
Naturally, as soon as we step onto the patio, Rafe steals Thalia. A minute later, Nella wriggles out of Angelo’s arms to come greet her Uncle Cristian and Auntie Tantel, as she calls me now. There’s no shortage of love to go around as we take a seat at the table, and the babies make the rounds between everyone.
Michele mans the grill while Nonna directs him, and loud, chaotic chatter fills the patio as it usually does.
Lucia’s gaze lands on my cropped T-shirt, the words Good Girl emblazoned across the front, and she arches a brow. “Are you, really?”
“Not this morning, she wasn’t,” Cristian answers dryly.
Lucia laughs, and Jackson smirks.
“I’m sure he made sure to correct that real quick.”
“He always does,” I muse.
“If Tiffany could see you now, she’d keel over dead,” Jackson says.
“Let’s not pretend you didn’t tell her all about it so you could collect the money she owed you for the bet.”
“Oh, I did,” he huffs. “She still hasn’t paid up.”
“Not a surprise,” Kenzie chimes in.
Abella passes Thalia along, and she ends up in Kenzie’s arms next.
Her gaze softens as she observes our daughter, and I know she’ll be an amazing mother. Of course, Andreas can’t stop staring at his wife, and God help anyone who ever upsets her or his child.
“You’re never going to guess who’s here,” Angelo grumbles as he returns to the table and glances at Mariella.
“Seriously?” She rolls her eyes.
A second later, Ares appears, looking weirdly out of place here, yet still perfectly at ease with himself.
“So sorry to interrupt.” He raises a brow at Mariella. “I didn’t realize there was a party, and I wasn’t invited.”
“Why do I get the impression you aren’t sorry at all?” Abella snorts.
“Because he’s not,” Mariella answers.
“Yes, well—” His gaze rakes over her shorts and tank top. “I’m in need of your services.”
“You do realize this is what phones are for,” she says. “They have this magical new feature called texting. It doesn’t even require you to come all the way over here just to communicate your nonexistent needs.”
“I wouldn’t say nonexistent.” He pulls back his suit jacket to reveal a bloody red stain on his white dress shirt.
“Jesus.” She stands up and glares at him. “Did you get yourself stabbed again just so I would have to touch you?”
“Please, Mariella,” he drawls. “That would be…insane.”
“Come on.” She sighs. “Let’s go see what you’ve done this time.”
They disappear into the house, and we all look at each other before everyone laughs and shakes their head.
“It will be a miracle if she doesn’t kill him before all these new wounds do,” Gabi says.
“Either that, or they’ll find a way to get that fiery tension out of their systems,” Val remarks.
I smile as Abella and I share a look.
Our lives—and the men in them—are without a doubt unhinged. But when I glance over at my husband, I know I wouldn’t have it any other way.
He might be a little murder-y and crazy protective, but he’s perfect.
And he’s all mine.
THE END.