Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 90511 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 453(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90511 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 453(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
A god of death and thunder. She’s damn right.
But these days, I’m a businessman and a husband.
“Doesn’t matter anymore.” I walk around the desk and bend down to kiss her. “I’m retired.”
“You’re not that old.”
“Compared to the fighters these days? I’m damn ancient.”
“That’s a good point. I did hear your knees crack like bubble wrap when you walked over here.”
“You’re brutal.”
“You love it.”
I kiss her again before slumping down into a chair in front of the desk with a grunt. I rub my back and try not to think about all my aches and pains. Even a year off from fighting hasn’t healed it all. I doubt it’ll ever fully go away.
But it doesn’t bother me much these days.
I’ve got the warehouse to think about. Ever since Charlie’s dad fully took over the Westbrook properties, we’ve been managing this place. Part of the funds get funneled to the Marino Famiglia as a respectful gesture, part ends up in Charlie’s trust, and the rest is funneled into operations. The Westbrooks get a little piece, but not as much as they used to.
Turns out, her dad doesn’t much care for the illicit stuff. Which surprised me when he said it.
“We’ve got to talk to Davide about toning down the light show,” I say, stretching my legs.
“Albert told you revenue’s up, right?”
“I know that, but still. It’s a damn underground fighting ring. Not a fucking U2 concert.”
She snorts a laugh. “God, you’re so old. Even your references are out of date.”
“Sorry, Taylor Swift. Whoever that is.”
“Unreal.”
“Quit messing with me and say you’re on board.”
“Stefano, this place is yours. You want the lights turned off? You can turn them off.”
“I know that. But you’re my partner.”
“I’m here to help, but the warehouse is yours.” She gets up and comes around the desk before plopping down in my lap. She leans down and lightly kisses me. “You like it, don’t you?”
“I do.”
“Not boring? Like the depot?”
“Better than the depot.” I smile slightly. “Occasionally, I get to crack skulls. I like that.”
She rolls her eyes. “I forgot you play bouncer.”
“Just when it suits me.”
“It always does.” She runs her fingers through my hair. I hold on to her like that and don’t mention why this place is actually better. It’s not because of the fighters or the excitement. It isn’t the cracked skulls, although that’s nice too. It’s not the money, the power, or the prestige.
It’s her. It’s always her these days.
I wake up and Charlie’s there. We visit our warehouse properties together. We eat, sleep, fuck, and laugh.
I’ve been looking for meaning all my life. I thought I found it in the ring.
I was so fucking wrong.
“What if we took off tonight?” I pull her close and stoop to kiss her. “The place runs itself at this point.”
“I’m not against it.” She doesn’t look at me though and squirms slightly. “But I feel like I should tell you something first.”
“Anything important?”
“Oh, you know, just a little life-altering news.” She slips out of my lap and kneels in front of me. I stare into my wife’s eyes as she takes my hand between hers. “Remember that sex we’ve been having?”
“I’m dimly aware of something like that.”
“Well, we haven’t been careful, and guess what?”
My mouth goes dry. I try to make a sound, but nothing comes out. She smiles sheepishly at me.
“I’m pregnant.”
Fuck. Holy fuck.
I don’t say a word.
I only wrap her in my arms and pull her into a tight hug, kissing her over and over again, breathing her in and holding her. She laughs and wriggles against me.
“God, calm down, you’re going to break my back.”
I release her suddenly. “Shit. The baby.”
“The baby’s the size of an edamame. Or something, I don’t know. The baby can survive some squeezing.”
“Good.” I grab her and pull her against me. This time, I kiss her hard and hold it there. “I’m going to be an old dad.”
“You don’t have to quantify it with alright, you know.”
“But I will be.”
“Does that bother you?”
I shake my head slowly. “Not even a little.”
“Are you happy? I honestly can’t tell.”
“I’m very, very happy.”
“How happy?”
“So happy I’m going to buy you a pony.”
She makes a face. “God, please don’t. I hate horses.”
“Then I’m going to burn a barn full of ponies to the ground.”
“Stefano! I don’t hate them that much.”
“Make up your mind.”
She laughs and kisses me. We stay like that in my office for a while, and I was thinking we couldn’t find a way to make this marriage any better, except now we did. And that’s pretty fucking great.
Epilogue: Charlie
One Year Later
“Hellooooo?” My voice bounces around through the empty room. “Hellooooooo? Echoooooooo.” Milly squirms in my arms and starts to wake up. “Oh, crap, sorry, little pea. You go back to sleep. Mommy won’t yell anymore.”
But too late. She yowls like a little cat and opens her eyes, blinking up at me. Startling blue. I’m told they usually change, but I have a feeling she’ll always be this way. Just like her father.