Epilogue
Six Months Later
Riley
It had been six months since Nico took me, saving me from my father who was an abusive gambling addict. And though I didn’t care for my father, I missed my mother dearly. After weeks of asking, Nico set something up, making it possible for me to see my mom.
Which was perfect since I had a surprise of my own to share with both of them.
“If anything happens to you I will hate myself for the rest of my life.”
Nico’s voice filters into my ears and makes me smile. There is nothing as charming as a man who loves you with his whole heart, mind, body and soul. “Nothing will happen.” I assure him.
He grumbles.
“We’re going to see my mom. We’re not walking into a shootout. Calm down handsome.” I soothe him, watching as my mom takes a seat at the bench next to the fountain just like the paper instructed. She looks happy, and healthy and that makes me feel even better.
“Still you’re everything to me.”
His voice is edged with fear and the fact that he’s so vulnerable with me shows me even more that he cares. It also shows me that once he finds out I’m pregnant he will be ten times more protective.
“I know, now let’s go see my mom before she gets up and walks away.” I laugh, gripping onto the door handle. I open the door with ease, and hear the sigh just as I slip out of the blacked out SUV.
I wait on the passenger side for Nico, who takes my hand in his before guiding me in the direction of my mother. She’s eyeing the pond, and all the ducks that have made it their home.
As we get closer, she lifts her gaze to us, and I swear I see unshed tears in her eyes.
“Riley… Oh sweetheart.” She croaks, making my heartache
I release Nico’s hand and run over to her, wrapping my arms around her and taking in her floral scent. I sigh into her touch, realizing just how much I’ve truly missed her. “Mom. I’ve missed you so much.” I cry, tears slipping from my eyes as I pull away. Stupid emotions getting the best of me.
“I’ve missed you, too. I’m so glad to know Nico has taken excellent care of you.”
Nico’s hot gaze lands on me and as I shift in my mother’s arms, I beckon him forward.
He looks like a lost puppy, in need of some love, so I snake my arm around his waist. “Nico, this is my mom. Mom this is Nico.” I reintroduce them even though they’ve met previously.
“It’s nice to meet you under different terms than before.” Nico speaks first, his jaw dropping smirk tugging at his thin lips.
“That it is. Thank you for letting me see her. It means everything to me.”
I push down the emotions that are threatening to escape me, and instead direct Nico to sit on the other side of me while I scoot in between my mother and him.
He gives me a I-could-care-less look but does it anyway.
“I have something I want to share with both of you.” I mumble, nervous, and excited, and well overall afraid.
Nico and my mother both look up at me, their faces showing two different emotions. Nico’s is fear, and shock, while my mother’s is excitement, and eagerness.
“I’m pregnant.” I blurt, watching as my mother’s smile grows and Nico’s face pales. I knew it would be this way, so I’m not at all surprised by their reactions.
“Oh, I’m so excited for you Riley.” Mom squeezes me in a tight hug.
“Pregnant?” Nico tries the word aloud.
I pull out of my mother’s tight embrace. “Yes. We’re having a baby. I wanted to tell you together as my mother and you are the two most important people to me.” A smidge of fear fills my belly as I eye him, and the pain stricken look that seems to form on his features fades.
He blinks, and then swallows, the silence is deafening as I wait for him to speak again. “I’m… I’m happy Riley. You’ve given me everything I’ve ever wanted. A beauty to call my queen. Now a family.”
His honesty only makes me weaker for him. Not only will he protect me, but I know he will protect the baby, too.
“You’ll make a beautiful mother.”
He slips off the bench and takes a knee in front of me and at my side my mother covers her gasp. Looking down at him the tattoo of my name peeks out of his collar reminding me I’m his. Still I ask, “What are you doing?”
“Remember that jewel Antonio spoke of?”
I nod, tears welling as he pulls a velvet box out from his jacket pocket.
“It was waiting for the right woman, the right hand.”
He opened the box to reveal a beautiful diamond ring the size of Mississippi set in a platinum band and encircled by what looked like a golden halo. “
“Will you marry me, my Queen?”
Nico was my criminal, my punisher, my lover, and watcher, and best friend. He’d saved me more than once and I knew he’d value our family, our new little one growing deep inside me.
I slipped my arms around his neck and leaned over to kiss his lips hard, crawling up his body as happiness smothered us and made us forget our past enough to trade it in with a blooming future, a few spankings, a hard fuck every night, and so much more.