Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 53693 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 268(@200wpm)___ 215(@250wpm)___ 179(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 53693 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 268(@200wpm)___ 215(@250wpm)___ 179(@300wpm)
Funny how that happens.
But no one’s changed more than Johnny. When I met him, he was an intimidating, hulking figure. He knew he had the power to ruin lives, and he used that power often. But he did it to protect me most of the time, and he saved me from a horrible life.
Now, though, he’s softer. I know that’s in no small part to our daughters, but even to the outside world, he’s kinder and more approachable. He’s still physically intimidating, but his eyes no longer carry the hardness and threat of imminent danger. In addition to helping the State Attorney’s office, he’s become a Russian translator. He loves getting to use his native language in a way that doesn’t hurt people.
Now he goes by the name John, which always makes me laugh. To me, John is the perfect picture of a suburban husband. He’s the father of three little girls who make him dress up for tea time, and he’s the regular recipient of makeovers. No one would ever know he used to be the leader of a crime syndicate, or that he made men like my father shake with terror.
It’s kind of fun that way, knowing our family has this hidden past. But there’s still danger in his job. Of course, there is. He’s been working for years to dismantle decades of criminal activity. He always tells me he enjoys being on the other side of the law, and I think the thrill of the chase gets to his head sometimes.
But he is the best husband and the best father. He takes care of our home, always making sure we want for nothing, that when we lay our heads down at night, there’s nothing for us to fear.
He craves danger, but he keeps it away from our girls. That was part of the deal. We wanted to take our daughters away to live a safe, drama-free life. He takes no chances with our safety, and if any assignment gets too dangerous, he pulls back. He never once has gambled with our safety, and I love him for that.
We sit on the couch together, wrapped up in soft blankets. His arm is draped around my shoulders, his fingers drawing sweet patterns on my skin. We both know we’re not going to be able to stay awake to watch the raunchy comedy he’s picked out for us, but that’s okay. We don’t mind enduring the endless cartoons and princess movies for the sake of our daughters’ enjoyment.
This life of ours is cozy and perfect. If you’d asked me ten years ago where I saw myself, I would have only dreamed that I was sitting on a couch in a house on the San Francisco Bay, snuggling with my husband after a passionate quickie.
But I couldn’t have dreamed of such a life at the time. Everything I knew then was violence and chaos. I had no control over my life, and I was a pawn in someone else’s game. Now I’m the mother of three perfect little girls, the wife of a kind and loving man, and the owner of a successful tech company.
I sigh against Johnny’s chest and snuggle further into him. It’s because of him that I have this wonderful life, and I will spend the rest of my days showing him just how grateful I am for it.
The End