Total pages in book: 163
Estimated words: 163540 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 818(@200wpm)___ 654(@250wpm)___ 545(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 163540 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 818(@200wpm)___ 654(@250wpm)___ 545(@300wpm)
He deserves to suffer.
His eyes still… and I smile.
His head drops, and I know he’s gone.
I stare at him and take a moment to reflect on Sophia.
I get a vision of her with her curves and her long dark hair. Perhaps in another life she could have made me happy.
“Enrico!” Jennifer calls.
I stand, and with a heavy heart, I turn to her. She has her gun drawn.
“He’s dead.”
I walk past her and back to the house where two local police cars have arrived. Their siren lights are flashing, lighting up the sky.
I find Olivia crying and wrapped up in a blanket. Her face lights up when she sees me, and she stands.
“Oh, thank God!” she cries.
“It’s okay,” I whisper as I take her into my arms. “He’s gone now.”
She puts her head onto my shoulder and cries as Jennifer walks back into the room.
“What are you doing here?” I ask.
“I believe thank you is the word you’re looking for,” she says sarcastically.
I roll my eyes. I hate this woman with a passion.
“I was following Lombardi. I had no idea he was coming for you.” She shakes her head as she looks at the smashed-up room. “We have enough evidence to clear your name, Enrico. I’ll organize a transfer back to Italy for you both first thing in the morning.”
I look down at the beautiful woman in my arms. “No.”
“No?” She frowns.
“I think I might like to stay dead for a little while longer.” I smile down at Olivia. “I promised my girl a holiday.”
Epilogue
Olivia
Four months later
The sea breeze blows through my hair, and I look into the big brown eyes opposite me.
Enrico and I are standing on the sandy beach outside our house. We’re as happy as happy can be.
It’s our wedding day.
I’m in a tight, crochet white dress with my baby bump proudly on display. My hair is down, and I have a yellow flower tucked behind one ear. Enrico is wearing white hippy clothes and is completely barefoot. It’s so unlike Enrico Ferrara.
But so Australian.
We had to change locations after Lombardi found us.
After the ordeal I went through, Enrico decided that he wanted to have more time alone before we went back to Italy. He wanted my pregnancy to be as stress-free as possible. At first, it was going to be for just one month. That then turned into two, two turned into three, and now here we are, living on an island just off the Australian North Coast.
Of course, our mothers know we are safe… but nobody else just yet. We’re flying completely under the radar.
Giuliano is in training, while Lorenzo is currently running Ferrara.
For now, we can stay where we are in our stress-free little bubble.
Alone and happy.
Without enemies, bodyguards, or family.
We have never had this in our relationship: time alone.
It’s so precious, and we are savoring every second together.
We talk, laugh, and lie in the sun. We make love endlessly. This time alone in our pregnancy is his gift to me, and we are so looking forward to our baby coming along in eight weeks.
Life is surprisingly… normal.
That is, until you see the mansion we live in. Enrico couldn’t live in any other type of home.
Luxury is who he is. He’s a Ferrara to the bone.
The priest continues, “Do you, Enrico Ferrara, take Olivia Reynolds to be your lawful wife?”
Enrico blinks back his tears, and I smile softly. He’s the most sentimental man I have ever known, and most definitely a far cry from the hardened mafia boss that everybody else knows.
I get the best of him.
His undying love and everything we have been through together has all been worth it to get to where we are right now.
To where we are supposed to be.
This isn’t how we planned to do things, but we’ve learnt that no matter what happens in the world, us being together is all that matters.
It’s important to him that we be married before the baby arrives. Today is our beach wedding. We will have a Catholic ceremony in The Pantheon when we get home to Italy.
Our sacred place.
“To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?”
Enrico gives me a broad, beautiful smile, and I melt. “I will.” He slowly slides the gold band onto my finger, and it’s my turn to blink back the tears.
“And do you, Olivia Reynolds, take Enrico Ferrara to be your lawful wedded husband?”
Enrico gives me a sexy wink, and I giggle despite my tears.
“To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?”
“I will.” I slide the thick gold band onto Enrico’s finger, and he smiles proudly.
“You may kiss your bride.”
We both laugh. Enrico leans in and softly kisses me. It’s full of emotion, love, and hope.
It’s perfect.
Just like him.