Owned by the mafia boss

EPILOGUE

ONE YEAR LATER

My daughter looked like her mother. The heart-shaped face and dimpled smile belonged to Mia. Her big eyes were just as expressive, and her nose was a cute, button-like dot. It would’ve been easy to call her a mini-Mia, but the widened jaw, her horizontal eyebrows, and the feistiness were mine.

I swaddled Alessia, whose bright gaze had not yet darkened. Such a gorgeous shade of blue. “Do you think she’ll have hazel eyes?”

“I hope so. I’ve always loved yours.”

Her fingers threaded my hair before she hugged me, baby and all, and pressed her mouth into mine. I nipped her bottom lip and met her stroke by stroke. Mia grabbed my waist and slid her thumbs in my waistband. She flicked her tongue, and I caught it between my teeth-

Alessia fussed, and Mia stroked her head, soothing her with gentle kisses. I thought my love for Mia couldn’t grow, but since the birth of Lexy, it had consumed me.

Compromising on the baby’s name took forever. I wanted something Italian, and she preferred a non-traditional choice. She gave birth a few days before my birthday, so we decided to name her after me. We agreed on Alessia, but we called her Lexy most of the time.

“I love you,” Mia whispered, lips touching my ear. “Thank you for giving me this perfect baby.”

“It was my pleasure.”

“Both of ours.”

I abandoned the purr, lowering my voice. “You’ve made me so ridiculously happy, Mia. I think I had so much love inside me but I had nowhere to put it until you and Lexy. I owe you everything. I love you.”

Mia broke away and wiped her eyes. She returned to cleaning the kitchen, and somehow the sight of her scrubbing milk bottles filled me with a pang because she had insisted against hiring a babysitter. She would stay home for the six months, and then rely more heavily on her parents. Which meant Mia wouldn’t attend Bourton in the fall.

“Sweetheart, I wish you’d reconsider hiring a nanny.”

“I don’t trust nannies, and I won’t have strangers raising my child. Anyone who watches our daughter has to be family.”

I loved that she was so protective.

“But you’re missing out on college.”

Mia shrugged. “Maybe I’ll change my mind when she’s older.”

“I could watch her every day.”

Mia flashed me a playful grin over the counter. “I wish I could tell the man I met about this conversation.”

“Mia, I want to do this for you. I’m here most of the time anyway. You have to continue your school.”

“Let’s talk about it later,” Mia whispered as the front door opened and closed. “Hi, Michael!”

“Hey, sorry we’re late.” Michael’s cheerful voice boomed into the kitchen, his four-year-old doppelgänger clinging to his legs. “Somebody was having a tantrum. Is that my godchild? Give her here.”

I reluctantly passed her to Michael, who gave Lexy a scratchy kiss that provoked a howl. We named him godfather following his very consistent campaign for the responsibility. After he paid back the countless hours Mia watched his children in full, we agreed there was no better person.

“Hold her head.”

“I am!” Michael’s furrowed gaze softened when it landed on my baby. “She’s so adorable. Looks like Mia, thank God.”

I hovered nearby, anxious. That was another new thing-the constant worrying over our kid. I’d never been so fucking concerned. Sometimes I tore myself out of bed to check if Lexy was still breathing.

“I’ll watch her. You guys take it easy.”

“Alessio, it’s fine. He has two kids, remember?” Mia rubbed my shoulder as Michael walked out with our baby. “He’s here to help.”

“I know.”

Michael and I patched things after the disaster last year. Vinn was a colossal prick whose ego had grown since he was boss, but he had mostly kept me out of the Costa drama.

I was no longer at their disposal. Mia didn’t have to worry when I left the house. I had shifted into an investor role while remaining on the board of multiple mob-owned businesses. Leaving the mafia completely wasn’t an option for someone who used to be in Nico’s inner circle, so she learned to live with the occasional Costa-related function. As an associate, I had the favor of the Costas without the target on my head.

A headline had splashed over my news feed this morning with a picture of a disheveled Anthony wrapped in the arms of a leggy blonde, exiting a nightclub at four a. m. Comments from Michael led me to believe he was still a massive pain in the ass.

The doorbell rang.

“Can you get that?” she asked.

I lurched from the chair, hoping it was Carmela. Mia had seen little of her sister, and I knew it bothered her. Carmela had withdrawn from the family over the last year. Crash was at large, and the attempt to find him had been abandoned. Vinn had no desire to waste the resources, and Carmela had asked everyone to stop bringing him up.

I passed the nursery, where Michael spoke to my girl in a falsetto that broke with a deep laugh.

I opened the front door and gaped at my guest.

Holy shit.

“Mom. What are you doing here?”

“Mia wanted us to meet your daughter.” My wispy mother was just as beautiful as I remembered. Remorse filled her eyes. “I couldn’t say no. Alessio, I’ve missed you so much.”

The gut-punch nailed me in the stomach.

My voice cracked with joy as I stepped out, wrapping her in a hug. She clung to my shoulders and burst into tears. A taller woman climbed the porch. I let out a second, gleeful shout as my sister tackled my middle.

“I can’t believe this.”

“We heard you left them,” Ashley cried, her face buried in my neck. “It’s about time, you idiot. We love you. We’ve been waiting for you.”

I held them close to the ache in my chest. Mom wiped the tear that skated my cheek and kissed my forehead. I looked through the haze of ecstasy at finally having them back and spotted my wife. She was the dream whenever I closed my eyes, but my reality was even better.

I found my family with her.

Finally reunited. Finally whole.

# # #

Read the next book as well

Vinn’s story and Michael’s & Carmela’s story

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