SWNOVELS Chapter Mila: The Godfather: Epilogue 1
“He’s my lover and my best friend. How lucky am I?”
“What is it?” I asked Riagan for the fifth time since we left home.
“A few more steps, and you’ll find out.” He laughs as he guides me with both of his rough hands covering my eyes. At one point, I dreaded surprises, never knowing if they were going to be good or just painful lessons, but now, living with Riagan, every day is a big surprise.
“Can you give me a hint?” I try to get him to tell me, but he won’t budge, just like everyone back at the mansion. Not even Cathan – yes, Cathan, who the doctors didn’t think would survive the sickness, but he did, like me and his son believed he would. Now, he’s back to himself, still recuperating but strong and healthy, and the dark cloud that was looming over both Cathan and Riagan’s heads is no longer there. We’re all so lucky. So blessed.
“Nope.” My husband laughs.
Okay, I was expecting that after he denied my every attempt before.
He really knows how to keep a secret.
I let him guide me a few more steps, and while at it, I tried to think of what the surprise could be.
We’re not home because we got in his car and drove for at least twenty minutes, and once we got out of the car about three or four minutes ago, I noticed we’re in a public space. Although I can’t see anything, I can hear the sound of pedestrians walking nearby and traffic. We’re close to a busy street.
Where is he taking me?
Suddenly, he takes his hands away from my face, and I’m able to see what’s in front of me when a sudden rush of happiness mixed with a bit of confusion hits me. What?
“Happy anniversary, butterfly.”
Looking at the magical-looking building in front of me, I can’t help but gasp as I take it all in.
A bakery.
A small bakery with mint-green tones, glass doors, and an empty sign in the middle. It doesn’t have a name.
“Is this–”
“It’s yours.” My husband turns me around, taking my cheeks in his big hands, and makes me look up at him. “I was thinking you could paint a mural for it to go with the aesthetic and theme you want, baby. Something that’s all you.”
“I don’t know what to say…” I honestly don’t. How does he always manage to leave me speechless? I can’t find the right words to express just how I feel. I feel so much now that I can’t concentrate on just one emotion.
“How about you tell me what you’re going to name your bakery slash bookstore?”
Bookstore?
Then, I look at the blue-green building and notice the large bookshelves visible from out here.
Yup, I can’t find the words, but one thing does come to mind.
“Lucky Willow.” I blurt out.
And he smiles. “I like that.”
I do, too. Maybe for different reasons than he does.
Lucky because of him. My lucky clover.
Willow not just for our many kisses under the tree but because he’s also my Willow Tree. Strong, resilient and beautiful.
“I love you…” I hug him closer to me. I hug him so tight that my cheeks are pressed to his hard chest. I can feel his cold chain on my skin. His heart is beating strongly and steadily.
Stepping back, I rise to my tippy toes and kiss his bearded cheek because that’s as far as I can reach.
“I love you more, butterfly.” he grins, causing my heart to beat faster. “And one last gift.” He hands me a book. A book with a cute illustration of a short blonde-haired girl with curls and a giant tattooed man standing next to her. A golden retriever and a whole bunch of butterflies surround them.
“How did you do this?”
“Two very talented twin criminals owe me a few favors.”
“Lorenzo and Valentino Nicolasi?”
He nods. “My brother got them to write and draw the illustrations. They didn’t do it for me, though. They did it for you.”
“For me?” Tears fall down my cheeks as I hold the fairy-tale book he made of us. My heart hurts as I turn over to the last page and find a handwritten note:
Mila, I’m not the noble prince you dreamt about your whole life. I don’t have a white horse or a flashy carriage. But I have a heart that beats only for you. An army of men who would lay down their lives for you. A family who loves, embraces and celebrates you. I promise to always love you on your good days, but especially on your bad ones. I promise to fill your life with magic and wonder until my last breath. We have a weird family and a lazy dog. But it’s the good kind of weird. It’s us. I have all the love in the world for you. From this moment on, I promise darkness won’t touch you. Bad men won’t get a hold of you. I’ll keep you safe for the rest of our days together. This book. This story. It’s us now, but maybe as the years pass, if you want to, we can add more love and more laughter in the form of tiny people, and fuck, if you want more animals, we can get some too. All I ask of you is to always believe in me and never let go of my hand, and I promise I’ll give you the happily ever after you longed so much for.”
I can’t move. I can’t gather my thoughts as my mind works on processing every beautiful word that just came out of his mouth. I have to force myself to breathe. Is this real? Is he real? I blink several times, but the book is still in my hands and Riagan is still hovering over me. I close my eyes and count to three, tap my chest with the book three more times, then open them. He’s still here. Holding the book against my chest, I watch him smile a real smile, the one I live to see every day. My heart gallops in my chest as I hold his stare for a few seconds before my eyes fall to his lips. My sweet giant. My best friend. My person. My hero with some villain in him. My dream man. “Riagan, I—” He grabs my face and kisses me, long and slow, dizzying me. Making me forget my own name and everything I wanted to say. I wrap my free arm around his neck and hold onto him tight while the book gets squished between our bodies. When he pulls away, he says, “You are very loved, butterfly. Even when you don’t notice it. Even when you were surrounded by darkness, there was still so much love there.”
I think about what he just said, and my heart feels as if it’s going to combust with love at any given second. I spent so much time with my nose in a book and my head in the clouds running away from everything that hurt and could potentially hurt me that I missed a lot. I won’t be doing that anymore. I love my fairytales and romance stories, but they no longer serve as an escape or a safe place.
My safe place is him.
The tears I’ve been trying to hold back start to fall when I think of how lucky I am to get to live this life after thinking for so long that forever and happiness weren’t in the cards for me.
“Are those sad tears or happy tears, baby?” He whispers while holding me close.
I nod while trying not to sniffle but fail. “I’m just so–” My whisper comes out raspy.
“Butterfly, your tears strangle my heart.” He gently pushed my hair from my face. “Fuck. Don’t cry. What’s wrong? I thought this would make you happy.” I brush my face with my fingertips and smile weakly. “It has. So much. I’m…overwhelmed.” I look up at him and find his big blue eyes idling on mine. “No one’s ever done anything so nice for me. Not ever. Everything you’ve done for me. Every word you’ve said. I think I’ll never get used to it.” Before he can say a word, I throw my arms around his broad shoulders and press my damp cheek into his neck. “Thank you,” I said softly. “You’re amazing.”
“I’m not amazing, butterfly. I’m just trying to be the man you deserve.” I hug him tighter. “You are. You’re the best ever.” I wasn’t expecting tears and hugs.
“Really. You make me smile every day. Even when you’re not there.” I smile with tears in my eyes when I witness how big his own smile is. It takes over his entire face. I will never get tired of seeing that smile. It’s more beautiful than the sunset. The most breathtaking sight.
Riagan brushes my thumb across my damp and warm cheek to wipe my tears away before he leans down and covers his lips with mine. His large hand moves to cradle the back of my neck, his fingers sliding through my curls as he has a thousand times. I moan in pleasure when his tongue sweeps over my lips before I open them, and he slides inside. One thing I never told him is how addicting his taste is. It always leaves me wanting more of him. My hand tightens on his shoulder, my nails digging slightly into his inked flesh. Taking that as a sign of passion, he rolls his body closer to mine, half covering me, and grips the back of my neck, kissing me deeper.
“Let’s go inside, baby.” Riagan pulls back and whispers breathlessly close to my lips.
Delirious with pleasure, I ask. “O-okay. Will you show me the inside of the bakery?”
“Yes, after.”
“After what?”
“After I fuck you like I don’t love you.” He then throws me over his shoulder, making me screech in surprise. “Forgive me, baby.”
And I laugh all the way inside the bakery of my dreams in the arms of my dream man.
One more wish and dream crossed on my bucket list because of my sweet, sweet gangster.
My life changed before I even had him in my life, and I didn’t even know it. He was there protecting me and being my hero when I was clueless about it.
I don’t fear the future anymore or the changes that might come my way because I have him in my corner. And I know I can always be myself with Riagan, and he’ll always love me for it.
I’m not lost anymore. I’m finally home, where I’ll be safe, warm, and loved by this beautiful man fate handed me…and I’m going to make him smile every day for the rest of our lives.
Fairytales do come true.
You just have to believe it.
I did.
I dreamed and hoped for a better day.
For one day.
My ’one day’ in the sun had a name.
Riagan.