Epilogue - Tasha

We're having a housewarming: an actual housewarming with family and friends in our new apartment. It's not that big of a deal. I mean the apartment is literally one floor down from Matteo's old one and stood empty for years, but it's been remodeled and rewired for security and everything we seem to need. Most important thing though: it's never seen blood.

I'm in the car with Burley and we're rushing home. I'm late. My day was split between classes and lab work that took longer than expected. I'm so relieved that I get a break over Christmas. It can't come soon enough.

Six months. It's been six months of crazy with Matteo by my side, in my life, in my heart. He came in and swept me off my feet. And he keeps on doing that. I smile and sigh a happy sigh, making Burley glance my way.

"You good?" he asks.

"I am, totally. Just glad to have a break for a few weeks."

"I bet. You're busy."

Yes. But so is Matteo. Over the holidays I have to study for some exams, but tonight we celebrate. I have a handful of friends that are coming too. Let's just say, that I'm married at twenty-four is weird for all my friends. To find out I kind of ‘eloped' was even weirder for them. When Vee met Matteo for the first time, she gave me a wide-eyed stare and mouthed, "I have sooo many questions."

She's still waiting for answers.

Maybe one day.

Funny thing is, I've lost my family, but I've also found a new one. Matteo and his brothers are close. Over the past few months, they've seemed to get even closer. They hang out at our place a lot—our old place with the giant TV and vast double volumes with windows that reflect everything. That apartment is now official Il Consiglio headquarters of sorts, so still in use, but I never need to put a foot in it again.

I'm rather in love with our new place. It's smaller but suits us better. And Matteo's brothers are always welcome. Over the months, I got to know them bit by bit. Dominic: always sensible. Luca: a lot of mouth that I swear he only hides behind. Benedict: quiet, observant. Stephano: a true hero in his own way. I don't have favorites, but I know each one of them would kill for me, probably die for me.

The love that comes with that level of devotion from men who all slotted into my heart's holes where my own family once were, is unfathomable. Mom. Kevin. Dad. He's still around, but we haven't spoken or seen each other since the summer. He's sent me some emails, but I deleted them. I'm not ready and I'm not sure I ever will be. It's hard to move on from that kind of betrayal.

We're entering the apartment block's underground parking, where Matteo has his own entrance. Burley is alert as always, and so is my driver. I probably adjusted much easier than expected to being a Mafia wife. And to be honest, it's not that different from being the daughter of a politician who keeps looking over his shoulder.

We take the elevator up to our floor, and Burley sees me to our apartment. "I'll see you and Rosalia later?"

"Sure thing, luv," Burley says with a wink. "I'm looking forward to it."

Something in his eyes hints at this being more than just a housewarming. Turns out Matteo is one that likes to cook up surprises. Those balloons on our wedding night: his idea. That's what he arranged on very short notice, poor Rosalia scrambling all the way. With more time… there have been two surprise weekends away to off-grid private islands, where we're free from the ten layers of security we have here in Boston.

I walk into the apartment and close the door behind me. For a moment, I listen. Music is playing, some chill vibes playlist. Footsteps. And then he's there. His arms go around me, and I'm in his embrace as he kisses me.

My pulse speeds up, heat gathering in my belly. This man… he keeps on doing this to me.

"Missed you, kitten," he whispers as he pulls away. "Good day?"

"Busy. Yours?"

"Good. Very good." He gives me a sly smile and I quirk my head to the side. Something is definitely up. "I had big plans but I'm afraid we already have company," Matteo says, heading straight for a segue before I can ask questions.

"Already?" I murmur, somewhat deflated. "Sorry, I ran late." Matteo promised me all kinds of things this morning in bed, but none of that's going to happen now.

"It's fine. Dom and Luca came early."

"And here I thought they knew what was good for them."

Matteo chuckles. "Apparently not."

I drop my backpack in the coat closet and peel off my coat. Matteo helps me and I eye my husband. He's dressed in a black turtleneck sweater and jeans. Very informal for a man who lives in a suit. He is lickable in everything he wears… and it's going to be a long night before I can get my mouth on him.

"Let me get you a drink."

He takes my hand and leads me from the foyer to the open plan space that has the living, dining room and kitchen together. My breath catches. This morning when I left there was nothing. Now there's a beautiful Christmas tree, over eight feet by the looks of it, next to the fireplace in the living room, with lights and decorations and… Oh. It's Mom's things. A hard pebble pushes up my throat, expanding with every second. "How?" I whisper as Matteo wraps an arm around my shoulders. "When?"

"I arranged with your dad to pick it up. All twenty-six crates of decorations." He kisses my temple. "We didn't do all of it. We left some for you. But Christmas is in three days?—"

"It's perfect." I turn into his chest, battling my emotions. "It's just perfect… Thank you."

He chuckles. "It was a bit of a Scalera team building session."

"Who helped?" I choke out as he hugs me closer.

"All of them helped, kitten."

See? This. This is what he does that makes me melt. What makes me feel so loved. When I'm more in charge of myself, I let go from where I cling to him and turn to greet my brothers-in-law.

Dominic and Luca are standing in the living room, whiskeys in hand.

"Hey," I say as I walk over and Dominic and Luca smile as they lean in, gazes soft on me, giving me demure and quick but very Italian kisses on the cheek. This seems to be a thing in an Italian family with their women, but Matteo is right there to pull me to his side, marking his territory. "Thank you for this gorgeous surprise."

"It was fun," Dominic says. "We haven't done that since… well…"

Since their mom died.

"So not our wheelhouse, but—" Luca breaks off, at a loss for words.

"I'm going to shower and get ready," I say, overwhelmed.

The men exchange glances, and I bet both Dominic and Luca would be more than happy for Matteo to head into the master bedroom with me, and I need him, but the doorbell rings.

"I'll get it," Matteo says with a warm squeeze to my hip. "You get going."

I'm already in the bedroom when I recognize Benedict's voice over his brothers' as they make some joke about fucking tinsel I missed. I smile through my tears. This. This is what I missed for twelve long years. The easy camaraderie of being with people who've known you all your life. People who care more than I could ever imagine.

And I don't want to miss out. Not anymore. Tonight is a happy night, and I won't reflect on the past. I shower quickly but my hair takes time to blow dry. By the time I've dressed and put on make-up, it's a whole forty minutes later, but I have my emotions in a solid chokehold.

When I walk into the living area again, more people have arrived. Rosalia and Burley, some other business partners of Matteo's, and Bryce Sutherland with his wife Izzy, who were the architects on this apartment's remodeling. From what I gather, they haven't been married for very long, but Izzy and I are the same age and at last there's someone I have something in common with. We get along like a house on fire.

I grin as I walk over to them where they're standing with Matteo. "I love what you've done here," I say, somewhat giddy as I take in the living area filled with people and happiness. This is us. When you strip everything else away, this is me and Matteo. "Don't you think it turned out stunning with the Christmas tree and all?" I wanted something warmer than Matteo's black marble, glass and steel look he has going on the next floor up. The Sutherlands opted for warmer, earthy tones and a light brown leather sectional, with lighting that in a dark December makes all the difference.

Matteo hands me a glass of Champagne and has his hand on my hip, stroking over the silk of my ruby red dress, which I kind of got for Christmas and this housewarming. "It turned out stunning," Matteo says. "Because I worked with the best."

Bryce smiles as he raises his glass. "We aim to please."

"You have an amazing collection of Christmas decorations," Izzy says as she raises her glass to the tree.

"It was my mom's thing," I say. "European Christmas markets. As a kid we used to go every second year."

The conversation carries on, but I glaze over. The apartment is filling up. We won't be able to host more than thirty people here with space and breathing room—not in the winter at least. In summer the balcony will give more space.

"Where's Stephano?" I ask as I turn to Matteo. I knew someone was missing.

"He'll be here soon, now that you're ready."

I hitch my eyebrows at him. "What have you plotted beyond this Christmas tree surprise, husband?"

Matteo just grins, that naughty grin I've got to know and love. Oh boy…

The doorbell rings and Matteo pulls his phone from his ass pocket. "That will be Stephano. Right on cue." He takes me by the hand and leads me to the sectional where he makes me take a seat. "You might need to sit down for this, kitten."

"Matteo—" Now I'm on some spiky adrenaline rush that's fueled by anticipation. What has this man done, and what is he going to do next?

There's a commotion at the door but I can't see because the foyer is designed in such a way that it's secluded from the rest of the apartment.

Benedict's and Dom's voices sound, but they're muffled.

"I'm good," Stephano says loud and clear. "I've managed all the way from upstairs, haven't I? Don't ruin the effect now."

As he comes into the room, my eyes widen. Stephano is technically hiding behind a tier of three circular boxes, from big to small, that he carries with some care.

"And the man of the moment arrives," Matteo says with a chuckle. "Told him I'd make it up to him."

"Where is she? Tash?" Stephano asks as he peers over the boxes. He seems to be very cautious not to drop anything.

"I'm here," I say, laughing now as I scoot to the edge of the seat.

I watch as Matteo meets Stephano halfway to make sure the boxes don't fall. Hmm. Whatever is in there is breakable.

"This way." Matteo guides his brother and Stephano meets my gaze.

"When he said he'd make it up to me, this wasn't what I had in mind," Stephano teases. That's our little inside joke. Apparently, Matteo is still making up a lot of things to Stephano.

"I can't imagine what would be better than hand-delivering my wife's housewarming gift to her," Matteo says with a smirk.

As if I need more than this man. This apartment is already a crazy thing he's done for me, and now?—

Stephano squats down with the stack of boxes and places them on the coffee table in front of me. A distinct noise comes from one of the boxes.

"Matteo—" I gasp.

"You need to start at the top, kitten."

I glance to where our guests, most of whom I haven't even properly greeted yet, are gathered around us. I bite my lip. Matteo has definitely done something crazy. "At the top?"

"Yep."

It's the smallest circular box with a lid. I reach for it carefully after watching how Stephano carried it, keeping it level. I lift the lid.

And break out laughing. "Oh my God. What did you do?" I'm staring at a glass bowl covered with cling wrap. Inside it swims a lone little goldfish. "Matteo." I glance up at him and he sinks down next to me.

"We start here," he says, for my ears only. "Come on, let's help this little guy. He needs air." Matteo lifts the glass bowl out of the box and peels off the cling wrap, then puts the bowl down on the coffee table. "There. Safe and sound. The goldfish we agreed upon."

We didn't agree upon anything that day so long ago, we only joked, but my heart is in my throat as tears push to the corners of my eyes. There are two more boxes, and there, the distinct sound coming from the middle one. "I'm going to cry." I look up to see Dominic and Luca filming this moment on their cellphones.

"Don't cry yet, kitten," Matteo murmurs in my ear. "See how cute they are first."

I reach for the second box and lift the lid. Two huge yellow-green eyes stare up at me and it lets out the cutest little meow. My heart bursts as I pick the kitten out of the box. A tiny ginger tabby whose sharp little claws immediately dig into the long sleeves of my dress. I don't care. I just blink back tears as I hug his tiny body into my neck. "Where did you get him?"

"That one's a rescue," Matteo says as he strokes the kitten's back with his forefinger. "You look smitten."

"I am," I laugh through my tears as I hold up the kitten for all to see. Cheers and claps sound through the room and I kiss the little thing on his head. "We'll find a name for him later, unless...?"

Matteo shakes his head. "We'll decide later. This moment might be?—"

"Too big? No kidding." I'm not done. There's still one box left. "Here, keep him safe." I hand Matteo the kitten and he gathers it safely in his big hands. For a moment I just look at him, this man who has so many layers to peel off and work through. He leans back and lets the kitten rest on his chest. I just know Matteo is going to be the most perfect father a wife and children could ever hope for. Because there will be children, not soon, but soon enough. This menagerie is just our starter pack.

I lean in and kiss Matteo full on the mouth. He lets me, but then nudges me to the last box. "I think he's sleeping."

The lure of my husband with our kitten in his hands is huge, but I drag the last box closer. This one is heavier. I lift the lid, and curled up in the big hatbox, snuggled deep into a soft blanket, sleeps a darling golden retriever puppy. I reach for him, and he wakes up at my touch to look up, blinking. "Come here, you sweet little thing." I gather him up in my hands and lift him out of the box. This one is at most ten weeks old. I raise him up for the world to see and more enthusiastic laughter fills our apartment. I'm not sure how you top a housewarming, but Matteo just did, by making it a home.

"Okay, that's it," Stephano says. "She's woken the beast. Now all hell's going to break loose."

Matteo reaches out to scratch the pup behind the ear.

"Is he purebred?" I ask. I can't be sure as he's a ball of fur at the moment, all ears and eyes and a big yawn that makes us both laugh.

"When it comes to dogs, sweetheart, I only do purebred."

I lean in to hug him, and the puppy goes to my lap only to immediately struggle to sit up straight. "You're a bit extra, you know," I whisper as I sweep my lips across Matteo's cheek to his mouth. "But thank you for this crazy surprise."

Matteo kisses me back. "That's my love for you, kitten, extra…and a little crazy. Always."

Yes. Extra and a little crazy. "Always."