I choose him.
"Yes," I say, my voice steady despite the tears. “Let’s go home.”
Epilogue: Dante
Three Months Later
I watch my wife from across the room. It’s my favorite pastime.
She's standing at the window of her home office, phone pressed to her ear, gesturing animatedly as she talks. Sunlight catches the gold in her hair, and my dick stirs.
To be fair, it stirs every time she breathes.
It’s been three months of waking up next to her, falling asleep with her in my arms, learning the thousand small ways I can make her smile.
Best three months of my life.
"—yes, Serafina, that's exactly what I was thinking," Polina says into the phone. "If we pool our resources, we can open a second location by spring."
She's been working with Serafina Gavrikov on this project for weeks now. Planning. Strategizing. Building something good from something terrible.
The Lebedev estate sold last month for an obscene amount of money. Polina didn't keep a cent.
Instead, she's funneling every dollar into a foundation for trafficking survivors and kids aging out of violent homes. A partnership with Serafina's shelter that'll give them more reach, more resources, more ways to help.
Turning her father's blood money into salvation for people like her.
I couldn’t be prouder.
She ends the call and turns, catching me watching her. A smile curves her lips.
"How long have you been standing there?"
"Long enough." I cross to her, unable to stay away. "How'd it go?"
"Good. Really good." Her eyes light up in that way that makes my heart do stupid things. "Serafina thinks we can have the new intake center operational by March. We're meeting with contractors next week."
I pull her against me, my hands settling at her waist. "You're incredible. You know that?"
She laughs, ducking her head. "I'm just?—"
"Incredible," I repeat firmly. "Taking something ugly and making it beautiful. That takes strength, baby."
Her arms loop around my neck. "I learned from the best."
"Flatterer."
"Truth-teller." She rises on her toes and kisses me softly.
I deepen it immediately. My tongue sweeps into her mouth, tasting her. Three months and I still can't get enough. Will never get enough.
"Dante," she murmurs against my lips.
"Yeah, baby?"
"There's something I need to tell you."
The tone of her voice makes me pull back to study her. Her cheeks are flushed, her eyes bright, and she's biting her lower lip.
