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“You’re definitely perfect,” he says, his deep brown eyes peering down to the very depths of me. “And mine.”
“Yours,” I sigh contentedly. “Forever.”
EPILOGUE
VALENTINO
“Happy birthday to you,” everyone sings off-key, much to the delight of our seven-year-old daughter, Kaylee.
She rests her elbows on the table, clasping her little hands together as she looks around at her friends and family. Kaylee has her mother’s golden eyes and strong spirit, which means she gets away with pretty much everything.
When the crowd finishes up their song, Kaylee’s eyes grow wide as she takes in the cake Katya made especially for her birthday. It’s a marble chocolate and strawberry cake with strawberry filling and chocolate frosting. My wife went all out, and I love that she found something she’s passionate about.
After I put a ring on her finger and made her my wife, I encouraged Katya to go to college or explore hobbies and interests she was never able to when she lived with her father. She was hesitant at first, and it broke my heart when she confessed she’s never let herself dream of a future where she gets to decide what she wants.
With some guidance and support, however, my princess dove headfirst into the culinary arts, focusing on desserts and pastries. She runs a catering business on the side that's growing with each passing year. I couldn’t be prouder of her and all of her accomplishments.
Claps and cheers echo around the dining room where we’re hosting Kaylee’s party, and then everyone scrambles for a piece of cake, knowing it will be incredible since Katya made it.
My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I’m about to shut it off when I see the name of a long-lost friend pop up on the screen.
Brewer Sullivan.
Stepping out into the kitchen for some privacy, I answer the call with more than a little curiosity. “Brewer? Is it really you?”
“Valentino,” comes the gruff mountain man’s voice. “Wasn’t sure you’d pick up. Hell, I wasn’t even sure this was still your number.”
“It’s been, what? Ten years? Twelve?” I muse.
“Therin about,” he says, a slight country twang in his voice. “I hate to cut straight to the chase, but this is a time-sensitive matter.”
“No problem,” I reply. I’m not much for small talk anyway. “Is everything okay?”
“Is it too late to cash in that favor? You might not remember, but–”
“Of course, I remember. You saved my stupid ass on my first assignment.”
I think back to the first time I met Brewer. He had just moved to New York City from his tiny mountain town in Nowhere, Idaho, and I was just starting out in the Di Salvo family, proving myself worthy.
I thought I’d get a gun from the Capo who gave me my first mission, but I found out real quick that weapons are earned. So there I was, barely nineteen, sent to deliver a package with no backup and no means of self-defense.
Long story short, I was tracked after making the hand-off and chased down by some crazy-ass motherfucker. Still don’t know where he came from or what his problem was, but he got the jump on me before I even knew I was being chased. I could have handled one man on my own, but when three others showed up, I knew I was in bad shape.
That’s when Brewer showed up. He grabbed one man by the back of his shirt and ripped him off of me, tossing him aside as if he weighed nothing more than a sack of flour. With that momentary distraction, I was able to scramble to my feet and help the stranger fight off the other bastards until they had had enough and ran away with their tails between their legs.
I had nothing to offer him at the time, so I promised him a favor to cash in once I was high enough in the ranks of the Di Salvo family. Looks like today is the day he’s cashing it in.
“What do you need?” I ask after a moment of silence.
“There’s a woman,” he starts, making me smile. “More like an angel. A scared angel who has some secrets she thinks I can’t handle.”
“I can relate,” I tell him, thinking of the first week with my Katya. We both had secrets and needed the safety of each other to confess them and heal.
“I need to know how to protect her. Can you look up information on people? I’m not sure what the scope of your influence is.”
“Limitless.”
Brewer chuckles. “Good. I’m going to need you to do some digging on her family and their business interests. And, uh, maybe you could gather some… other intel?”
