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“Don’t want to hurt you, baby,” he murmurs, kissing my neck where he was holding me.
“You’re not. You wouldn’t. I don’t want you to leave me yet.”
“Okay, sweetheart. If that’s what you want. I’ll stay right here for as long as you need me.”
“Forever, Marco. I’m going to need you forever,” I respond, kissing his chest and closing my eyes as I savor the sweetness in this moment.
I feel his lips brush against my forehead and spread into a smile as he responds. “And I will need you just as long, my love.”
I keep holding him as our hearts slowly begin to beat normally and we come down from our orgasms.
“I love you, husband,” I tell him, realizing we just started our married life together and knowing that for the first time in my life, I’ve given everything I am to someone and it’s enough.
“I love you, wife,” he returns, looking down at me and kissing my cheek, his fingers in my hair. I can see his love, too. I see it right there on his soft face. I see it the those sparkling blue flakes in his eyes. He loves me completely.
I was right. I am enough, and I will be for the rest of our lives together, even into the next one.
Forever.
Epilogue
Marco
One Week Later
I lean back in my sea, EZ’s face on the monitor as we’re talking. I’ve been married a fucking week and I already feel like a new man. I knew life with Helena was good, but I didn’t realize just how good it could be when there was nothing between us. I also didn’t know what life would be like knowing the love that we have would just grow every single day.
“So, you had to send old Ivan the fucking heart with a middle finger in the center of it?” he laughs.
I shrug. “The finger was Helena’s idea,” I laugh.
“Damn, I knew I liked that woman,” he practically cackles.
“Just remember, she’s mine,” I respond grumpily.
“Don’t worry, ese. I have my hands full with Libby. I’m starting to think I should have taken time to get to know the woman before I married her.”
“You do know that’s usually how it’s done,” I point out.
EZ shrugs. “Maybe, but it’s probably more fun my way.
I smirk. Hell, he’s probably right. “What was Levkin’s response to the package?”
“Not much. Although, he did take the ring. Mikhail said the score was settled, but I told him if Ivan overstepped again, it would mean war. I think he understands that I have enough firepower between my men, DeLuca, you, Killian and my cousins club, the Steel Vipers, to back that promise up. He said he and Viktor would make sure Ivan was contained.”
“Do you believe him?” I ask, not having much trust in the Levkin brothers.
“We’ll see what will see what happens,” he answers noncommittally.
I nod because there’s not much to say to that.
“How does married life feel, brother?”
“Getting better every fucking day,” I admit, and I see EZ’s answering smile. “That reminds me, Helena will probably be calling Liberty soon. I bought her a gallery here in Greece as a wedding present. She wants Liberty’s work in it.”
“That will probably require us visiting Greece from time to time. My woman does look great in a damn bikini.”
“I just finished the guest wing in his house.”
“Is it far enough way that I can make love to my woman without you hearing me?”
“It’s far enough away I can do the same,” I reply.
“Good enough,” he mutters.
“Before we hang up, I want to thank you for all your help. You had my back and saved my woman. I’m not going to forget that, EZ.”
“You can owe me one. With the Levkin trio in my backyard, I may need to cash it in.”
“Anytime, you know that.”
“Yeah, man. I do. Tell Helena I said hi.”
“Will do.”
We hang up and I waste no time walking to the elevator. When I walk out into the main corridor and then the courtyard, I breathe in the fresh air. I let myself into mine and Helena’s home feeling more relaxed than I ever have in my life. Things are coming together perfectly. The crew will start on Gio’s house next, and I’m excited as fuck for each of my brothers to have a place of their own. The ghost of my father is completely gone now. I don’t feel the darkness inside me anymore either. It’s gone. Now there’s just…. Helena.
And that’s all I need.
Epilogue
Helena
Two Months Later.
I recline back against the soft cushions of the daybed swing that Marco had installed at the edge of our yard. It overlooks the ocean below and has become our favorite place to rest in the evening. In the little over two months since become Mrs. Stratakis, I’ve settled into my life, and I can barely remember what life was before having Marco’s love.
