Borrowed Bride: Chapter 38

“Iknew it was too good to be true,” Marco mutters. “We’ve kept them off these shores for so long I’m honestly surprised it didn’t take them longer to try and return.”

Marco stands a few feet away from the ladders of the yacht, his gorgeous body glistening in the Mediterranean sun while he deals with whatever important issue Leonardo has called about.

I keep one eye on the conversation the best I can, but the majority of my attention is on my children in the water beside me as another dolphin swims over to investigate the splashing from my eldest, Freya. She’s eleven now, with her twelfth birthday on the horizon and she has no idea how turbulent the beginning of her life was. I’ve done everything in my power to keep our children out of that life, beyond a few basics in the case of disaster.

I don’t want them growing up like Marco did, and certainly not like me.

“It kissed me!” Freya squeals. “Mom did you see?! Did you see?!”

“I did!” I laugh as Freya pats the dolphin on the nose. A foot away, the twins Emil and Sanzio are playing with a ridiculous number of inflatables, but they are equally as ecstatic to see dolphins up close. I swim near them, keeping an eye on the dolphin as my two five-year-olds splash hard and laugh.

“Now be careful,” I warn Sanzio as his hand splashing comes a little too close to one of the dolphins. “You don’t want to scare them.”

“Okay!” he replies cheerily and focuses on splashing his brother instead. They dissolve into giggles just as Freya hooks her hand around a dolphin fin and allows herself to be pulled along a few feet.

A holiday in the Mediterranean feels like an impossible dream, but Marco and I strive to give our kids everything they could ever want, within reason. I don’t want to spoil them but it’s hard. Growing up with nothing, I want my kids to have everything.

As my children have the time of their lives in the water, an alarm beeps from the back of the yacht, signaling that we’ve all spent enough time in the ocean.

“Alright rascals, play time is over. Back on the boat.”

“But Mom,” rises a chorus of complaints. No one wants to give up their time in the water, but I quickly scoop up Emil before he can swim too far away, and Sanzio follows. I learned pretty quickly that Emil is the more headstrong of the two and right now I’m using that to my advantage.

“I’m sure the dolphins will be back tomorrow,” I say, reaching the ladder.

Marco is there with his phone balanced between his ear and his shoulder and he scoops Emil out of the water with one hand. “You heard your mother. The rule was until the alarm and I know you all hear the alarm.”

“Fine,” Freya groans and she drags herself out of the water with a dramatic flair. “They better be there tomorrow, I’m getting the feeling that I was supposed to be a merperson in another life.”

“Oh really?” I chuckle, helping Sanzio back up on deck and closing up the railing. “Well how about tomorrow you use your merfolk powers to bring us a whale. I’d love to see one of those.”

“It doesn’t work like that Mom,” Freya sighs. “Land people are so dumb.”

“Are they?” calls another voice. Out from the lounge walks Emilia, leaning heavily on her cane. Her health journey has been a tough one, but being free of Dante, free of quiet captivity in a greenhouse, and away from the stresses of Mafia life has done wonders for her.

I swear I saw a new life breathe into her the first time she held the twins.

“Auntie!” they all yell and they charge toward her.

I’d follow but I take one step and Marco sweeps his solid, warm arm around my waist and pulls me close to his broad chest.

“Mm-hmm,” he says, still on the phone to Leo even as he dips his face into the crook of my neck and kisses me. “Yep. You got it. Keep me informed, okay?”

“What’s happening?” I ask, swiveling in his hold to cup his face as he ends the call. “Do they need us back?”

“Not on your life,” he grins, kissing me lazily. “The recent influx of weapons across the East Coast? The Russians. Looks like they’re finally brave enough to start infecting our territory again. Leo wanted advice on how to crack down on them.”

“You’re like a Mafia guru,” I chuckle. “Giving advice from beaches and yachts to people a thousand miles away.”

“It’s a good life,” he grins down at me. “Fawn took care of some Triad trouble a few weeks ago and the disturbing family was so alarmed that they gave up the Russians immediately and are seeking peace.”

“Wow. A visit from Fawn is enough to scare the balls off even the strongest of them. Do I want to know what she did?”

“Probably not,” Marco laughs. “All we need to know is that it worked.”

“One at a time,” comes Emilia’s light laugh. “One at a time!”

The children pile onto her for cuddles, then help her toward one of the sun loungers near the yacht’s pool. I watch them for a few moments, never tiring of seeing my family together and happy.

“Oh, and Cherry and Tara have finally secured the top spot on the drug side of things. The Irish bowed out of the race, to an extent. Tara’s letting them still do their business, just for a cut. They’ve dominated the recreational market more than I ever could.”

“You know if they break up, we’ll have one hell of a lovers tiff on our hands,” I point out, lightly running one of my hands over Marco’s chest. “We’ve created two powerful drug lords that happen to be dating, and if they end up falling out then what does that mean for us?”

“Let’s hope it doesn’t happen before Leo’s wedding. He’ll be heartbroken not having Tara there to make her famous dip.”

I clutch at Marco. “He set a date?!”

“Yup. Carmilla wants a Christmas wedding.”

“Oh, that’s so romantic,” I say with a soft sigh. “I bet she’s going to look so beautiful.”

“Not as beautiful as you.” Marco lightly grasps my chin and tilts my head up, kissing me gently.

“Do you miss it?” I ask in a whisper when he pulls back.

“Miss what?”

“The life. The drugs and the guns and the killing?”

Marco shrugs. “We’ve had our fair share of scares over the years, so I don’t think we’ll ever be free. But this is my life now. My focus is on you and our kids. I don’t want to miss a second.”

He tightens his arms around me, and I kiss him deeply. I close my eyes against the glare of the sun and let the music of the lapping waves and dolphin chirrups wash over me.

“I love you for that,” I say against his lips, although it’s an unspoken rule that we would be there if things were dire and Leo needed us.

“I love you too,” he replies softly. “I’m happy, Gianna. You’ve given me more than I ever could deserve, and being here in the Mediterranean watching my kids swim with dolphins and seeing Emilia’s health glow, and just living this life? It’s more than I ever could have asked for.”

“God, you’re so different now,” I tease, kissing his lower lip.

“Is it boring?” he replies with a smirk. “Do you need me to go out and kill someone, come back covered in blood and have my way with you?”

“I would not be opposed.” I kiss him again, just as Emil yells and dives into the pool.

“Emil!” Marco pulls back and moves forward. “What did we tell you? You have to shower off the sea water before you dive into the pool water, okay buddy?”

“Sorry Dad!” Emil yells, spluttering as water washes over his face. He makes it to the edge of the pool where Marco scoops him out and spins him around, making him squeal with laughter as he pretends to shake all the water free.

“Come on kids,” says Emilia as she stands slowly. “Let’s go shower and get some sugar in you after all that swimming.”

Marco sets Emil down and we watch him hurry after his brother and sister. As they join up, holding hands and laughing, my heart pulls south as I approach Marco. I cuddle up to his arm and slide one hand over his abdomen, grinding against his hip.

“Hey babe?”

“Yes, darling?”

“Do you think you could handle a fourth kid?”

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