Finding Beauty in the Darkness

I raise one brow, needing her to further explain.

“Oh, c’mon. Back at home, you have a cook and maids and servants… and a bartender!”

“I was running a business.”

“Yes, but you never cooked for yourself, and when was the last time you bought your own groceries?” She’s got me there and she knows it.

I grab her by her curve of her hips and pull her into me. “This is a fresh start, cuore mio. I want this to be my home, our home. I want to do shit like this.” My eyes graze our surroundings. “I want us to go grocery shopping together. I want to cook for you every day. I don’t know what else normal couples do—”

Aria cuts me off. “Like doing laundry together?” She holds back her laughter. To her, this is funny. To me, this is everything.

“Yes! Like laundry. I want us to cook together and do laundry together…and I have no fucking clue what else, but whatever it is, I want us to do it all together.”

Aria grants me a huge smile, her arms going around my neck in the middle of the grocery store. “I don’t think I would ever call us normal, but baby, you can do laundry with me any day.” She gives me the most adorable wink and I laugh out loud. Then she leans in and whispers into my ear, “Or we can just stay naked all day and not have to do any laundry.” She gives the side of my jaw a kiss before backing up and grabbing the cart, leaving me with the visual of her walking through her flat naked.

“Let’s get the groceries and get the hell home.” I grab the end of the cart to speed her up, and she laughs, slowing me down. “New rule,” I say in complete seriousness. “No clothing allowed inside our home. Ever.”

Aria gives me a soft smile. “I like the sound of that.”

“Of no clothes? Hell yes.”

She shakes her head, tears filling her eyes. “No, well, yes, I like the sound of that, too. But I was referring to the part where you called it our home.”

I lean over the cart and give her a soft kiss. “Our home.” I repeat the words and she nods in agreement.

“Our life,” she whispers.

“Our life… I definitely like the sound of that.”

We get back to the flat, and after putting away all the groceries, I start preparing dinner while Aria sits at the island. We go back and forth talking about the past year. She tells me all about art school and how she only has one semester left after this one. I update her on Natalie and how she’s now strictly managing the bordello, and how Holly and Sienna are both going back to school. Aria wanted to keep in touch with them but couldn’t bring herself to, too afraid she would ask about me.

The only person she kept in touch with was Amber and they had a rule not to mention me. Amber and Nico are engaged and getting married next year, here in Italy. Aria is the maid of honor and I’m the best man. Mario is engaged as well and is planning to get married soon, and will more than likely have his wedding here as well.

I finish cooking the pasta and pour the sauce, shrimp, and chicken into the pot, mixing it all together, while Aria sets the table and grabs a bottle of wine. We sit down and I serve us both a plate.

“Oh my God, Gio. This food smells so good!” Aria takes a large bite, the cream from the alfredo sauce coating her lips, and moans loudly. My dick twitches not understanding that Aria is currently having a foodgasm and that moan, while hot as fuck, isn’t for us.

She takes another bite and after swallowing, says, “Seriously, this is delicious. The way to my heart just might be through food.” She laughs, taking a sip of her wine, then takes another bite. I smile, feeling genuinely happy for the first time in a long time.

“Come here,” I say, suddenly needing Ari in my arms. She gets up and climbs into my lap. “Thank you.”

Aria looks at me with a confused look. “For what? You made the dinner, silly.”

“No.” I shake my head. “You once thanked me for saving you, but the truth is, Aria. You saved me.” I take her face in my hands and place a soft kiss on her forehead, on each of her cheeks, on her nose, and lastly on her soft plump lips. “Thank you, baby, for saving me.”

Aria sniffles and shakes her head back at me. “No, Gio. We saved each other.”

Epilogue

ARIA

Three years later

I jolt awake, shaking slightly from a horrible nightmare. I don’t get them often, but when I do, it takes a minute to remember that the darkness, which only appears in my sleep, is nothing more than a dream. I open my eyes and the brightness hits me, reminding me that the color is my reality. I roll over and notice the side where my husband should be sleeping is empty. I lie there for a few moments wondering where he is, listening for any voices. He got home late last night from the restaurant, and was up even later making love to me.