I bury my nose in Aurora's hair, inhaling the sweet scent of violets that will forever remind me of her. My wife isn't just the love of my life – she's an addiction I refuse to shake, and I know as long as she's by my side, I'll be the happiest man alive, working hard to make her as joyous as I am that I get to spend the rest of my life by her side.
"So little time left," I mutter, my hands wandering over her belly. "And then there will be three of us."
"Do you regret it happening so fast?" Aurora turns around in my arms, her eyes fixating on mine. "We didn't get to enjoy much of our marriage before kids."
"No," I shake my head with a smirk. "This is the best thing that could have happened. I'll be a father soon, and I couldn't be more delighted about sharing the next step in our lives with you, principessa."
On an impulse, she kisses me, and I lean her body back in my embrace for a film-like kiss. She giggles when I pull her back and we admire the sun setting over our gardens through the windows.
"This is where our story ends," Aurora whispers thoughtfully.
"No," I correct her. "It's only just beginning, principessa. And for the rest of my life, I vow to make every day with you as joyous and beautiful as today was."
As we share an intimate smile, there are no other words needed. We finally got what we wanted, and soon enough, our family will expand, giving me everything I've ever dreamed of.
37
Aurora
4 years later
The first thing my husband built when we moved into our new home was a hedge maze.
He told me it was a way to remember Nicoletta who brought us together, and all the happy moments we had together in the maze on the Bernardi Estate. I often remember those moments. They taste bittersweet, because they in turn remind me of Papa who is long gone now.
Over time, I've started to accept the loss of my father. My childish infatuation has grown off and I'm starting to see Papa for who he really was. A controlling, cruel man who would've done anything to be rich – including putting his only daughter in danger.
Ryder has helped me come to terms with my feelings, but I'm also seeing a professional in Palermo these days, a woman that works for the famiglia and is helping me work through my dark past. Slowly, I've started to accept Nicoletta and Gustavo didn't die because of me. They died because of my father.
It has taken years for me to sever the ties that bound me so tightly to Papa. Years for me to realize the only reason he put them in place was to make sure I'd obey him. And he's gone now. There's no need for me to dwell on the past.
My new life is beautiful and exciting. Now, almost five years after meeting Ryder for the very first time, we have two wonderful children together and we still live in the magnificent mansion his father gifted us.
Our oldest is a boy we named Piero. He's always been a little naughty munchkin, ever since I got pregnant with him. He started kicking, walking and talking early and I'm grateful for him every day. In a lot of ways, my baby boy is the reason I got through the hell Angelo tried to put me through, and the time I spent away from Ryder when I was pregnant. He made me want to live again, and every day since I realized I was carrying, he's given me too many reasons to be happy to ever consider giving up again.
Our second is a one-year-old boy, Massimo. He's the polar opposite of his brother. Whereas Piero has been willful and lively since he was in my belly, Massimo is my quiet baby. He never cries and rarely fusses. He seems like he understands the world better than I do sometimes, even though he's barely a year old.
Today, it's actually Massimo's first birthday. Some family and friends will be arriving and the event will be closely monitored by guards to ensure everyone's safety. I'm excited about it, but not as excited as I am when I arrive at the grand hall and see Massimo stumbling from his older brother to Ryder.
"Is he walking?" I gasp, my hands flying up to my mouth. "I can't believe it."
Ryder laughs, gathering our boy in his arms while our eldest runs up to his papa and wraps his chubby arms around his legs. "We wanted to surprise you today. Piero and I have been trying to get him to do it for days."
"I can't believe it." I embrace my family and dab at the tears in my eyes. Both my boys, such early walkers, such beautiful children. And my husband... Ryder truly is my everything and I cannot imagine spending a day apart from him. Luckily, I haven't had to since we've been reunited.