Epilogue
Nine months later
Roman took his wife’s hand and locked their fingers together. She was a little uncomfortable going to a formal event his father had invited him to. It was a family event where all the capos and their families were going to be. At first, Lucas Greco had only invited him, Alex, and Liam. Roman refused. He had a big extended family. Fifteen children who needed an extension added.
He took his role as father seriously.
Alex wasn’t just nervous about their children going to a Greco gathering where all their original fathers were going to be, but also the fact she was eight months pregnant.
Her stomach was … huge, but Roman couldn’t get enough of it. He loved spending hours late at night, rubbing creams into her stomach. Millie had told him it would help to soothe Alex and the baby. He didn’t care if it worked. Any excuse to touch his wife was a blessing as far as he was concerned.
The whole family was excited.
At first, Little Stuart was worried. They had been sitting around the table, and Stuart had refused to eat. When Roman asked why, Stuart then blurted out the question, “Are you going to get rid of us now that you have a real baby on the way?”
It had broken his heart and he knew it had shattered Alex’s.
Roman had dealt with it. “Is that what you all think? That with a new baby on the way, you’re all going to be removed, or kicked out, or ignored?” All their heads had bowed at the table, including Kyle’s.
“Well, then I guess I have sucked as a dad, because as far as I am concerned, you are getting a brother and sister. I know you don’t call me Dad, and you see me as Roman, and Mr. Greco, or Alex’s husband, but I see you as my sons and my daughters. Nothing is going to change. I love you all, and a baby is not going to change that.”
That night, as he helped to put the kids to bed, they all said the same thing. “Night, Dad.”
He’d nearly fallen to his knees, he’d been so fucking happy. A grown-ass man, and he finally had what he didn’t realize he wanted, a family.
Arriving at his father’s house, their minibus looked out of place. He and Alex argued about what to call it. She said it was a family car. He called it a minibus. Either way, it was a car that got them all from A to B.
After climbing out of the car, he rounded to Alex’s side and helped her out. Then, one by one, he helped the kids out of the car. There were a lot of them.
The sun was high in the sky, and he heard the soft melody of music. This was a ruse. His father wanted to deal with a couple of the capos and had used a family gathering to achieve that. Antonio, Marlo, and Cash all approached.
The kids called them all uncles, and he knew his friends liked that.
“Dude, this is a picture,” Antonio said, pulling out his cell phone.
Roman didn’t care. His kids and his wife all gathered around to have their photo taken. He wasn’t ashamed of his family. He loved them all.
“Time to go and see Grandpa,” Roman said.
Alex grabbed his hand, and he knew she was nervous. The kids didn’t know who their real dads were, and this was a risk, but it was one he was willing to take. There was no way he’d go to a family gathering and not take their kids. They were a family, and his dad had to realize that.
They didn’t need to go through the main house. Guards were near a gate, and one by one, the kids entered. Roman and Alex, stepped into the backyard together.
As to be expected, he and Alex hadn’t been seen together in over a year, and it drew attention to them.
His father was talking with a couple of capos, but at their entrance, he had no chance to ignore them. Liam was already making his way over here, and the kids rushed toward him, calling him Grandpa.
Liam lapped it up.
Out of their two dads, Liam was the one who accepted their decision. His dad often tried to get him to foster the kids out, to move them on.
Not happening. He loved them all.
Lucas approached. as did his mother, who looked nervous.
The kids were laughing and happy.
“Dad, Mom, I’d like you to meet my family,” Roman said.