Epilogue

Alec

There was a time in my life where all I saw was darkness. My demons hid in the shadows waiting for me in hopes to break me. Every dark line that painted my back was a reminder that I was a survivor.
My uncle had hoped to shatter my soul completely, but then something big happened. Apparently, he had owed a lot of money to the Italian Mafia. When Luca busted down the door, he saw my uncle about to crack the belt down on my flesh. I never got another lick from his leather belt because he killed him without hesitation. Giovanni and Luca took me on that day and claimed me like family.
My name is Alec Vitale, but I will forever be a Genovese. I am forever indebted to Giovanni and Luca because they took me away from the monster.
“Alec,” Giovanni brought me out of my memories. “Don’t you have an announcement to make?”
I picked up the glass filled with wine and held it up. Everyone at the table picked theirs up mirroring my actions. Courtney picked up her glass too but had orange juice in hers.
“As you all know, Courtney and I are engaged to be married soon. I have some more good news.” I held my wine up higher smiling down to her. “Courtney is having my baby. She’s pregnant.”
“To Alec and Courtney!” Giovanni says as everyone clinks their glasses together. I look across the table and Tony is holding my sister’s baby looking at her with nothing but love. I think back to what Nikolai’s second in command told me back at the club.
“You can’t help who you fall in love with.”
Everyone starts to eat and I cleared my throat letting them know I wasn’t done. “Someone once told me you can’t help who you fall in love with. Sister, I know I’ve been an ass about you being with Tony and I hate that it hurt you. I may not like the fact you’re with him, but he is the father of my niece. I guess what I’m trying to say is you have my blessing.”
I sit back down and Courtney squeezes my thigh letting me know she’s proud of me. I had finally been able to look past the fact a trusted friend was with my sister. I owed it all to Luka Alexeev. He was the one that opened my eyes up and persuaded me to forgive Tony. I was never mad at my sister, just hurt.
“Thank you, Alec.” My sister smiles as she comes over and gives me a hug. “I love you. Tony and I are going to take her upstairs to get her to sleep.”
“Love you too, sister,” I whispered back not wanting the men to hear me. If they did, I’d never heard the end of how the badass Alec was going soft.
Courtney’s hand trailed up my thigh and rested on my semi-erect cock. She grinned wickedly to me as she continued eating as if she didn’t have her hand on my hardened shaft rubbing it.
I put my hand over hers and tried to push it away, but she wasn’t having it. This woman was doing something to me. I couldn’t say no to her no matter how hard I tried. One look in her eyes and I’m putty in her hands. She was the one thing that would make me weak in the knees and hard in my cock. She knew it too.
I walked her up to our room and kissed her on the lips. “I’ll be back. Need to talk to Lucien.”
I knocked on his door and he appeared furrowing his eyebrows. “Alec?”
I stepped in and sat down on his leather seat. “Courtney was telling me about Kade and the stripper. I don’t know if it’s a good idea to have them working together.”
“What do you mean?” He looked at me confused.
“That woman was his girlfriend before he enlisted in the military. He left her without a goodbye and now he’s back. It’s fucking intense.”
“Are you talking about Selina?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll deal with it if it comes to that, but as of now they need to tough it out.”
I nodded knowing I wasn’t going to get anywhere with him. Once he’s made his mind up about something, there’s no changing it. I was about to walk away when he spoke up.
“Congrats to you and Courtney."
“Thanks, brother.”

***

Courtney

It’s been six months since the night of our announcement of my pregnancy. The first two months were hell. I can’t even count how many times I threw up by certain smells setting it off.
Alec thought it was best that I quit working at the club in fear something might happen to me. Even though Sergei was dead didn’t mean there weren’t other threats.
In the Mafia, there was always going to be a bigger threat than the last one. If they kill one threat, there’s going to be a bigger problem waiting in line next.
I’ve got a belly on me now and Alec is continuously telling me how sexy I look being pregnant. I think he just says that to keep the single males away. Just a way to show them who belongs to him. I don’t mind that though.
The week after the dinner Alec and I were married to Luca officiating. It was a small wedding with Lucien the best man and Caterina the maid of honor. Alec’s sister was a bridesmaid.
Nikolai came with a pretty little strawberry blonde woman while his second in command escorted a young brunette. Alec told me that she was Nikolai’s sister and that is what opened his eyes to Tony being with Nicole, his sister.
The wedding was beautiful and of course, I had Giovanni walk me down the aisle. I never knew my father because I was stolen from my family at a young age. I don’t regret being taken though. If I hadn’t been taken, then I wouldn’t have ever met Alec or gotten ran over by one of Giovanni’s men.
I know it’s fucked up to think about it like that, but that’s who I am. I’m a messed up person and that’s what makes me a one of a kind. There’s nobody like me and I think that’s what drew me to him. We were once lost souls searching for ourselves and found each other.
“I promise you, baby, you will never know the pain I’ve endured.” I rubbed my protruding belly talking to my baby growing inside.
“You got that right baby.” Alec kneeled down kissing my belly. I looked down and he looked up into my eyes with so much love. He rubbed my belly kissing it once more before standing to his feet. “Come with me.”
“Where?”
“You’ll see.”
Alec led me down the hall and stopped at a door taking keys out of his pocket. He inserted the key and unlocked it revealing a large bedroom. By the looks of it, it had been remodeled recently. He took a letter from his pocket and placed it in my hand. I opened the envelope to find a folded paper with Giovanni’s handwriting.
Dearest Courtney,
The room you are standing in was the room I shared with my wife. I never allowed anyone in here after her heartbreaking departure. I would like to give this to you and Alec as a present. I know you are probably shocked right now, but please take this as a gift from me. I see you as my own daughter. If you are worried about what Caterina thinks about this, don’t be. It was her idea to do this for you. I wish you guys the best of luck and I am so excited to meet your little one. I hope the color is to your liking. You did say that emerald green was your favorite color.
With love from your father
Giovanni
A tear slipped down my face as I read the word father. I know he’s not my real father, but he’s family to me. Just because your blood doesn’t make you family. You have to earn that by loyalty and respect. Giovanni has earned both just as I have with him. I folded the letter and placed it back in the envelope. I handed it back to Alec so he could put it back in his pocket.
The room had silky green drapes over the windows and the king-sized bed had matching sheets on it. There was a walk-in closet to the left and another door leading to the bathroom. It was beautiful and spacious. It had to be big enough to fit the crib our baby would soon be sleeping in. In about a couple of months, we’d be bringing a little girl or boy in the world.
Alec and I decided we didn’t want to know the sex of the baby. Now there’s a bet going on to whether I’ve got a little Courtney or Alec. The pool is up to five thousand dollars now. I think it’s going to be a boy because the little bugger kicks up a storm when I start to get hungry. It’s how Alec acts sometimes when he’s frustrated.
Typical Vitale behavior.
“It’s beautiful.” I hugged Alec the best I could.
“You’re beautiful. Now, how about we lie down and go to bed.” He smirked, pulling his shirt over his head.
I laid on my side and snuggled into his chest. I kissed his lips. “I love you, my Devil.”
“I love you too my Angel.”