Sold to Moretti Mafia

Epilogue

Fallon

One Year Later

We get married on a Sunday. The sun hangs high in the sky, shining down on us. Waves crash against the private sandy beach, and the wind blows through my hair. There couldn’t be a more picturesque moment. My dress is perfect, white, and elegant. Markus looks dapper in his tux, his hair sculpted perfectly against his head.

He looks as much the growly bear now as he did the day of the auction.

My parents, sister, Felix, Julie, and Markus’s close friends, Julian, Elena, and their daughter, join us in our celebration.

With our hands joined, we stare into each other’s eyes. We recite our vows, and Markus grabs onto me, pulling me into his chest, planting a possessive kiss against my lips when we are announced as husband and wife.

Everyone smiles, and I’m sure I’m going to implode with happiness.

“Now you’re never going to get away,” Markus whispers into my ear.

I shiver from the possessive tone he takes.

“I wouldn’t even try to leave. I was yours before I even realized it,” I reply, my eyes catching on the diamond ring on my finger.

“You’ve always been mine.” He pulls me even closer to his side, and I squeal as I trip over the end of my dress, only for him to catch me around the waist.

It’s still surreal and crazy how our lives have changed over the last year. We walk up the beach and toward the condo where we have dinner and drinks set up. We both agreed that something small and private would be perfect.

“I can’t believe we’re married and that this year passed by so fast,” I announce when we reach the entrance to the small reception area. There are light decorations, flowers, and candles lit. It’s intimate and totally us.

“This year has been a wild one.” Markus hands me a flute of champagne. “I personally can’t believe I convinced you to marry me.”

“There was no convincing,” I reply just as everyone else comes walking into the backyard.

My parents are the first to arrive. They don’t know that I know about the adoption. Amelie doesn’t know either, and I don’t want her to. I don’t want anything in my life to change. They might not be my family by blood, but they are my family in every way that counts.

Everyone takes a seat, and we have a buffet-style dinner. There are laughs, tears, and joy. The sun starts to set, the sky turning a hazy orange as it kisses the horizon.

Felix and Julie end up leaving right after we eat. Not that a fight would break out or anything, but the tension between Felix and Julian is noticeable.

“Let’s make lunch plans,” Julie says as she wraps her arms around my middle.

“Yes, let’s go next week. We need to catch up, and I have no idea when Felix is going to run back to the island with you.”

Julie laughs, and it makes me happy to see her smile. She’s healthy, cared for, and I’m so happy for her. “Who knows, but yes. We will catch up.”

“You’re so fucking beautiful. Have I told you that?” Markus’s voice dips seductively, and my core tightens. I swear I could get pregnant just from the things he says some days.

“Only a handful of times, but please, tell me again because there is nothing like being told how beautiful you are by the man you love.”Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

Markus chuckles, and we move on to cut the cake.

My parents leave not long after that, and though it saddens me, I know they don’t approve. My mother said I was too young to get married when she found out, and my father told me he didn’t feel Markus was good enough for me. Little did he know, the man he claimed wasn’t good enough had saved both his daughters on more than one occasion.

We part ways, me kissing them goodbye and sending them on their way. Amelie, of course, stays behind. For the most part, she is stuck to my side. She’s attending college downtown, and even though she’s never really spoken about her time in captivity, I know something happened. I can tell just from the constant paranoia she exhibits. Always glancing over her shoulder as if someone is going to come for her.

Markus squeezes my hand, and his deep voice drags me back to reality. “I’m going to step away and talk to Julian for a couple minutes. I’ll be right back.”

“Okay.”

Grabbing my fork, I slice through the piece of marble cake in front of me.

Elena, Julian’s wife, catches my eye as I shove a forkful into my mouth. She’s beautiful with long dark brown, almost black hair, and piercing green eyes. Markus told me a little about how she and Julian came to be.

Julian took her as revenge, forcing her to marry him. Obviously, it all worked out, judging by the happiness that radiates off her. She cradles their sleeping daughter in her arms.

“Congratulations.” Elena smiles sweetly.

“Thank you. Your family is beautiful.”

The fact that they have a daughter and seem to have overcome their circumstances, giving in to love, gives me hope. I’m not sure if Markus and I will ever have children. We’ve discussed it briefly but decided now wasn’t a good time. We want to have some time for us before we add any small little humans to the mix.

“Thank you. She is a true blessing, and don’t tell Julian I told you this, but she definitely has her daddy wrapped around her finger.”

We both smile at her reply.

“I am not surprised. She is beautiful.”

Elena strokes her full head of hair. “Thank you. With Christmas coming up, we’re going to be going to a few fundraisers. It will be our first time without her.” Elena frowns.

In the world we live in, I cannot imagine leaving any kids we might have with someone even for a few hours.

“I can’t even imagine how scary that is going to be,” I say. “Markus and I aren’t sure if we will have children yet. We just want to enjoy each other.”

Elena nods and smiles. “Of course. Enjoy your new marriage and time together.”

Right on cue, Markus and Julian come walking back into the room. They are both smiling, and when they reach the table, Julian slaps a hand on Markus’s back and looks me right in the eyes. His gaze is penetrating, powerful, frightening, and I have to stop myself from looking away.

“I want to congratulate you. One for reeling this guy in, and two for putting up with his shit. He’s a tough son of a bit-”

“Julian!” Elena scolds, cutting him off.

He looks away for a second and winks at her. “Sorry, beautiful.” Julian is the kind of man that could convince you that the sky wasn’t blue. He’s dangerous and decadent, and he only has eyes for one woman.

Elena merely shakes her head, but I can tell they’re in love; that one look makes her weak in the knees. She loves him wholeheartedly.

He continues, “Like I was saying, congratulations. He’s your responsibility now.”

Markus chuckles, his eyes sparkling with joy, and his happiness is contagious.

What started as someone’s revenge bloomed into love between two unlikely people, and I couldn’t have asked for a better outcome. He’s everything I could ever hope or wish for. He takes his seat beside me, and I lean into his side.

“I love you,” I whisper.

“I love you too, beautiful.”

And there is nothing like hearing him say, I love you. Especially when I was sure he could never love again.