Epilogue

*** Five Years Later ***

I rubbed my shoulders before lifting my glasses up and rubbing my eyes. There was a knock on the door and Ria pushed the door open with her back. She was holding a tray and stepped into my office. Setting it down on the edge, she put her hand on her hip.

“You didn’t break for lunch. Again.”

“I know. I’m sorry. Your brother sent a few more things for me to look at and I got engrossed in it.”

Shaking her head, I reached out for her and pulled her into my lap. “How did the appointment go?”

“Fine.”

My eyebrow rose. “Just fine?”

“Well, we figured out the issue. If that’s what you want to know.”

“And?” I looked at her over my glasses.

Ria had been struggling with her equilibrium lately. It started with when she was carrying something heavy, usually Alek. He was somehow in the ninety-nine percentile for his height but fairly middle of the road for his weight. Still, he would jump at Ria like he was two instead of five.

Then, it started to get bad enough that she would trip just going up the stairs. We argued for a while about getting a different house without multiple stories. Our compromise was that we wouldn’t move but she would actually get her beautiful butt to the damn doctors.

“Da!” Alek raced into the room, slamming the door against the wall.

“Alek! What did I say about slamming doors?” Ria sighed.

“You know better.” I raised an eyebrow at my son.

He put his hands behind his back, his head bowed. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to.”

Looking up at Ria, the soft look in her eye was enough for me to let it go. “How was school?”

“Good! I made a painting!”

Ria reached out and ruffled his hair. “The teacher said it was so good that that it’s going to be in the school art show.”

“Well, it’s good you take after your mother.”

Nuzzling my head into Ria’s neck, I kissed her neck before nipping at it. She squeaked and slapped my arm. Laughing, I wiggled my eyebrows up and down.

“I can try and finish up early. Maybe we can go down to the restaurant tonight. I mean, this calls for a celebration right?”

Alek’s face lit up. “Uncle Lor and Uncle Lec can come?”

My eyes narrowed. “I mean, Lec can come…”

Ria bit down on her lip as she tried to stifle the chuckle but her body shook with laughter.

“Da! Please?”

Rolling my eyes, I let out a sigh. Alek whooped and raced out of the room. He’d make the trip across the lawn to the guest house that was turned into Lorenzo’s house. Shaking my head, I pinched the bridge of my nose.

“If he hangs out with Lorenzo anymore, I’m afraid we are going to have a hell of a pre-teen.”

Ria nodded. “I mean, Lor’s mellowed out. Especially since Lec moved in.”

“I don’t know how the hell that happened. They were at each other’s throats for years. Then suddenly Lec is moving in with him. I don’t think I’ve ever been so shocked.”

I grabbed Ria’s hips as she tried to slip out of my lap. “Nu-uh. Don’t think you’re getting out of our talk, zhena.”

“We can talk about it later.”

“No. We are going to talk about it now. Otherwise, you can tell Alek why we won’t be able to go tonight. Because I had to torture the answer out of you.”

Picking her up, I turned her around in lap so she was straddling me. Her hands settled on my shoulders but there was a smirk on her face.

“Is that a promise?” Her lips brushed mine but I kissed her before she could pull away.

We kissed as I pulled her closer to me. This woman was so easy to drown in. I’d happily lose myself in her for these moments. After Australia, we needed our own space. A lot of it. Ria and Lorenzo had a safe house but it was a two bedroom-one bath and after five weeks, all of us were ready to kill one another.

It took another two weeks to settle on a location off of Cap Martin in France. There was a mansion which allowed Lec and Keenan enough space away from us but still in the same area. Plus the guest house for Lorenzo to hole up in. It was beautiful but the fact that I could go days without seeing anyone other than Ria was a god-sent after the torture we went through.

“Ria.” I waited for her eyes to lock with mine. “Tell me you’re okay.” I let the worry that I had been feeling slip into my tone.

She rested her head on my shoulder. “I’m fine, Marek. I’m pregnant.”

I froze in my seat, blinking a few times before I lifted her away from me. “Pregnant?”

Ria nodded and smiled. “Yeah.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Really really?”

She chortled. “Yes Marek!”

“O, slava Bogu.” [Oh, thank god.] I pulled her into a kiss. “YA dumayu, nam yest' chto otprazdnovat' segodnya vecherom.” [I think we have a lot to celebrate tonight.]

Ria hummed and kissed me again but it was tentative. “You’re happy?”

My eyebrow rose. “Happy? I’m beyond happy, Ria. Why? Did you think I wouldn’t be?”

A redness spread to her cheeks. “I mean…you’re getting up there.”

“Rosaria.” My face fell. “Did you just call me old?”

She reached up and pulled the glasses off my face. “No?”

“Those are for staring at the screen! Rosaria! I’m not that old! I’m going to forty…” My brow furrowed. How old was I turning?

“Forty-five. You’re trying forty-five.” She laughed but her face softened into just a smile. “I’m glad you happy though.”

I rolled my eyes. “I want as many kids as you will give me. No matter how old I am, Ria. I am happy with Alek but expanding our family is something I will never say no to.”

“Good. Because it’s twins.”

Opening my mouth, I promptly shut it. I don’t know if I looked like a deer in headlights but I sure fucking felt like it. Twins? Two? Alek had been a menace when he learned to walk. Two of them? We were fucked.

“Where is the gene for twins? It’s not from my family.”

Ria was trying to hold back her laughter. “My father actually. He had three sets. All three with different woman.”

“Keenan is moving back in.”

Ria threw her head back and laughed, shaking her head. “I don’t think you could pay him enough after Alek nearly gave Keenan a heart attack multiple times a day. Plus, he just got married to Sofia. They are happily enjoying a kidless marriage at the moment.”

“I’m pretty sure I can offer him enough. Or I’ll get Sofia to move in with us. Then he’ll have to follow.”

“Marek!” Ria slapped my chest and I pulled her in for another kiss.

Never could I have thought working restate in a nine-to-five would bring me so much fulfillment but it did. I didn’t really need to work but after a month in the house, Ria told me to get a job or she would find one for me because I was hovering too damn much. Restate just seemed the best option and so I had been doing that coming on five years now.

Lorenzo also worked with me on it. Much to my chagrin but Ria said that it would be good to have a partner and quality time with her brother. It didn’t get easier dealing with him. Especially when he and Ria still bickered like no other siblings I knew.

“I love you.” I could help but let the words spill from me as I held her in my lap.

She smiled softly. “I love you too, Marek. You’ll still be my shield right?”

“What do you mean? Is something going to happen?”

Ria nodded. “Yes. You need to save me from our kids. You’re my shield.”

Laughing, I took her hands in mine. “If that’s what you need, búsinka. I will be that and more. Whatever you need. But you need to save me too. I’m an old man, remember.”

“I mean, I hear you get up in the morning. I think the whole lake can.”

“You…” Grabbing her hips, I started to roll my fingers up her side.

Ria shrieked as she laughed, trying to squirm out of my grip. “No! Marek! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”

“Lies.”

“No! No! I mean…AH!” She screamed again and forced my chair back, scrambling off me.

Laughing, I grabbed my glasses and put them back on nose. “Get ready. We are celebrating tonight. Alek actually taking after his mother, expanding our family, and Keenan moving back.”

Ria shook her head and she grumbled pulling down her shirt. “You break the news to him them.”

“Oh, I will. Trust me.” She stepped to the door but before she could go out, I called to her. “Ria?”

She hummed as she looked back at me.

“Do you regret it? Any of it?”

Ria narrowed her eyes at me, I’m sure trying to think if I had an alterior motive behind the question. When I didn’t say anything, her face softened.

“Not a single moment. It all lead to you and Alek. To our family. Why?”

I pulled up an email on my computer. “Nothing. I just wanted to make sure.”

“Alright. Try to finish up soon.”

Nodding, I watched her leave, enjoying the view from behind before she shut the office door. Deleting the email, I pulled up my work again. A instant message popped up on my screen. 

Wizard: Not going to tell her?

Marek: She doesn’t need to know.

Wizard: She should. Enzo coming up for air after five years is a big deal. Not just to you or me, but to her.

Marek: I know. I’m happy to help you if you want to get revenge, Lorenzo, but we are happy. Being out of the game this long, I think we can leave it at that.

Wizard: If you say so.

Wizard: Congratulations by the way. 

I chuckled and looked out of my window, seeing the peak of the roof to the guest house. 

Marek: Congratulate your sister tonight at dinner. And tell her you eloped with Lec. You face her wrath on your own. I’m not helping you with that.

Wizard: Fine. She deserves it after what she did to me anyways. You guys didn’t even have a vow renewal. 

Rolling my eyes, I closed out the chat. Some things never did change.