By the time I finish Rosa on my fingers on the side of the house, they’ve already eaten half of the food.
I twirl the ring on her hand around, watching as her, Maddie, and Sienna laugh and joke.
We’ve fought our way through hell, but we made it out the other side.
That’s not without some losses.
My Mom, Eva, and Nico.
I clear my throat at the head of the table. The last time I’ll be doing this for a long time, if ever. Their attention on me, I smile as Rosa begins to trace around my knee.
“Before we go, I want to tell you guys how much I love every single one of you. I hope Mom is looking down on us, with Dom by her side, and smiling. Well, after the scowl for my behavior recently. She was truly one in a million. She saved us. Without her, we wouldn’t be a family like we are today. So, to Mom, I miss you. I’m so sorry.”
My voice starts to break. Rosa stands and wraps her arms around my waist from behind.
“You’ve got this, Luca,” she whispers, and I take a deep breath.
“I hope we made you proud, Mom. I will do everything in my power to have the life you wanted me to. I’m finally happy.” I turn back to Rosa, who beams back at me.
“I love you,” I mouth to her.
I turn to my family and raise my glass of soda. “To Mom, Eva, and Nico.”
Rosa nuzzles her face into my neck, her warm tears spilling onto my shirt.
This is why we are leaving. We both need to heal, together. We need to see the world, to live a normal life for a while. To just enjoy each other. To be free and in love.
And when we’re ready, we will come back, maybe even with a tribe of kids following us.
“And to the next Russo baby,” Keller announces, and Sienna blushes.
“You’re pregnant!” Maddie shrieks, jumping off her chair and throwing herself at Sienna.
“Yes, only a few weeks, though.”
“Congratulations.” I nod to my brother, who’s bouncing Darcy on his knee.
Seeing them all thriving makes everything worth it.
“It better be a boy this time!” Max says, and I chuckle.
“Fuck, we’re going to have to open a damn nursery soon,” Frankie mutters, sipping his scotch.
“Might be a good idea. You never know, you might still have time to add a couple to the tribe.” I wink at him and he looks truly horrified at the idea.
“Absolutely fucking not.”
The sirens wailing outside catch my attention. Rosa turns to the window, poking me in the arm.
Frankie straightens his tie.
“I’ll get it!” Max announces. Keller jumps up and grabs him, pulling him into his side.
I pull Rosa firmly onto my lap.
“What’s going on, Luca?” she asks, the blue lights flashing through the window illuminating her cheek.
“I’ll go,” Grayson says. He tosses back the remainder of his scotch, gulping it down.
We sit in calm silence, mainly for the kids.
An officer walks in, followed by five armed guards. His eyes zero in on Frankie.
“Mr. Francis Falcone.”
He stands with a shit-eating grin, putting his hands up to surrender.
“We’re arresting you for the murder of Maria Capri.”
The men behind him put their hands on their holsters as Frankie strides towards him.
Keller cuddles Max into his chest, and I pull Rosa against me.
“Go on, let’s get it over with.” He holds out his wrists, like he’s done this before.
The handcuffs click shut. “Just how I like it,” he mutters.
I slam my hand over my mouth to muffle my laugh.
“I’ve got this.” I hold my hand up to him.
“I’ll see you guys soon. Safe travels. Get me out in time to come for the wedding.” He winks before being hauled away.
It’s the stark reminder of why we’re leaving this life behind. The one I want involves spending every waking second with Rosa. It’d be hard to do that from jail.
“I need to make a phone call.” I tap Rosa’s knee and she slides off my lap. I head out into the living room. I hit dial on Commissioner O’Reilly’s name, and he answers on the first ring.
“We have a problem, George.”
He laughs. “Does it involve a certain Falcone?”
“If you want Romano gone, he’s your man. I’m out. I’m leaving tonight, and I don’t know when I’ll be back, so he is taking over. Trust me when I tell you, he will take down the Capris.”
I can hear him clicking his pen, he doesn’t have a choice.
“I’ll get my daughter, Zara, to go down to the station. She can lead the case. He’ll be out by the morning.”
“Good.”
“He better not fuck this up for me,” he sighs.
“He won’t.”
“Well, I guess this is goodbye.”
I swallow. “Thanks for everything, George. Keep an eye on my family for me.”
“I will.”
I cut the call. As Rosa steps around the corner, her big eyes are full of worry as she approaches and cuddles into me.
“Everything okay? We can stay for longer if you want?”
I shake my head. “It’s done. Your uncle will be a free man by the morning. Nothing is stopping us, tesoro. Never again.”
“Shall we go and say our goodbyes, then?” She looks up at me through her fluffy lashes.
“Is someone excited to join the mile high club?” I wink and she blushes instantly.
“That, amongst other things.” She bites her bottom lip and my dick twitches.
“Well, you now have a lifetime of being worshiped like the absolute queen that you are, Rosa.”
That is what I was put on this earth for, to worship this woman until the day I die.
And what a life that will be, devoting myself entirely to my stolen treasure.
