Page 58 of Vicious Union

“Of course. So, answer it.”

“I don’t have any.”

She rolls her eyes. “Bullshit. Everyone has an embarrassing childhood memory.”

“Ok, then. What’s yours?”

“You’re not getting out of this, buddy. I asked you first.”

I lean back and watch the people walking by and enjoying their day. “My brothers and Gabriella went to icing skating on this lake. I didn’t want to join because I thought it would be too dangerous. My siblings told me to live a little. So, I did. And when I went out there, I not only fell flat on my face, but I ripped my pants in the process. I was twelve years old and mortified.”

Caterina laughs. “Poor thing.”

“Tit for tat.”

“Ok. My embarrassing childhood memory is … this one time, when I was five. It was my birthday, and I ate too much cake. My dad didn’t know when to stop me. So, I just ate and ate and ate. And then I threw it all up. But that’s not the worst part. I threw it up on this boy I had a crush on.”

“A crush? You were five.”

She shrugs. “Hey, I was wild, even back then.”

We laugh, with her resting her head on my shoulder and me resting my head on her the top of hers. I never knew talking to Caterina could be this enjoyable.

This … fun. This easy.

For a long time, I tried to fight our natural chemistry because I believed things needed to go my way. But now I know I don’t need things to go my exact way because that led to Caterina being captured and almost harmed by Dante. Life isn’t about pride or ego.

It’s about who you love.

And sitting on this park bench with Caterina, I know I love her. I think I’ve loved her ever since we met, even when she was driving me crazy. I think it was because I loved her that she drove me insane.

“What would you think if I said I love you?” I ask her.

She stills before looking up at me. “What?”

“I love you, Caterina. I know I haven’t been a good husband. And I’ll probably still be a shitty one going forward. But I love you, even with all your faults.”

“Jeez. Thanks for the compliment,” she says, rolling her eyes.

I grab her face and kiss her. “That’s to shut you up.”

“Fine. But you should know I love you, too.”

“You do?”

“Yeah. Why do you think I always wanted to be around you? Bug you? Because I cared, even then. I still do. I love you, Emilio.”

I smile as we kiss again.

And for the first time, I feel truly and utterly happy with Caterina.

We may not be perfect. We’re more messy than anything. But it’s us. And it works. And we will continue to make it work.

For the rest of our lives.

Epilogue

CATERINA

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