Page 46 of Finding Gwen

“I love you too, amore mio,” I confessed.

I threaded my fingers through her hair and pulled her to me. The kiss was desperate, and I urged her lips apart with my tongue. I needed her more than I needed air, and I was going to show her. Gwen shifted on the bed, nearly climbing on top of me when a knock sounded at the door and in walked the peppy nurse from the last time we were here. Gwen pulled away so fast, she hit one of the machines on her way off the bed.

“Oh, so sorry,” the nurse blushed, looking at Gwen knowingly. “Um, I’ve just come to check on Mr. Marino. I can page the doctor for you, Mrs. Marino. I’ll be right back.” She disappeared as quickly as she had appeared.

Gwen looked at me, and I raised my eyebrows. “Mrs. Marino, hmm?”

“Shut up,” she giggled. “I couldn’t very well correct them.”

She wasn’t wrong. One day, I’d make it so she never had to think about correcting people.

Jason and Gwen had coordinated getting my truck to the hospital lot. After I was forced to be pushed outside in a wheelchair, I was denied access to the driver’s seat. Gwen insisted on driving home, and honestly, I would do anything to make her happy. Plus, seeing her behind the wheel of my truck was doing it for me.

“Ready?” She smiled over at me.

“Let’s go, luce mia.” I responded, reaching across to place my hand on her thigh and giving it a gentle squeeze. We drove in comfortable silence, occasionally humming along to the radio that was set to a local country station. A short while later, Gwen pulled into the driveway. She turned off the truck but didn’t move.

“Can I ask you something?” She faced me, her fingers picking at the cuticles. It was a bad habit of hers that I was determined to help her stop.

“Of course.” I rested my hand on top of hers.

“Why do you call me luce mia?” she whispered. I pause, trying to find the right words.

“It means my light,” I answered. “My dad called my mom his guiding light, and that’s what you are to me. You were this ray of sunshine that found its way through my darkness when I needed it the most. Without it, I never would have found you.”

A single tear fell down Gwen’s cheek, and I brushed it away with my thumb. She leaned across the center console and I met her halfway, our lips connecting in a kiss filled with more love than I thought possible. My heart hammered in my chest enough that I swore she could hear it.

Gwen whispered against my lips, “Thank you for finding me.”

“Always,” I sealed the promise with a final kiss. She slowly pulled away, a smile spreading across her face as she looked over my shoulder. I turned my head and watched as Oliver barreled out of the front door. He had just made it to the truck when I jumped out and scooped him up with my good arm.

“I missed you, figlio mio.” I kissed the top of his head. He clung to me, wrapping his tiny arms around my neck and holding on tight.

“Daddy, Miss Ivy is even more fun than Miss Gwen,” Oliver said.

“Hey now,” Gwen said, coming around the front of the truck. She stopped next to us and Oliver laughed as he let go of me and went to her. Tugging Gwen to me by her elbow, her small giggle caused a smile to form on my lips.

I embraced them both, my two favorite people. How did I get so lucky? I had convinced myself I was unworthy, caging off my heart and focusing on making sure Oliver would never know the kind of pain I had gone through. Then Gwen fell into our lives and she loved him in a way I would never be able to understand.

Gwen looked up at me from my arms, Oliver seated on her hip, and the dream I had months ago came barreling to the front of my mind. My heart was once again filled with hope and love. I knew as long as I had Gwen and Oliver in my life, everything else would work itself out.

Epilogue

Gwen

Eight Months Later

“Ollie, Anthony, I’m home!” I called out, slipping off my shoes by the door. They joined the more than a dozen pairs that occupied the entryway. After he came home from the hospital, the only place Anthony let me sleep was in his bed. It hadn’t taken long for all of my stuff to migrate up from the basement and the space once again became a functional guest room.

Ivy had stayed in it for some time, mainly to help with Ollie while I tried to force Anthony to take it easy. He had to take a medical leave of absence for a month after being shot and, while he complained every day about not being at work, we both knew he secretly enjoyed being home.

After Matt had kidnapped me, I had horrible nightmares of Anthony being shot. My mind was finally trying to process everything that had happened to me, and it wasn’t going well. Anthony was patient with me, letting me handle it how I wanted, but when he started back to work, the traumatic dreams only got worse.

He called in a few favors, helping to set me up with a department therapist who specialized in post traumatic events. I had been seeing her for over six months, and I felt like a better version of myself. It had taken some time, but slowly, I was able to sleep peacefully at night and trust that Anthony would do his best to stay safe. Now, it was just nice to have someone to talk to about things.

Strong arms wrapped around my torso, tugging me against a hard chest, and reorienting me to the present. I giggled, relaxing into Anthony’s hold, and tipped my head to the side. He nuzzled his nose into my neck and planted kisses along my skin, a trail of goosebumps following as he went.

“I missed you, amore mio,” he whispered into my ear, my stomach heating from the gentle caresses of his hand. My heart fluttered like it always did when he called me that. Something about the Italian paired with his lust filled husky voice had me immediately weak in the knees. I turned in Anthony’s arms, his rich brown eyes peering down at me, and stepped onto my toes to plant a kiss on his lips. It felt natural, me in his arms, like it was where I was meant to be all along.

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