Page 103 of Forbidden Vows

I follow her gaze to find Tommy Benedetto walking in, a bottle of French champagne in each hand, grinning like the devil.

“Hey! We’re gonna drink these after the mini-Karpovs pop out!” he says.

“Tommy!” I giggle and rush over to hug him.

To say that I’m happy would be an understatement. After the storm, it’s nice to feel the sun on my face again. Anton did say that the troubles wouldn’t last forever, but when you’re deep in the muck, it’s kind of hard to see much of what’s ahead.

Today, however, I see it all.

“It’s the least I could do for everything you’ve given me,” Anton tells me as I admire the coffee bar, the party joyously unfolding around us. “I want you to be happy, Eileen.”

“I am happy.”

“Happier.”

“I am the happiest I could possibly be,” I insist.

He plants a kiss on my lips, and I welcome his taste, his love, his protection.

This has been a long time coming.

Epilogue I

Eileen

Two months later…

I’m still in shock.

“Do you, Ciara Donovan, take Ian Masters to be your husband, before God…” The pastor continues with the vows while I try to wrap my head around the whole thing. Only half an hour ago, Ciara was dragging Anton and me into this tiny chapel, begging us to do a favor for her. Little did I know.

“…until death do you part?”

“I do,” Ciara declares, tears of joy streaming down her cheeks.

Ian lovingly looks down at her, wearing the kind of smile that assures me it’s the real deal with these two.

It really is.

It’s been two months since the Sergei incident, and here we are, witnesses at Ciara and Ian’s impromptu wedding.

“Did you see this coming?” Anton whispers in my ear.

I shake my head. “Nope. You?”

“I knew Ian was smitten, but I had no idea it was this serious.”

Out of such tragedy, good things came. We survived. I’m close to being ready to deliver my twins—Lord knows, my ankles and my back won’t last much longer. The C-section is scheduled for tomorrow, which is why Ciara was in such a rush to get us here today.

Talk about timing.

The café is doing great. The official opening party was even better than the soft launch that Anton put together.

My husband has consolidated his rule over the Bratva. And Ciara… well, she’s definitely going places.

“Do you, Ian Masters, take Ciara Donovan…”

I can see Ian shaking with genuine emotion.

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