Page 131 of Beautiful Desire

Elle falls on top of me as we sit comfortably, coming back down from our much-needed release, trying to catch our breath. Running her hand down along my jaw and turning my head toward her, she starts to speak.

“I want to give you everything you’ve ever dreamed and desired, Dom.”

Smiling back at her, I say, “You’reeverything I’ve ever dreamed of, Elle, and the most beautiful desire I’ve ever had.”

EPILOGUE

DOM

Six Months Later

Today’s the day.

I can’t believe this day is finally here. If someone would have asked me seven months ago where I thought I would be right now, my answer would probably have been six feet under, being eaten alive by rodents. Not a father to the best daughter in the world.

These past seven months have taught me more than I could have ever imagined. I thought my life in Italy growing up in the Cosa Nostra had prepared me for anything life would throw at me. But it didn’t prepare me for the sleepless nights and the constant worrying over my child when she was sick or falling down while trying to walk. That, somehow, is worse than any beating or initiation.

I cast a look around my home office and take in all the pictures on my desk and wall. Some of the three of us, Lily on her own, and Elle and I by ourselves. My heart swells with the amount of love I have for my two girls.

Opening the bottom drawer of my desk, I pull out the gift bag. No sooner have I grabbed it than I hear Lily talking on her monitor, letting me know she’s up from her nap.

“Dada, dada,” I hear her call out for me.

It doesn’t matter how many times I’ve heard her say my name, my heart swells every time. Glancing at the screen, I see her standing in her crib, bouncing up and down as she calls for me once again.

“I’m coming, baby girl,” I say to her image as I head out to get her.

As I walk down the hallway, I can hear Lily babbling some more as a thumping sound echoes through the walls from her hitting the top of her crib.

Opening the door to her room, I turn on the light and I’m met with my beautiful blue-eyed angel.

“There’s my birthday girl! You’re finally up! Are you ready for your party, princess?”

“Dada!” is her answer as she reaches her arms out for me to hold her.

Picking her up, I hold her close to my chest for a few minutes, soaking in this moment. I may not have been there for the first five months of her life, but I’ve been here for the last seven months, and I will be here until the day I die.

I’ve had a lot of guilt over not being there for Lily – and for Elle when she was pregnant with her – but my beautiful fiore assured me Lily wouldn’t even remember and what matters is that I’m here now and I’m not going anywhere.

Lily lifts her head off my shoulder and places her tiny chubby little hand on my face as she stares at me. I look down at her, into the same crystal-clear blue eyes as my own, and my heart skips a beat. We may share the same eyes and hair color, but that’s it. She is a mini version of her mother, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

“We need to get you ready for your first birthday party, princess,” I tell her as I walk over to the changing table and lay her down.

I’ve gotten good at changing her diapers and clothes. That is, after Elle finally stopped laughing at how I put the diaper on backward and poop was running down Lily’s leg. Once we cleaned her up, she showed me the proper way to secure a diaper. I chuckle to myself at the memory.

After taking her pajamas off and putting on a clean diaper, I get her dressed in the outfit Elle had specially made for her and pick her back up. Although I’m not particularly fond of the color pink, I have to admit, she does look really cute in her pink tutu and matching onesie that has the number one spelled out in pink roses. I place the flower headband in her hair and drop a kiss to her cheek. Once I grab the gift bag, we head out in search of Elle.

I don’t make it very far before I find her. Standing in the hallway outside our bedroom, I watch as Elle sits perched on the edge of the bed, holding a photo album on her lap, crying.

My beautiful fiore. Even when she’s crying, she’s still utterly gorgeous.

Lily gives our presence away when she catches sight of her mother.

“Mama,” she says, and Elle’s forlorn face turns to us in an instant.

She wipes at the tears under her eyes, but it’s useless, as new ones fall in their place.

“How long have you been standing there?” she sniffles.

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