Page 80 of His Kingdom

Life with Louie is never boring. Do I still worry every time he leaves the house? Yes. But I’ve learned to deal with that worry. Because I wouldn’t want to live without him.

He keeps me out of his business as much as possible. Although I don’t tend to ask too many questions anymore either. I know what he does. I don’t try to rationalize the good and bad in my head. I love this man. More than that, I am lovedby himin a way I’ve never been loved before.

“You complete me,” I say.

“I love you.” Louie leans over and presses his lips to mine.

“Gross.” Hudson sprays us with a water gun. “You two need to cool down.” He laughs before running off.

“That kid has good aim.” Louie smiles proudly.

“That kidis going to get into more trouble than the other two combined.” I laugh.

“Yeah, probably. But we will be there to bail him out.” Louie picks up my hand.

“We should do this more often. Get everyone together,” I say. “It’s nice having everyone here.”

“It is,” Louie agrees.

“Daddy, Daddy, catch me.” Frankie comes barreling towards us before jumping right into Louie’s arms. “You did it!” she yells out.

“I will always catch you, princess,” Louie tells her.

“I know,” Frankie says as if there is no other possibility.

“Okay, come on, you. We gotta get dessert out of the kitchen. You can help with the cookies,” I tell Frankie, plucking her from Louie’s arms.

“I made good cookies, Daddy. You’ll see,” Frankie says before running into the house.

I smile after her, my eyes flicking towards Louie again. “Be right back.”

Ten years of pure bliss. I never knew life could be like this. I didn’t know that you could love someone and they’d actually love you back with everything they had. I found Charlotte when I wasn’t looking for her. She is my gift from God, a gift I’m sure I wasn’t supposed to get.

She is mine, though. And nothing will ever change that.

She tells me all the time that I complete her. She has it wrong, though. She saved me from a world of nothing but darkness. She gave me light, something to come home to every night. And she gave me a family.

Our three kids are amazing. I know every parent thinks their kids are the best or whatever. But ours really are. They’re half of Charlotte, and she’s the best person I know. So it only makes sense that our kids came out just as amazing as she is.

Charlotte has been talking about hosting a barbecue for months now. I finally made it happen. I sent the jets to pick up everyone she loves. Personally, I couldn’t give a fuck if it was just us and our kids forever. I don’t need anyone else. But she loves these fuckers.

“Boss, you see the headlines?” Sammie asks while passing me his phone.

“Suspected Underworld Crime Leader, Louie Giuliani, Set to Open Sixth Casino on the Las Vegas Strip,” I read it aloud.

I told Charlotte I was going to buy a casino for each of our kids. I want them to have something that’s just theirs. The latest one is Frankie’s, and when she turns twenty-five, it’ll be signed over to her completely.

“You guys aren’t talking about work, are you?” Charlotte appears at my side again.

“At a family event? I wouldn’t dream of it.” I wrap my arm around her.

“And that’s my cue.” Sammie gets up and walks over to his own wife as Charlotte’s hands clasp behind my neck.

“You’re a terrible liar. It’s a good thing you’re the house, because you’d lose all your money at the poker table.”

“I happen to be great at poker.” I grin. “I just can’t lie to you.”

“Good. 'Cause we’re playing later tonight. If you beat me, we’ll try for that fourth kid you want,” she says.

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