Page 111 of Sweet Addiction
He bridges up, jumps back to his feet, and brings his knee up and shoulder down in a horrifically beautiful move that lands Benny on the mat, unconscious.
The ref drops to his knees and calls the fight immediately.
He stands, holding Rome’s hand in the air. “And the new heavyweight champion, Rome, the Titan, Beneventi...” he announces in a loud, announcer voice that sounds so official, I could cry. He did it. He won.
“He won,” I say over a happy sob, and Lucky wraps an arm around me, squeezing as tight as he can. “He did it.”
“Let’s get you up there,”Ryker says and signs before tugging me behind him with Lucky behind me.
We make our way around Rome’s team, and I run up to him and throw myself in his arms. “You did it, psycho! You won,” I squeal and pepper kisses all over his sweaty face.
His hand slides to my ass, supporting all my weight, and I can’t even bring myself to care how many people are here or how many people will see pictures of us online. “I love you. I’m so proud of you.”
“More than all the stars in the sky, Dillan. Now let’s go celebrate.”
EPILOGUE
DILLAN
Do I love him?
I’d walk through every single painful hell I’ve ever gone through, if I knew he’d be waiting at the end of it again. Because he’s not just worth everything, heiseverything.
—Dillan’s Secret Thoughts
I rest my head on Rome’s leg and close my eyes, enjoying the way the summer sun warms my skin. The hand not currently holding a book curves around my enormous belly, and my husband possessively runs his fingers along one of the feet currently kicking me.
“You think that’s our boy or our girl?” he asks, smiling, and my God, it’s the most beautiful smile.
“I think they’re both your babies, so they’re both going to be feral. It could be either one.”
He leans down and kisses me upside down, his scruff tickling my face. “You feeling okay?”
“Why? Because I’m about a million months pregnant?” I ask and close my eyes, tired. So damn tired.
“I was thinking more like you had a late night last night with the book launch party, your doctor’s appointment this morning, and how many podcast interviews did you do after that?”
“Three,” I tell him and turn until I get more comfortable. “I think I’m a little sad to be saying goodbye to Cassia, Draven, and Radix after spending five books and five years bringing them and their kingdom to life. I guess I’m a little sad it’s over. I sort of feel like we fell in love when they did.”
“I loved you before you ever wrote a single word,stellina. I always knew it was you and me. You just needed to accept it too.” A smug smile curves his lips, and he looks down at the book. “And I will love you long after you write your last book.”
“You sure do say the prettiest things,” I tease, but really, he does. When it’s just us, Rome is actually a hopeless romantic. My hopeless romantic.
“You want me to read to you?” He runs a finger along my face, pushing my hair off my shoulders.
I look around the private patch of beach we’re enjoying behind the house we bought two years ago, after we got married, with the advance I was given for the movie rights to my world.
My own little piece of heaven.
No one bothers us here.
Here, we’re just Rome and Dillan.
No one snaps pictures or puts us on social media.
They don’t ask for their books to be signed or their boobs to be signed, in my husband’s case. Honestly, how does the fact that his wife is right next to him and as big as a whale not give some of these twats pause?
We’re just happy and at peace here.
