The sunlight glared down hard on the crowds of silks, cotton, or whatever luxurious fabrics of dresses and tailored suits gathered in our backyard for this very day, my wedding day.

The crowd is mainly my family, Clara Bell's family, and closest family friends.

All eyes rested on my future wife, Clara Bell Valiente, escorted by her father to her left and mother to her right as they processed down towards my direction. It felt like ages, waiting for her to appear, and now, my moist eyes were glued to her face, staring through the lacy veil that covered her face.

My throat was clogged with mixed emotions as my hungry eyes devoured her whole. As she slowly marched toward me, I took in her perfect appearance. A white lacy dress with cotton underlinings fitted her like a second skin. The full skirts flowed luxuriously like curtains of silks around her and I could hear the soft, faint swishing of the fabric as she glided slowly towards my direction.

She looked like a goddess that descended from heaven and my eyes were glued to her, basking in her delightful appearance.

My heart tightened, overwhelming joy coursing through me as I watched her without blinking. The crowds gathered around disappeared from my sightline. And there was only us.

My heart raced, thundering loudly against my ribcage.

A moment ago, that racing of my heart was the cause of fear, it cradled my chest as the time ticked by. Frightened at the thought that she may change her mind.

I felt the moisture gather around my eyes as I watched her, a little relieved and overwhelmingly happy.

My voice floated in the air as the lyrics of the songs I composed for Clara Bell and gave it as a gift on her birthday a few months ago filled the background.

I ignored the curious eyes coming from my brother and my sister, my mother smiling, eyes seemingly recognizing my voice for the first time.

🎶 It's started with a kiss

But it shifted my life's axis

🎵A certain deep blue-eyed girl

with a heart of an angel🎶

stole my heart...

and I'm defenseless

It's just a kiss 🎶

but it sealed my fate

My life was never the same,

her smile, her tender heart,

she kept me paralyzed...🎵

Clara Bell, Uncle Rafael, and Aunt Tati stopped a few paces away from me. I just briefly greeted her parents as I couldn't take my eyes away from Clara Bell.

The procession and greetings all passed by in a blur, and I felt the moisture gathered in my eyes.

I swallowed hard, trying to hold back the overwhelming emotions that were burning and consuming me.

It felt all like a dream.

She's positively glowing, and I willed myself to control the overwhelming urges to pick her up in my arms and take her to my room or away from everyone's eyes and have her all by myself.

"I'm entrusting you my daughter's life and happiness. I hope you'd treasure her more than we did," Uncle Rafael said as he handed her her hand, and I proffered my hand, accepting her fully with all my heart and life.

"I will treasure her with all my heart, more than my life," I muttered solemnly, catching her eyes and holding them like a prisoner. Gaze sent her the truthfulness of every word from my lips, from my heart.

And briefly glanced at Uncle and Auntie Tati, nodding my head as I spoke, then back to her.

My heart feels like it's going to burst. Too much happiness overflowing within me. As I stared at my future wife, my future life, I saw nothing but overwhelming bliss and contentment in life.

I want nothing else. Just her, next to me, until my last breath.

As much as I'd hate to take my eyes away from her, we had to face the minister presiding over the ceremony, so I reluctantly tore my gaze, turning to face the man before us.

Clad in his white and red uniform, holding a bible, he droned on and on.

My head spun as the presider droned on about marriage.

I hope it's done soon.

I intend whatever his sermon was about. About a successful marriage... Women being the submissive, but knowing Clara Bell, it would probably be the other way around. Just as my dad had said, a successful marriage begins with a quote; happy wife, happy life. There's no other way.

And I'll intend to do just that.

My irritation grew as the presider found another subject about being a good husband and wife. About not giving in to temptation.

During all the preparations for this event, no one had thought about reminding the presider to cut short the ceremony.

The sun is not even helping. I can feel the sweat dripping on my back and my forehead.

"Do you have your vow?"

Finally, he noted the frown, scowls coming from the audience and me. Perhaps, they had enough sunlight this morning.

It's just ten in the morning, but the sun decided to bless us with its glaring presence.

"I do," I replied.

Facing Clara Bell while holding both warm hands, I noted her hands were suddenly free. A question fleeted through my head.

Where did her fresh bouquet of white and pink roses disappear?

And the words came tumbling out of my lips as I held her eyes possessively.

"My life, my love, the first time my lips touched yours, my life was never the same." I took the ring handed to me (I didn't bother to see who was from the best men standing behind me) as I continued my vows, my hungry eyes never leaving hers.

I heard the faint sounds of aahs... and ooooh... from the crowd, but my whole attention was on the woman in front of me.

"You filled my head day and night. You stole my heart unguarded... You gave my life a purpose. I am overwhelmed with pure joy, and I promise you that I will protect you with my life and the family we will build together. I will be your friend, servant, and lover until we grow old... for eternity." I choked out the last words as I slid the white gold ring with tiny diamonds around it onto her dainty ring finger.

My throat felt thick with all the overwhelming mixed emotions coursing through me.

A tear escaped my eyes, and Clara Bell lifted one gloved hand and tenderly dried it with her thumb. A soft smile broke on my lips.

"Clara Bell?" The presider uttered softly.

She briefly glanced at the man in front of us and nodded her head. She took the ring from her maid of honor's hand, and she held my eyes once again. A little possessiveness.

"Alex, that kiss you stole from me that night had also kept me awake most night..."

At that, a grin tore at my lips. She smiled mischievously.

"Lucky you, you're marrying her right now!" Her dad's voice over the aaww cooed in the background, and the faint laughter followed.

"I knew then that you were not just a nuisance to me anymore. You keep popping in my head when I had nothing to do, and then you start popping in front of me..."

Boisterous waves of laughter filled the background, but her eyes never strayed. She held mine as she spoke or choked out the words. She swallowed once in a while, then resumed the vows.

My surroundings dispersed in my line of vision. The laughter was faint in my ears and sounded far, far away as my hungry eyes devoured her.

"You protected me from these people I was blind at their truthfulness. You broke into the friendship zone I thought was genuine, ignorant of the ruin they brought to me and to my family..." She choked out as she paused for a moment.

Her one hand holding mine trembled visibly. I squeezed it gently, hoping to send a calming effect on her.

Her tears that gathered in her deep blue eyes glistened. It sparkled like diamonds. She blinked them away as she swallowed hard and continued on.

"You showed me what true friendship is, to protect the ones you cared about. You showed me how a woman or friend should be treated, cared for, and loved. And I can't stop myself. I helplessly fell in love with you each passing day."

My heart soared upon hearing it.

I willed myself to stay put. Even if my whole system wanted nothing but to pull her and kiss her senselessly. Instead, I snuck my hand under her lacy veil and wiped the tears away as I smiled down at her.

As I pulled back my hand, with her eyes closing briefly, she continued on her vows.

"I love you, and I promise that we will be a team through thick and thin. I will be with you until we grow old and will never tire of loving you... for eternity."

And then I felt the cold band slowly sliding onto my ring finger. And then the presider was talking...

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

As soon as the final words were spoken, I held the end of her veil. Too eager to do as I was asked, like a teenager about to get his first kiss.

"My pleasure!" I blurted out as I lifted her veil, causing everyone to burst into peals of laughter, including my wife. Seeing her face without the thin veil, pride blossomed in my chest. She's blindingly sore in the eyes. Positively glowing.

"Wife," I grinned, and she smiled, her eyes darkening as I gazed at her intensely.

The hooting, cheering mixed with applauses drifted away from my hearing senses. My eyes feasted on her face, then dropped to her luscious red lips. They look like a ripe strawberry.

"Husband," came her husky reply, and I leaned down and claimed her lips, hoping that no one had noticed the eagerness in my action.

A tentative brush became a heated one.

My cock instantly reacted. It grew so hard that my tailored pants became unbearably tight.

I had to pull away. Otherwise, I'll forget we are surrounded by our friends and families.

Wiling my head and eyes to stare ahead, tamping down the urges with all my willpower to look down and check if the bulges were too apparent, which from the feel of it, it must be tenting right now.

Clara Bell chuckled, causing me to look down at her. Her face flushed, glaze eyes dark and wicked.

"I had to thank my layers of skirts cause I'm leaking right now," she whispered, teasingly wicked.

"Tease," I whispered huskily back.

My cocked hardened as soon as the words seeped into my carnal-filled brain. A vision of her, sprawled naked on the bed, legs wide apart in abandon, center bare and open for my eyes only, juices leaking like a—"

"Congratulations!" A hard pat on my shoulder cut short that titillating vision of my wife, and I turned my head, my hands still curled around my wife's tiny waist, to face Lucas, grinning like a Cheshire cat.

He was my best man.

The tightening of my lower body eased upon seeing Lucas' annoying grin, but my cock was still painfully hard.

Holding Clara Bell closer to me, my lower body turned, facing her, trying to hide the bulges on my crotch with her full skirts, while my upper body was awkwardly directed to Lucas.

I realized the crowds were now pouring towards us, all smiles. Happy faces were directed at us, greetings us, and my attention soon drifted to my family and friends who came to witness our union, and hard cock was all forgotten as well.I left Clara Bell with her friends while I joined Lucas and the rest of the men.

"Not in my bucket list," Leonardo shrugged his broad shoulders as the topic turned about marriage.

Uncle Isaias' oldest son, Leonardo D'Antonio, New York's top-dog divorce lawyer, stared at Raffy Valiente, now my brother-in-law, holding a rock glass half-filled with amber liquid.

"It's not bad being married," Xandrous replied, and Nico, seated next to him, laughed, which drew everyone's attention to him.

"It takes a lot of patience, especially when your wife is pregnant," he laughed as he shook his head.

All the men were seated around the oval table joined the laughters that soon became boisterous.

I leaned languidly against the pink upholstered chair, a glass of whiskey dangling on one hand as I watched everyone teasing each other.

Same pink chairs scattered around the extensive garden, around oval tables with blue centerpieces decorating the table. More pink, white, and blue delicately adorned the venue. Fresh flowers scented the air, smelling like you've just step into a candy land.

"But don't get the wrong idea. I don't object Nico's comment. Married life is exciting. It's an adventure," Xandrous added.

"I agree," Raffy nodded his approval.

Max, seated next me, let out a barely audible snort. So unlike of my brother.

Leaning closer to him, I asked, following the direction of his eyes.

"How's married life?" I asked my brother Max. He was staring hard at his wife, who was now giggling with my wife and the Duchess Natalia.

He hastily averted his gaze at me, very briefly, before shifting it to his glass filled with amber liquid. He took a swig from the rock glass before he responded.

"Complicated," was all his response.

I didn't pursue the subject, knowing my brother wasn't the talking type. Max is quiet. Not even mom could make him talk.

He likes to keep things private, even to us.

I know everyone called him brooding, and now seeing him staring grimly, not to anyone particularly, I'm starting to believe.

The hard lines of his jaw was very prominent, his blue eyes hard and cold.

Again, he's in his own world. The laughters just passed through his ears, and no reactions. He seated like a statue on the chair, rigid.

"If you ever need an ear, I'm just here," I said, and he stared at me, blank, blue cold eyes rested on me.

For the first time in my life, I felt intimidated by his gaze, which was odd. It usually the other way around.

I felt like his marriage somehow had changed him tremendously. And I don't think it for the best.

He's lost.

My brother is lost.

As the sun left the horizon, the clear sky, now hazy clouds, blanketed the horizon with a splash of red, orange hues just between the earth and the sky's meeting. The sun rays become less sharp, and the breeze of the air turns cooler, welcoming a cold night.

The party was moved to the ballroom when the sun finally bid the moon goodnight.

"Do you think we can sneak out?" I asked as I held Clara Bell in my arms, her head was leaning against my chest.

Lucas, Leo, and the rest were not too subtle in torturing me.

Clara Bell lifted her head and tilted it back, her creamy bare neck fully exposed, and I wanted to lick and kiss it.

"I don't think so," she murmured, chuckling.

She peered over my shoulder. "Devil is coming," she chuckled, and I frowned.

Uncle Vito's heir, Devito Junior, is known as Devil to everyone.

My chest rumbled, and a sound of disapproval left my lips.

"Damn them!" I hissed, and Clara just laughed at it.

"What do you want?" I asked as soon as Devil stood tall in front of us.

"May I cut in?" he asked, his cheeks dimpled as he smiled devilishly at Clara Bell.

"No!" I snapped, and the Devil just winked at me, undeterred.

"You got a dance for a lifetime, Alex. I'll just borrow her for a few minutes," he teased good-naturedly, turning his inky head to my wife.

Clara Bell adored him, and I strongly opposed the thought, but I didn't utter a word of disapproval. After this dance, I'll definitely take her away from the damned one here.

And as planned, before another one of the Petropoulis, Valiente, Pallos, D'Antonio, or the rest of my family friend's sons, I snuck Clara Bell out to our awaiting mega yacht, for our honeymoon. A cruise to the Caribbean for a week.

....

Villa Alessandra, Mykonos Island, Greece.

Five years later...

Alex and I settled on the green upholstered love seat close to the fireplace. A patterned flannel blanket draped around us while we sipped tea.

The fire crackled on the hearth, bringing warmth to everyone gathered in the spacious living room of the main house. My family, excluding Sid, who was busy with a new case, now working as an associate to Uncle Christopher's firm, joined the Demakis' Christmas here on the island.

Nikolai and his wife, Princess Maria, were seated next to him, heavily pregnant adjacent to us. The tall, glittering Christmas tree adorned with sentimental ornaments my in-laws had collected over their marriage years was not too far from them, wrapped in festive colors boxes and colorful bags, stacked up under and around the tree.

Dad and mom chatted animatedly with daddy Stav and mommy Ali at the farthest end of the room, drinking wine.

Angelik was also heavily pregnant with their second child, standing next to her husband, Max, as they also converse with the newlywed Sasha and her husband, Dean.

The sounds of little feet pitter-pattering against the tiled wooden floor mingled with the soft hymn of Christmas song flitted on all the corners of the living room, in green, white, and red theme, filled my ears.

It's been five years since we married, and it has been an exciting adventure.

Alex had never changed. Still the thoughtful, considerate, and loving husband. There are times we argue over some matters, and I understand that it won't be romantic at all times, but we always go to bed at night meeting in the middle, arguments resolved.

We have to compromise to get things at rests.

The foundation that I now run, the 'Tammy's Miracle foundation, is established, housing hundreds of orphans and abandoned kids.

It was the best wedding gift, a three-story building. All papers for the foundation are signed and ready to run.

We started by scouring every corner of New York, welcoming one abandoned child, and the number grew each day. We let go several since the start of the foundation for new willing and legitimate parents to adopt any of the kids they found bond instantly.

And several billionaires, including my family and my parents' friends, sponsored the foundation.

The faint incessant chattering and laughter, mixed with the tiny shrieks and cries of the kids running around the room, passed through my ears as I leaned against my husband's chest.

"What time is it?" I asked, drawing the warm mug closer to my lips, and took a sip.

When I looked at Maria, she's fallen asleep in Nikolai's arms. I chuckled softly, but Nikolai apparently heard me, shooting me a curious glance.

"She's out," I commented, and he tenderly looked down at his wife, cozily nestled against him, a thick wool blanket around her.

"Her pregnancy always makes her sleepy," he chuckled.

It seemed like every woman in the room was pregnant.

"It's almost midnight," I heard Alex murmur.

I looked up to meet his eyes. He looked exhausted too.

Matthew walked into the room with his wife, Rebecca. His previous secretary. He's now the CEO of Valiente's shipping company, while Nikolai is the VP, but dad still helps once in a while when he's bored playing online games with his friends.

"Auntie, Alexandria!" The kids all exclaimed when my sister, Alexandria Tatiana Valiente, walked into the room, following our brother Matthew, Alexandria's twin, with a full-blown smile when her eyes rested on the little angels running over to her.

"Five more minutes," Matthew all but hollered so everyone could hear.

"Then we can open our presents?" Our adopted daughter, Edith, inquired with her mossy green eyes staring pleadingly at my brother.

She just turned five last month. She was just a baby, found in a bag, dropped at the door of the foundation. It was the second month of running the foundation.

When she wrapped her tiny fingers around my index finger, instantly, I fell in love with her.

Alex agreed when I opened up about adopting her. And we never regretted the day she was finally ours. She brought joy to our lives.

Her curly red hair was bouncing as she jumped up and down with Raffy's son, Gage, who joined her, copying every Edith's action. And soon, the room was filled with excited tiny voices.

"Of course, poppet!" Matthew replied, smiling down at her affectionately, then rumpled her unruly red hair.

I was watching the scene happily. This is what I dreamed of. A loving, happy family.

"Mommy, daddy!" Edith came running to us. "Did you hear that? We are opening our presents in five minutes, uncle Matthew said so," she excitedly shared the news, her green eyes darker than my husband sparkling with joy.

"That is exciting, honeybun," Alex beamed at her, handing me his empty mug, then he picked her up to his lap.

I rose from my seat and padded towards the coffee table, a silvery tray filled with tea mugs, empty wine glasses, and bottles of wines and champagnes. I placed the two empty tea mugs on the coffee table, not too far from us. I came back and smiled to see my daughter and her dad teasing.

"I don't know what we are thinking, but you should be in bed now," Alex teased her, and she pouted.

"But daddy, I can't sleep if I'm thinking about my presents," she stated in her soft, tiny voice like an angel.

I laughed.

"True, daddy." I agreed, the corners of my eyes crinkling with mirth. Alex winked at me.

"Ten!"

The counting started, and I joined them.

"9!"

"8!"

"7!"

Edith scrambled out of Alex's lap and joined the other kids, clapping their hands.

Alex stood next to me after he gathered the flannel blanket and placed it in a heap on the chair.

"3!"

"2!"

"1!"

"Merry Christmas!" Everyone cried out.

"Merry Christmas," Alex drawled against my ears, his hands curled around me. I faced him, meeting his green eyes that I so dearly loved.

"Merry Christmas," I replied as I stood on my tippy toes. He leaned down and kissed me.

Soon everyone gathered closer to the tree while daddy Stav gave the presents to everyone.

Our nephews and nieces came to say their thank-yous after receiving our gifts, all excited.

Daddy Stav gave the kids presents first before the adults.

"Clara Bell," daddy Stav said, and I chuckled. I got up to take the rectangular sim box wrapped with gold.

"Thank you, you shouldn't have bothered," I said sheepishly.

"That's from all of us," daddy Stav said, and I looked at Alex, and he looked so excited, just like everyone else in the room. Except for the little ones, who were now scattered in the middle of the room, busy unwrapping their presents.

I noticed all eyes rested on me, waiting.

Shaking my head, I tore the gold wrapper slowly, revealing a slim rectangular box. I placed it on my lap. The box almost covered my lap.

I looked at them, curious but smiling, then back at the box when I received no words but just eager smiles nudging me to open the box.

So I did.

There was a key inside and bunches of papers.

I frowned.

"The key is for a building we bought in Lagos, Nigeria. Those papers are deeds and papers for you to start branching out your foundation," Daddy Stav explained. Tears of joy burst, and Alex pulled me into his embrace. Everyone soon came to me and gave me an embrace.

"Thank you! I didn't expect it so soon," I said.

"Was this the real reason you were away for a month?" I asked as soon as everyone's attention was back on the gifts that remained on the trees.

"Yes. Sorry, I had to lie," Alex chuckled guiltily.

"Well, you guys are good at lying. I'm surprised." I smiled.

I placed the keys and papers back on the box and closed it.

Alexandria was giggling when she saw our (all the family) gifts to her. Since she has everything, marrying a caveman tycoon, there's nothing she doesn't have yet.

But there's one thing she really wanted, but her husband was adamant, but we had to compromise.

"Really?" she exclaimed. Her eyes drifted to her husband, GP, who still looked like he wanted to strangle everyone.

"Half a year, that is all!" he scowled at her, but his eyes were filled with love and submission.

Alexandria pulled herself up from where she was sitting and launched herself onto her husband's lap, laughing.

"Thank you, thank you!" she laughed, all the planting kisses on her husband's cheeks.

"Well, you have to thank them," GP shrugged his shoulders and cocked his head towards everyone. "They're too persistent."

Alexandria stood up and bowed in exaggeration, sweeping her hands about as she said thank you.

"Thank you, everyone! At your service, as soon as we all departed, back to New York," she giggled, and GP frowned, shooting everyone with his dark, grim stare, which by the way, we got used to it.

We just laughed it off.

I was staring at the last small rectangular box left under the tree.

"Last but not the least," Uncle Stav said as he picked up the box. Read the name and stared at my husband.

"Oh, we have another one for you," he said. "Alex, from your wife," he stood up and gave it to him, glancing at me briefly, smiling before he walked over to mommy Ali's side and sat next to her.

Now all eyes were directed to Alex.

He was smiling at me, but his eyes were filled with curiosity.

My heart was thudding nervously as he slowly unwrapped the small rectangular box.

Every second feels like ages.

Finally, the last piece of the shimmering green wrap peeled off, and he opened the box.

My heart stopped as I waited for his reaction. The sounds of the children were drowned out by the loud drumming of my heart.

His eyes bulged as he stared at the PT stick, frozen.

And then, he suddenly leaped up from his seat, pulled me against his chest, and lifted me up, holding me against his chest. "Woohoo!" he twirled me around as he laughed boisterously with excitement. "I'm going to be a father again!" he exclaimed.

I was laughing with him. "Alright, put me down," I said, laughing.

He stopped twirling, set me down on my feet, then captured my lips with a brief kiss, cupping my face with his palms.

"I love you," he murmured before claiming my lips again. "This is the best Christmas gift," he breathlessly uttered, his eyes glistening with tears.

Indeed!

I lost hope for two years when I started to try to conceive.

Everyone was excited for us.

"Congratulations!" Mom and dad said as they pulled me into an embrace, and soon I found myself being pulled at every turn.

An hour passed, and we all departed to our own rooms. Alex tucked Edith into her bed after she passed out halfway through her favorite princess book. Gave her a kiss, and we headed to the next room to hers.

I felt thoroughly exhausted, and I couldn't wait to hit our bed.

"Tired?" Alex asked softly, pulling me closer to him as he guided me to the door.

He pushed the ajar door wider and let me in first, then he followed me inside.

After a few paces, I felt my body being lifted up, and I squeaked. My hand flung around Alex's neck, and I glowered at him, not ultimately annoyed, but startled at the sudden lift of my body.

He kicked the door close, chuckling.

"You startled me," I chided as I slapped his hard chest.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," he hastily apologized as he gently lay me down on the bed.

"I'm just so happy. You made me the happiest man on earth," he drawled huskily as he gently parted my legs and settled on atop me.

His hungry eyes gazed intensely at me.

I curled my hands around his neck, fingers toyed with his silky untamed hair as I met his dark gaze.

"I'm the happiest woman alive, too," I drawled back. My eyes drifted between his luscious lips and his smoldering green eyes.

"I love you," he drawled huskily, and then he leaned down and nibbled my bottom lip.

"I love you so much," I responded throatily, then kissed him back wantonly.

My heart swelled with overwhelming happiness and love for this man. With Edith and our soon baby, I feel complete.

Sometimes, such a thought came to mind, such as Alex didn't come in between Claire and me?

Where would I be now?

I knew that Claire was back in Greece, now working in her dad's office. After the scandal, no one wants to hire her. She sometimes, she helped her older sister raising her kids.

Tabitha married her personal bodyguard and now living with her parents, struggling to find a job.

And Mrs. Ratskin died of a heart attack in jail after serving less than three months.

"I can hear you battling with your thoughts?" Alex murmured against my right ear, then he licked the most sensitive part of my earlobe, where my neck and ear connect.

"I was wondering if you didn't come between us. I mean breaking into our friendship..." I moaned when his lips trailed down my neck, planting wet kisses in its wake.

He stilled, then lifted his head and frowned.

"Such thought, sweetheart, in the middle of our lovemaking," Alex chuckled, however, his gentle tone laced with disapproval. And I laughed, a little sheepishly.

"I intend to break that friend zone after that kiss. She's not the kind of friend to keep," he reminded me, and I nodded my head, smothering the laughter bubbling in my throat.

"True, true." I agreed. Smiling wickedly at him, "do go on," I urged, batting my eyelashes at him, and he chuckled, shaking his head, but he continued where he left off.

I helped him pulled the gray wool cardigan off me, then came next my green v-neck shirt.

He fumbled on his trousers buttons as I pulled my nude black pants down, undressing myself with urgency.

Not long, we were both tumbled back on the bed, both naked like the day we were born.

With his length filling me, stretching me to the brim, all memories of the past left my mind, and all of my senses focused on the small ached that started low in my belly, and then it grew as he rocked me underneath him. I rode with him with the same rhythmn he set it up. Hard and fast.

My mind was consumed with pleasure with every thrust. Every bone and muscles tigthened, sizzled, sparked, and then it exploded, then he followed as he cried out my name, filling me until the last drop of his seeds.

His name left my quivering lips as the last flicker of light faded at the back of my eyes.

My quivering sweaty body eased, and I lay limply, totally spent underneath him.

He rolled off me and lay next to me, then he gathered me into his arms.

"I love you so much!" Alex murmured against her neck as he cuddled me closer, his arms curled around me, gently but possessively.

I smiled, eyes closed. "I you, always," I murmured softly. And I let sleep took over me, feeling relaxed and peaceful close to my one true love.

THE END.

...

Hello, everyone!

Finally, we come to the conclusion of the story.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for standing by, waiting patiently for this story to come to its end. Thank you for your constant and unwavering support.

For my next book, I'm debating between these two:

(Maybe we could do voting. Comment on the title whichever story would you prefer me to continue.)

1. The Assassin's Baby (Vito and Audrey's story).

2. Maddening Max (Angelik and Max's story).

It may be slow, for I have to write only on my free time.

Until my next book!

Ciao, everyone!