Jennifer Probst - The Marriage Merger

Her words hammered home and splintered the crum-bled wall behind his heart. Halfway torn down by Julietta, chipped away by his friend’s words, the final blow smashed the last obstacle. All that remained was a mess of rioting emotions, raw and vulnerable and pulsing with scars.

His voice broke. Sawyer bowed his head. “I don’t know if I can.”

She rose and came to him. Strong arms held him with no apology, no hesitation. She stroked his hair like a mother would, soothing him with her warmth and safety and be-liefs. “My sweet boy, yes, you can. your life is your own.

you were a child and could not protect the ones you loved.

None of us can. So instead, we choose to love as much as possible, and that needs to be enough.”

She pressed a kiss to the top of his head. Tears stung his eyes as he hugged her back. “My daughter does not choose wrong. you are who she wants, and she will not let you go easily. Let her choose you, and know you are enough.”

The seconds ticked by. The wounds scabbed over, and a strange peace radiated from his gut. once again, he was in front of that door in the hotel, a video camera gripped in his hands. A choice. His choice.

“Where is she?”

Mama Conte pulled back and smiled. “She went to the airport to see them off. you can still catch them.”

“Thank you.”

“Prego. Now go.”

He stood up and hugged her again. Then raced out the door.

…

Michael’s jet was fueled and ready to go. Heart heavy to see her family go, Julietta milled in the main lobby section before the security checkpoint and said her final farewells. Michael gripped her hard and raised her off the ground. “Stay strong,”

he murmured in her ear. She figured Max had given him a heads-up, but his strength and support eased her heart.

“I will. Take care of my nephews.”

“Si.”

Alexa shifted Maria in her arms; she had fallen fast asleep on the drive over. “Thank you for your hospitality, Julietta. I can’t wait to go home and try out all these new recipes.”

“Perhaps I’ll take a trip to New york to see your home.

I’ll see what I can do with my schedule.”

“I’d love that.”

Maggie and Carina gave her another hug. “Bye, sis. We love you.”

“Love you, too.”

“Call if you need us. For anything.”

“I will.”

They turned in a mass group and began moving toward the checkpoint.

“Wait!”

everyone stopped. Sawyer ran through the crowds, dodging and whizzing past strollers and luggage and security. He skidded to a halt in front of them, out of breath, his cashmere coat and bright purple tie symbols of stylish civility. His face reflected the opposite—a mass of naked emotion, his scar highlighted under the garish airport lighting.

Joy exploded through Julietta. “you came.”

Her family moved toward him, but he put out his hands.

“Stop. I have something to say.”

Julietta stilled. Wolfe stiffened beside her. Amidst the chaos, a frozen silence clouded around the group, half ter-rified of the words that would finally be spoken aloud. Her heart exploded in rapid beats that choked her breath. She fought through the fear and hoped that by sending Max, she hadn’t broken him.

His beautiful tiger eyes lit with uncertainty. His gaze skimmed the group as a whole, then came to rest on her.

“I can’t do this anymore. To my wife. To Wolfe. To everyone.”

“Please.” She cleared her throat, desperate to stop him.

“Please, don’t.”

“I have to. I have to do this now.” He dragged in a lung-ful of air. “I’m a complete asshole. I pushed you past your limits and promised I’d be there to help you. But I wasn’t.

The first sign of real intimacy, of honesty, and I run like I’ve been taught my entire life. except you wouldn’t let me.

Somehow, you saw past the bullshit and loved me anyway.

you wrecked me, Julietta. you tore me apart piece by piece and then put me back together. I love you. And though I don’t think I’ll ever deserve you, I choose to try. I choose you. All of you. If you’ll still have me.”

A sob tore from her throat. She recognized the leap he had taken to confess his feelings in front of her family—a naked unveiling in public that scared him to the core. She stumbled forward, and he rushed to meet her.

His arms held her tight against his massive chest. Drunk on his scent and his touch, she clung to him, afraid she was in a dream and she’d wake up.

“I love you. every part of you, and you were mistaken if you ever thought I’d allow you to leave me. you belong to me. To us. And I’ll spend every day making you believe it.”

Alexa sniffled. “oh my God, he gave her an airport scene! Just like in the books I read and all those movies. He followed her to an airport and confessed his love before she could board the plane!”

Nick laughed. “Sweetheart, she wasn’t boarding the plane.”

“Close enough.”

Maggie sighed. “Damn, that did rock. Almost as good as you wearing the Mets cap with old yeller in BookCrazy.”

Nick winced. “Uh, can we not talk about that, please?”

Max grinned. “Hmm, I didn’t hear that story. Good, I need a little entertainment on the flight.”

“Screw you.”

Michael grinned. “Should we leave them alone to finish their scene in private?”

Maggie snorted. “Hell, no. I say we go in for a group hug. As Sawyer stated, he’s stuck with all of us.”

Suddenly, Julietta was surrounded by her family, laugh-ing and sniffling while the men held back to retain an ele-ment of coolness. When they finally pulled away, Wolfe stood off to the side, a half smile on his lips. “you guys are nuts.”

“And you’re a part of it. Part of us,” Julietta said.

Sawyer walked toward the boy. Clasped his shoulders.

And looked into his eyes. “you were right, Wolfe. I was going to run, because that’s all I knew. But not anymore.

And you’re not either. When you get something good and right and pure, you stick with it. Got it?”

Wolfe grinned. “Got it.”

Sawyer pulled him in for a short, hard hug.

This time, Wolfe hugged him back.

…

Sawyer’s hand drifted over her belly to cup one of her breasts. A playful tug at her nipple heated her back up, and she let out a groan. “I need a break. Too many orgasms.”

He chuckled and nibbled on the sensitive curve of her neck. “Quitter.”

“Those are fighting words.”

“Hope so.” His tongue licked up toward her ear, and his hot breath shivered moist and warm, causing goose bumps to break out on her skin. “I got a lot to make up for.”

She turned her head and kissed him deep and long and sweet. “you already did.”

“Do you think Wolfe will forgive me?”

“yes. you never left. you ended up choosing him. That’s what he’ll remember.”

“I’m thinking of sending him back to New york. After Purity opens, of course, and he settles in a bit. I want him to have the experience of college. He’s so smart; he should have a degree behind him. Get a glimpse of what a normal teenager goes through.”

“Wolfe will never be normal. I like him that way. But I agree. Michael, Nick, and Max can look out for him. But I’m not ready to let him go yet.”

“Me either. We’ll see what happens.”

“And your foster father?”

Sawyer stroked her long hair, which rippled over their naked bodies. “He gets nothing from me, not anymore. The letter is proof of blackmail, which will block him from parole.

And as for letting my past out, there’s nothing to be afraid of anymore. Besides, Max knows a guy. And he has lawyers.”

“I do love my ruthless male Italians.” She pressed her lips to his. “And us?”

He grinned at her playful question, sliding her up and over him. He guided himself deep within her, rocking his hips until the light of lust lit her cocoa eyes. “We live happily ever after. one day at a time.”

She rode him until the orgasm shattered them both. He watched her, hair streaming down her back, face open with pleasure and love and generosity. And Sawyer thanked karma for finally giving him the woman who loved him enough to fight the darkness and save him.

“What a mess.” Julietta walked through the condo, tag-ging boxes and packing up last-minute stuff. They’d finally found a buyer and had spent most of the weekend moving the last of her old belongings. Thank goodness for Wolfe. He’d been spending the last few nights sending things back to their house and a bunch of extra items to charity.

She walked into her old bedroom where only the head-board remained. Made a quick survey of the empty room to make sure nothing was left behind. Turned her head. And caught a flash of white.

She bent down and picked up the piece of white ledger paper that was tucked behind one of the posts on the floor.

Frowning, she opened it up.

The list.

The love spell.

Julietta shook her head. How embarrassing if Wolfe had discovered it. She remembered putting the second paper under her mattress before burning the first copy. She began to crumple it up and toss it away, but she took a moment to glance at the list.

The numbers shimmered before her.

1. A man who can give me orgasms.

2. A man who respects and encourages my career.

3. A man strong enough to fight for me.

4. A man who understands my soul.

5. A man who carves out his own path in life.

6. A man who gives me everything of himself.

Her fingers fisted on the paper. She closed her eyes, and the room suddenly swayed. How was this possible? Sawyer had been brought to her by Mama, not a crazy list. right?

But why was every quality a part of the man she married?

She quickly reread the list and realized the items fit her husband perfectly. As if he had been created just for her.

She raced out to the living room and scanned her empty bookshelves. Where was the book? The clatter of footsteps on the stairs interrupted her thoughts.

“What’s the matter? you look like you’ve seen a ghost?”

Julietta stared at Wolfe. “Did you pack up all my books and send them to the house?”

“No, you told me to box up those shelves and send them to the used bookstores. I sent a few boxes to different areas. I hope you didn’t lose something important. Would be a bitch to try to find one of the books.”

Could it be possible? They’d all created the spell and found their soul mates. Was it just coincidence? After all, there was no such thing as a love spell. or at least a love spell that actually worked. She stared down at the paper, then quickly crumpled it up. “No. It was nothing. Probably better to let it go.”

“Cool. Movers are coming for the rest of the stuff.

ready to go?”

She looked around, then slid her hand into Wolfe’s.

He’d started to become much more used to touch. “yeah.

Let’s go home.”

They walked out of the room together.

…

Mama Conte pulled the shawl tight around her shoulders.

She sat on her favorite rocker, book in hand, espresso on her right, and gazed out at the sprawling landscape outside her home. Though spring loomed, the temperatures had dropped and frost had settled and crusted the grass. The day chilled her bones and sent a fierce wind to rattle the bare trees, but she was cozy and warm and didn’t have to go out for the rest of the day.

She flexed her gnarled fingers and wondered where the years had gone. Just yesterday she had been building her family and her company. Now, the new generation would take over the legacy. Her grandchildren would thrive— some in Italy, others in America—and the Conte name would never be forgotten.

Smiling, she thought of her late husband. How he would have loved watching his children grow and develop their individual personalities. He loved them all so fiercely, with a devotion that only a parent could understand, but he always worried a bit more about Julietta. She was so like him, with a fierce independence and brilliance for business that trumped any personal relationship. Finally, her daughter was complete with a man meant to match her soul.

So many times she was afraid she’d pushed too hard.

Made mistakes. But she’d trusted her gut to guide her children into love, and she could never regret her choices. Not now.

A deep satisfaction and peace settled over her. She felt her husband’s presence beside her. First Venezia. Michael.