The Santas Who Stole Me (Stolen #1)

Epilogue Two

MARGE

I hop up on the counter and look at my best friend, Georgie, getting everything she wants, including a bakery. She deserves it after everything she has been through.

“So I am thinking here we remove this counter and I replace it with a display case, then I will add the marble top, oh and a pull-out drawer here to keep things chilled.”

“It will be perfect. Have you thought of a name yet?” I ask her while she’s making lists for her boyfriends to make her bakery exactly as she envisions it.

The guys offered to build the bakery somewhere else, but she declined because she has too many great memories here. It worked out perfectly because I was going to be leaving soon anyhow. I never wanted to run a diner. In fact, I found it crazy because before I left my father’s I had never cooked a meal. Turns out I didn’t need to. Bash took care of everything. Including using the diner to launder money for my father, so no customers were ever really needed. Still, I can’t help but feel sadness thinking of leaving it.

Georgie stops talking about her renovations and gives me a sad smile.

“I will really miss you.” She comes to hug me teary eyed. She didn’t used to be a hugger, but I guess her trio of hot men helped bring her out of her shell. Or is it the pregnancy hormones? She told me right away after the doctor left and happiness has radiated from her ever since.

“I won’t be too far.” I give her another squeeze before she looks at me and nods. I haven’t told her all of the details of my sordid past. My father is a big capo and has sold me off to the highest bidder as a wife. Well, that isn’t technically fair. I have been promised to Christian Vega as long as I can remember. He is gorgeous, smart, deadly, and I would have loved him if he didn’t represent everything that was taken from me. But being part of that life is a choice I never really had. Just then Zeke calls Georgie’s name from the break room and she heads back to find him.

Bash walks in and I eat up his handsome body with my eyes. He isn’t dressed for the diner today, instead his muscles fill out a dark shirt and his stare has gone from carefree to intense. He is back in mafia mode. “Hey Mags. You ready to go? It should be anytime now?” He stands in between my legs, and even with the counter height I have to stare up into his chestnut eyes.

I snake my arms around his neck and he kisses me softly. We both know this will be the last time our lips touch and I sigh.

“I am sorry I couldn’t get you out of this. I know that you don’t want to go back to our lives. Living in this pretend bubble with you for the past ten months has been surreal.” He nuzzles into my neck.

“How are you going to walk away from what we have? And watch me with someone else? It is already killing me,” I tell him blinking back tears. I never cry. In my life it is a sign of weakness.

Bash swipes them away quickly. “I am not walking away baby, never. I might not get to have you the way I want but I will always be there. I will just have to love you from the sidelines. If it is the only way I can be around you, I will take it.”

My heart squeezes at his words. We have had this conversation before, but it doesn’t make it any easier.

Georgie walks back behind the counter and stops, knowing she interrupted something. Just then I sense his presence and a sleek black car pulls into our small parking lot. We donated the trees and I decide it’s time again for a little prank. I quickly grab my cell and send off a text.

My head scans the parking lot, surprised it looks like Christian arrived by himself.

B steps back, adding distance between us, as Christian opens the diner door. I hear the stomp of combat boots and can’t help the smile that is on my face. I quickly adjust my face to a glare. Can’t have Christian thinking I am in anyway happy to see him.

The boots stops and Keeper comes in with a machine gun and rage on his face.

I might have texted him that there was a customer who was being a jerk to Georgie.

“Keeper, what is the one rule Georgie gave us? No Uzis in the bakery. That’s why I carry my knife, because I respect our woman.” Calum walks in gripping a blade in both hands.

Well, I might have sent a group text then.

Calum gives Georgie a filthy look and winks while Keeper huffs at his brother. Calum eyes Christian and then tips his head to him in greeting.

I throw my hands up. Well, at least I tried.

“No one is getting sliced right now,” Bash adds, and he glances at me knowing I had something to do with this. Still, he doesn’t call me out. Snitches get stitches is a family motto.

“Hello, wife,” Christian says and looks straight at me, not even a bit ruffled with a gun and knives glistening under the diner lights.

I let out a sigh. Guess I should introduce my bestie and her men to Christian Vega. The handsome asshole who is here to steal all my hopes and dreams.