𝘐'𝘷𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘷𝘦, 𝘦𝘯𝘫𝘰𝘺.

‼️Same skies (A mafia romance), is out now‼️

♥️

I sighed, looking up at the wall clock I noticed it was 10.30 pm already.

I immediately closed my laptop and walked out of Alex's office and into our now shared bedroom only to find my man having a staring competition with Champ.

"Stop staring at me, go and sleep, what's with the constant stares?" Alex said coldly while maintaining his eye contact with Champ and in response Champ barked at him making Alex wince.

I smiled, looking at both of my boys bickering with each other. It has been almost two months since Alex was discharged and I realized, that taking charge and control over things is what I needed to do.

While Alex is and will always be my safe...working, even though it's from home has somewhat forced me to open up.

It helped me concentrate on things rather than living in my own world, it's made me understand that my safe is Alex Taylor. That other than regretting and crying over old memories I need to take them with me and move forward.

Alex always says that I shouldn't try and forget what happened, which is what I actually wanted to do, but he made me understand that I am who I am, because of what I've been through. It took time, but I accepted it, this is me with my scars.

When everything initially went down, I wanted to forget but I wasn't able to. It's like, I slipped into my own world but when Alex got hurt and I had to take care of him, things automatically started getting back to place.

All I needed was time, control, and love.

"Princess?"

My train of thoughts broke and I looked up at Alex with a smile on my face and went up to him.

"How are you feeling?" I asked while brushing back the hair that was now on his face and almost reaching his beautifully brown eyes.

"Do you realize you've stopped stuttering? I found it endearing when you used to stutter, I miss it but I love you for being the confident woman you are, now" Alex said making my smile widen.

Internally, I knew it's because I suddenly had to talk to so many people altogether, as the CFO I couldn't hide behind the lights.

In fact, I took over as the CFO from the next day to when I originally made my position known to everyone in the video conference. Five days into working, I cried in the hospital holding Alex's hand while he sat next to me without speaking a word.

He knew I had to do it, he couldn't always protect me, hide me so instead he became my support system. Whenever I cried, he'd sit beside me and tell me I could do it, he'd push me to do better and while this was only two months ago, I knew I had changed. I had grown.

Grown because I had my safe place right beside me.

"Why don't you make up your mind Mr. Taylor?" I teased softly and leaned into Alex's embrace.

"I made up my mind a long time ago, I choose you I don't care what variation I get. Every phrase is beautiful, it's like seeing a caterpillar growing into a butterfly." I chuckled and looked up at Alex while my head was resting against his shoulder.

"You're cheesy, I think I used that slang right," I said and sat up, clapping my hands softly.

"Last time we had a conversation, you said I was 'whipped' for you. Whipped means to have been flogged or beaten with a whip, make it make sense Ms-soon-to-be-Taylor"

Alex mocked, making me frown.

"That's because you're older than me, an old man. Of course, you don't understand new words" I backfired, quickly leaning back into Alex's embrace, my safe space.

"So now, I am an old man?" Alex questioned making me nod, "yes, yes you are an old man"

Alex pulled away from a little immediately making me sigh and lean forward again but he held my shoulder and looked straight into my eyes, "I think, I agree. Let's just have kids before I get to ol-"

I screeched before Alex could complete his sentence and jumped back into my arms hiding my face in his chest.

"You have no shame"

Alex chuckled, wrapping his arms around me again, "why do I need to have shame in front of the woman who has seen the best and worst of me and will continue to? Anyways, you remember that I will start working from tomorrow again, right?"

I smiled, "yes, I remember, now that you've healed, you have my permission"

Alex tightened his hands around my body, practically hiding my small body in his, making me smile.

My safe.

"Princess, You can continue working from home for some time, I believe we will have the new Vega office building ready soon but until then, you'll have to work from home," Alex said, I pulled back and tilted my head to the side slightly while looking at him.

"Don't worry about me, you've been doing that for a long time now. I'll be just fine and it's not like you're going away, you're the CEO as well, and with you, by my side, there's not much I fear." I said, honestly while playing with Alex's hand.

"You don't need anyone by your side, princess. You're a one-woman army, people need you, you don't need anyone." Alex said, holding my hand in his.

"If it makes you happy, then yes, I am enough alone but I am only complete when you are by my side. You always look out for me, it's my turn now. I know you're ready, go and talk to your mom Alex, she's missed you and loved your memories all her life" I said and Alex immediately looked down, trying to ignore any possible eye contact.

I got up and sat on Alex's laps while taking his face into my hands, "why are you worried, I'll be right beside you, holding your hand, rooting for you"

Alex looked into my eyes and remained silent for a moment, "you're right, why am I worried? I have you right beside me."

I pulled Alex into a tight hug as he hid his face in my neck, "you'll be just fine, Let's surprise Mary with dinner tomorrow, huh?"

I felt Alex nod and lay down while he continued to keep his face hidden in my neck, "I feel worried that she might not like me, as her biological real son. I worry I'll let her down. I worry, how I'll explain to her that dad missed her till his last breath, I worry how I'll explain that I've hated her all my life because I thought she left her family behind. I don't want to think about it, let's just sleep princess, I feel tired"

I smiled and ran my fingers through Alex's soft brown hair, "you fail to see that I see Alex, I see the most dedicated, the most loving, the most caring, the most hardworking man I've ever seen.

I see a man, who to me, is perfect. My perfect, my world, my safe. Seeing you doubt yourself feeling like someone's pinching my heart, how can the man who lives to make his loved ones feel happy to be anything but perfect?"

Instead of saying anything back immediately, Alex snuggled into my embrace silently and finally broke the silence "you make me perfect, princess. One last thing, you just told me a few moments ago, that I have no shame, have you looked at your dog?"

I frowned and turned around slightly to see champ humping his pillow with all his might making me choke at the sight.

♥️

"Sierra? I just got a call from the main entrance, Alex is waiting for you downstairs in the garage"

I quickly got up and headed out of our bedroom and smiled at Maya, "I baked some cake for Ian, it's in the oven, surprise him for me?" I asked making Maya chuckle.

"Don't worry, darling. I'll make some for him, all the best?" Maya wished and held my hands in her making my smile widen.

"Don't worry, it'll be just fine. They both need to face this" I said, making Maya tighten her grip on my hands.

"Alex...Alex and Xander are both like my children. My younger siblings who I had to look out for, when we were kids, I used to worry about Alex because unlike the other kids, he was never interested in playing. He'd either sit in the corner, staring into nothingness, or try and replicate his dad's car designs. He started trying to build his dad's dream when he hardly even understood what he was drawing, often he'd forget eating. All I'm trying to say is, take care of my baby brother. He tried to love everyone around him, but he forgets to love himself. Give him the entire world, Sierra. He deserves it." Maya said, her voice cracking midway with tears flowing down her eyes.

I quickly pulled Maya into a tight embrace and promised her, "I promise, I'll give him all the love my heart is capable of giving."

Maya pulled back and nodded with a small smile on her face, "thank you, thank you for looking about my baby brother. I will always be grateful, go now. He's been waiting for you!"

I smiled back and quickly picked up my bag while rushing out of the house towards the garage.

Once I reached the garage, I quickly noticed Alex leaning against his car scrolling on his phone.

Can his man just let me breathe, for a second?

I shook my head, physically, trying to get rid of my thoughts, and walked up to Alex and cleared my throat, gaining his attention.

"Princess"

The way Alex called my name and looked up to me was enough to give giving away his hidden nervousness.

I quickly wrapped my hands around him, before he could overthink too much and murmured a greeting, "hi"

Alex returned the embrace but remained silent making me sigh internally, "let's get inside, on a side note, today I learned that the way you dress up is actually 'E-boy' style and that you have numerous fan accounts on social media sites"

I said while getting into the car making Alex chuckle in response, "Is that another Gen-Z term?"

I smiled, "it is! Oh, and apparently, since we're both still in our twenties, we are technically a part of gen-Z"

To be honest, I still got extremely excited whenever we sat in the car and so, Alex would often point at things for me that I probably didn't already know and I loved every bit of it."Oh, look, they're seeking cotton candy. Do you want some?" Alex asked making me shake my head indicating a 'no'

I knew he was trying to pushing out arrival, unconsciously.

"I'm good, I have also already packed some fresh Tiramisu for all of us, we don't need to get anything else. After all, both you and Mary practically live for Tiramisu" I said, laughing when I imagined the expression both the mother and son have when they see their favourite dessert. "Umm, alright, we're here," Alex said, his voice now low almost unheard.

I took his face in between my hands and gave him a quick peck, it was rare of me to kiss him because it was usually the other way around.

" I want you to know this right now, you make me proud and complete. There's absolutely nothing I'd ever change in you, you're more than enough to love. I love you." I confessed, trying to calm Alex's nerves making him close his eyes and rest his forehead against mine.

"I love you too, princess, so much" I smiled and rubbed Alex's back softly for a few minutes calming him down, "let's go, I'm right here, besides you"

Both of us got out of the car and I walked right beside Alex while holding his hands in mine.

Much like always, the doors were already open, I headed to the kitchen hoping to find Mary there but to my surprise, it was empty.

"Maybe she's not here, let's just go," Alex said, and held my hands in his but instead, I tightened my grip on his.

"Let's just check around, once. I also want to show you my room" I insisted and pulled Alex along with me.

Once we reached my room, I pulled Alex inside feeling excited to show him my secret spots and things.

"Look, this window, I used to sit here and see the stars every night. The sky is always so pretty, isn't it?" I asked, admiring the sky through the small window.

"You're beautiful," Alex said making me giggle, I turned towards him and wrapped my hands around his neck.

"Do you ever think about how, both of us grew up in different worlds but admired the same sky, every night?" I asked, making Alex smile at me.

"At least we were connected in some way, even though it was through the sky" I nodded agreeing to Alex.

"Oh and look, this was my bed and that on the corner is my dressing table? Our room is way bigger in comparison and has way better things but I used to like this little place too. Before you came, this was my safe place. Now, Everywhere with you feels safe" I said, admiring my room as Alex wrapped his hands around my waist and rested his head on my shoulder.

"Ahh, you've suddenly become very touchy, you know that? You used to be so...so cold?" I teased, making Alex frown.

"I don't have to be cold in front of the person I love, right? Also, how do you expect me to stay away from you when you're right in front of me?" Alex asked, I put my hands on top of his and remained silent looking around the room I once lived inside.

"A-A-Alex?" I turned around to see Mary standing right outside my room with some clothes and a photo album in her hand.

The moment Alex turned around to look at Mary, she unconsciously dropped the things in her hand and covered her face with her hands trying to hide her tears.

I softly pushed Alex's arms, nagging him to go forward and quietly slipped out of the room to let the mother and son have their moment.

I headed to the kitchen instead and started preparing the dinner, working around as fast as I possibly could, I was done in around 30 mins.

Pasta and tiramisu, nothing special but a fulfilling dinner.

I quietly walked back towards my room only to find Alex sitting next to Mary while talking about something, they both seemed to be engrossed in a deep conversation.

Should I give them some more time?

Probably.

I quietly turned around hoping to slip out of the room but before I could Mary called me out, "Sierra, love?"

I turned around slowly and immediately smiled, "don't worry, I'll come back after some time, by the way, the dinners ready in case you both are hungry"

I said and turned around quickly taking quick steps to walk out of the eyesight of Mary and Alex but suddenly hands wrapped around my waist and within seconds my legs were in the air as

Alex carried me in his arms making me gasp.

"What in the world are you doing, your back is still not completely healed?" I asked and softly punched Alex's chest but he shrugged in response. He carried me back with him to where Mary was sitting and placed me on his lap making my face turn red.

I tried to get up, but his hold on my waist remained firm.

Mary started laughing at the scene in front of her whereas I looked down at my fear in embarrassment.

"Don't worry, I was just showing Alex your baby pictures along with the few I have of him, his father, and me, together."

My eyes got big the moment I heard that Mary had old pictures of Alex and their family together as well, I clapped my hands in excitement.

"Show, show, show!" I exclaimed, looking down at the album making Mary giggle.

"I had a few of them saved, I kept them a secret because they were my only memory. I feared that with time I'll forget how the man I loved looked like and how my child looked like. Here look-"

I awed at the picture in front of me, In the picture, Mary was standing next to a man who was looking down at Mary like she was his whole world while Mary was laughing at something.

I picked up the other picture to see a small baby wrapped up, the picture was very unclear and blurry but I guess, this was Alex.

"I-I never got to look at Alex clearly, I got the picture in a hurry, I wanted to have my baby in my heart, in my memories even though I wasn't with him" I smiled at Mary and leaned back in Alex's embrace.

"You were cute, I guess," I said.

"You guess?" Alex asked, making me nod.

"You look like a baby emperor penguin," I said and quickly jumped out of Alex's embrace to sit beside Mary.

"Will I ever be promoted to a position better than being like the emperor penguin?" Alex frowned while also controlling his smile.

"No, sir" I teased and hugged Mary, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Anyway, tomorrow, I've called the entire family for breakfast because Ian will be staying a new year in school. Mary, you'll be there right?" I asked, looked at Mary making her nod, "if you guys want me to be there, of course, I'll be there"

"Let's go and eat, I feel hungry," Alex said and got up but suddenly turned to Mary, "-and mom, I'd like you to be there in every possible moment in my life now"

♥️

NEXT STOP EPILOGUE

NEXT TO NEXT STOP A NEW MAFIA BOOK 🌝

𝓥𝓸𝓽𝓮𝓒𝓸𝓶𝓶𝓮𝓷𝓽𝓐𝓷𝓭𝓕𝓸𝓵𝓵𝓸𝔀

𝘐𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮- 𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪.𝘩𝘢𝘩𝘢