Chapter 49: Chapter 49

Gio

Calling Felix had been the best decision of Gio’s life. Not only was Bianca back in his life for good, they’d start with the demolition of what was left of the old gym as soon as the investigation was over and rebuild from the ground up.

The guys couldn’t have been happier but none more so than Gio. Gio told them he’d get all their names on the title as soon as possible. Felix was going to do everything he could to get this thing going fast and have them back in business in no time. Felix might be relationship-challenged, but he truly was loyal to 5th Street and always had been.

As promised, he figured something out, and while their new set up wasn’t nearly as glamorous as something Felix could offer Bianca, they were happy. That’s all that mattered. He was already working on bigger and better, but for now, this worked out for everyone and would have to do.

“What do you think?” Gio clicked the remote, turning off the TV in their bedroom as Bianca walked in wearing a bathrobe and a towel on her head.

She closed the door behind her. “One bathroom for four people is going to be interesting, but I think we’ll manage.”

Gio pulled her to him as soon as she was close enough, and she dropped the clothes she carried onto the bed. “Noah and Roni said we’re welcome to live here as long as we need to, but I promise you it’s only until 5th Street is up and running again.”

With Noah out of a paycheck until 5th Street got going again, Gio would use some of the insurance money to pay rent and help him and Roni with the utilities. Noah had assured him he and Roni would be okay with her pay and what they had in their savings. He’d refused to take any money from Gio at first, but Gio insisted.

He slid his hand under her robe, immediately aroused by her soft and warm nakedness. “The only thing you have to promise me,” Bianca had her sexy siren eyes stare going and Gio loved it, “is wherever I end up, it’ll always be with you.”

Gio lay back on the bed, bringing her with him. She laughed outright as she toppled over him.

“I promise,” he whispered, slipping his tongue in her mouth, already pulling her robe open. “You’re with me for good now.” Boy, did he mean that. He didn’t think he could go a day without her now. “I love you, Bianca.”

“I love you too, Gio.” She sucked his tongue before pulling back and looking deep in his eyes. “God, I love you.”

Epilogue

Bianca

It’s not that Bianca didn’t want to live with Roni and Noah anymore but the other spare room was their office now. Even though Roni assured her that for the first few months the baby would sleep in their master bedroom in a cradle, Bianca knew Roni must be anxious to start decorating the nursery.

So she was thrilled when Gio’s mom told her about the apartment above her friend’s garage being available and very affordable.

She stood at the top of the stairs as the guys hauled the last of their furniture up the stairs. Glancing back into the small apartment, she knew this was a far cry from the glamorous life she would’ve lived if she had stayed with Felix. But even as humble as her life would be for now, Bianca couldn’t imagine feeling happier than she was now.

Gio assured her things would get better once things really got going with the new gym, but Bianca didn’t even care. Already with the money he was making, she could afford to not have to work and go to school full time. She’d soon be a teacher for the hearing impaired, something she’d wanted to be since she was a little girl, but most importantly, she was with Gio every day. Her life couldn’t be more perfect.

She walked back into the apartment where Nellie and Roni were helping her unpack the few boxes she and Gio had brought back from her grandma’s place just last week. In the few months she and Gio had lived with Noah and Roni, Bianca had become very close to them both. It was hard to believe Nellie and Roni were eight years older than her. She felt more in sync with them than any of the girlfriends she had in high school.

“Where do you want this, babe?”

Bianca turned to Gio and Abel, who held the wooden table her dad had built when she was kid. It was supposed to be a desk, but it was so big and sturdy Bianca thought it’d make a perfect kitchen table. Their eating area was just big enough.

“Over there,” she pointed to the kitchen area where Roni and Nellie stood.

Hector and Noah walked in, carrying the last of the boxes. Hector put his down on the floor, looking into it then turned back to Bianca. “You play chess?”

“It’s been a while, but I used to be pretty good.”

“You should play Hector sometime,” Gio said, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind. “But I gotta warn you.” He stopped to kiss the side of her face. “Unless you’re at like genius level, he’ll probably beat you.” Gio tsked. “Total waste.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Hector rolled his eyes. “Let me know if you ever wanna play. If anything, I could show you a few tricks.” He turned his attention back to Gio. “We done here?”

“Why?” Abel asked. “You got a date or something?”

Hector bounced his brows with a sexy grin so reminiscent of his older brother’s. They both looked so much alike it was uncanny.

Gio laughed. “Yeah, thanks for helping out, man. We’re done here.”

One by one they were all thanked as they made their exit. Bianca closed the door after the last ones, Roni and Noah, left. When she turned around, Gio pinned her against the door and kissed her softly then pulled away. “Now that we have our own place, what do you say we go to Vegas and get hitched.”

Bianca’s mouth fell open and she stared at him. “Oh my God. Your mother said you’d do this. She does know you like the back of her hand.”

Gio’s head fell back. “She got to you first, huh? Damn it. I should’ve known.” He lifted an eyebrow. “Let me guess. She made you promise we wouldn’t elope.”

Bianca tilted her head to the side. “It’s not really what I’d want to do.” His expression fell, making her cup his face and kiss him. “I do wanna get married. I just don’t want to elope. I want my mom and grandma there. And I don’t need a big reception, but I would like a little something. Don’t you want all your friends there?”

Gio smiled that smile that made his green eyes so vibrant they almost sparkled. “If that’s a yes—you’ll marry me, then we can do it anyway you want.”

“Yes,” she whispered, amazed how the butterflies never stopped anymore when she was around him.

He picked her up so suddenly she squeaked and they both laughed. She wrapped her legs around his waist, kissing him wildly like she almost only ever did in private. “Let’s go break in our new bedroom.”

Bianca smiled inwardly as Gio began walking. Gio had this thing about how innocent she seemed compared to most girls. She agreed, but that didn’t mean she didn’t have it in her to be risky as long as Gio was okay with it. And so far he had been.

This wouldn’t be the first time they’d do it in this apartment. Just days ago when they started moving in the smaller things, they’d known the guys would be there any minute and the front door was unlocked. They’d broken in the kitchen counter. It wasn’t as risky as a men’s public restroom, but it’d been just as hot. Bianca could hardly wait to break in the rest of the apartment, including the stairs outside.