“What is it you want, my mate?” he asked with a growl, digging his fingers into the meat of her ass.
“I want you to feed me,” she demanded, her heart leaping at the heat in his eyes as he gave her a carnal smile.
“Anything my mate wants—”
“She gets,” Lucy said, finishing the promise and reaching for the fastening of his pants.
Epilogue
Two years later…
“Do not put that in your mouth,” Lucy warned, narrowing her eyes on the toddler currently taunting her with the dirty sock Sparx had left on the floor.
“Don’t even think about it.” She approached slowly with her arms out like she was corralling a wild animal.
“No!” Veruca screamed, holding the sock behind her back so Lucy couldn’t reach it without tackling her.
“C’mon, Veri. Work with me here.” Lucy kneeled on the rug in front of the daughter she’d named after Rue. Considering this was the tenth scuffle they’d had this morning, she’d say her daughter had inherited more than just her name from her honorary aunt.
She’d inherited every single bit of her auntie’s sassiness.
“It’s mine,” the little girl cried before collapsing dramatically on the fur rug beneath her as though her legs had suddenly given out. She rolled onto her back and wailed as if her little heart were breaking. “Miiiiiiiiiiine.”
“Lord help me,” Lucy whispered as she covered her face, both mentally and physically exhausted with the day.
“Oh my,” Sparx breathed from the doorway of the nursery. His expression was one of concern as he hurried past where Lucy was now sitting on the floor to scoop up their daughter. His attention focused on the emotional terrorist that disguised herself as a tiny angel.
“What is wrong, little darling?” he asked as he snuggled her to his shoulder. He rubbed her back, soothing her tears.
“She needs a nap,” Lucy answered with a snort.
That child had been acting as far from a little darling as she could have gotten this last week. Lucy wasn’t sure what the trigger was, but Veri had been acting awful more often than not.
It didn’t matter what it was, Veri fought it. She was hungry, but she didn’t want to eat what Lucy had cooked for her. She was tired, but she didn’t want to nap. She wanted to visit her daddy in the tunnels but wouldn’t put on her cape. Every single second of the day that Veri was awake was a battle with Lucy constantly leading the charge.
Lucy scooped the sock off the floor her daughter had been obsessed with just moments before and waved it in the air. “Everything she finds goes into her mouth. Everything.”
“Rough day?” he asked.
“Of course, it’s been rough,” she answered with a sigh as she waddled to toss the sock in the hamper. “I’m seven months pregnant, and I’ve been chasing around that demon in disguise while she tries to inhale anything and everything she can fit into her mouth, except for the lunch I made her.”
“Then it’s a good thing I arranged for a surprise, isn’t it?” he asked Lucy before whispering something into their daughter’s ear. She giggled and smacked him on the cheek with a slobbery kiss. “Colby will be coming by a little bit later.”
“Oh?” Lucy put her hand on her back to ease the ache that had been building there since she’d made lunch. She wasn’t looking forward to having company for dinner after the day she’d had, but Colby was like a brother to her now with how close they’d grown. “For dinner?”
“No, Colby and his mate are coming to pick up Veri, and they’re going to have a sleepover tonight. Give us a little bit of a break.”
Lucy sniffed as tears pricked her eyes.
“This was supposed to be a nice surprise, honey. Not make you cry.” Sparx moved Veri to his hip and pulled Lucy close to his other side, holding both of his girls tight. “I can cancel Colby—”
“No!” Lucy interrupted before he could get his offer out all the way. There was no way she was going to let him dangle a child-free night in front of her and then snatch it away. “A break is just what we need.”
She let out a tired sigh and settled her hands on the top of her large baby belly. Her body was working double-time and it definitely needed some rest and relaxation. Luckily, her first pregnancy—and this one so far—had been smooth sailing. The only difference this time was that she had Veri keeping her company, aka, running her ragged on a daily basis.
Being pregnant while chasing after a toddler was no joke. The further along her pregnancy progressed, the harder it was to keep up with their little dynamo.
She wouldn’t change one bit of it though.
Sparx leaned down to drop a kiss on her forehead, his beard tickling her just a bit where he nuzzled close.
“I know, sweetheart. I’m excited about this baby.” His hand rubbed the large swell of her stomach. “I am fucking ecstatic about adding to our family, but I know how hard this is for you. How much harder it has made caring for Veri. How much harder this has made everything. I hope you know how much I appreciate you.”
Lucy leaned into the strength he offered as her partner and mate. It was times like this when she realized how truly lucky she was.
“I know because you show it to me every single day,” she whispered back, her emotions finally holding steady with him as her anchor. “I love you too.”
“I’m going to get her an overnight bag packed.” Sparx handed the now snoozing toddler over, his role as baby whisperer not failing to calm the tiny tired terror.
Lucy tucked Veri into her crib as Sparx moved around the
