Magnificent in each second and moment of us all being together.
A family.
I ordered food, and we ate while the babies napped. Emmy cuddled up with me on the couch, her head resting on my chest as I watched TV, always on alert, not trusting that Alexander isn’t all that stupid as I believe him to be.
Never underestimating the enemy.
Especially when said villain has an infatuation with my petite blanket currently draped over me.
At the first cry of one of the kids, Emmy jumps off the couch and begins to, I don’t know, sprint to check in on one of them, and I grip her by the wrist and pull her back on the couch.
“Emmy,” I mutter against her temple when she’s in my lap. “ I’ve been up this whole time. Nothing is wrong.”
Her chest heaves panicked breaths as she attempts to calm herself down, staring at the second bedroom that Mills has the twins in. The condo is now quiet, and Emmy somewhat relaxes into me.
“Is it okay if I have Kyson look over the will?” I ask her. “He had some experience with it when his grandmother died.”
“Yeah, that’s fine.”
“Did you read it?”
She shakes her head, still staring ahead. “No.”
“Emmy.”
“Mhm?”
“Look at me.” Slowly, she cranes her neck and exhaustion is painted all over her features. “Straddle my lap.” Without hesitation, she does, her chin bowed into her chest to look at me.
Emmy is one of the strongest people I know. I just need her to get through this for me so she can be herself again.
The twins need her, and so do I, but I don’t want to see her constantly looking over her shoulder. I don’t want her to be scared of what bumps in the night because I won’t let them get there.
“Do you trust me?”
“Of course I do.”
I lean forward, supporting her back to stay pressed into my chest. “Kiss me.”
Her lips fall to mine in a chaste and innocent kiss that I take full advantage of. I nudge her mouth wider as I slip my tongue inside. Her scent surrounds and soaks into this moment.
Moments before this.
Times where it was just the two of us and the only problem we had, was keeping ourselves safe. We were enemies and lovers enraptured by the need of one and the strength of the other. We’d protect each other at all cost, rip the world to shreds, but we did more harm than good when our hearts beat and wanted to mix in the same rhythm.
I palm Emmy’s ass in my hands and she bites down on my lower lip. Her silence signals that she likes and wants more.
Thing is, I promised Mills I wouldn’t fuck Emmy on any surface of his condo. Even after I did, in fact, threaten to break his arms if he didn’t let me have the twins.
The fabric of Emmy’s dress rides up her body, allowing my fingertips to feel the rough material of lace as she begins to pull it over her head.
“I told your best friend I wouldn’t stick my dick in you while we were here.”
Emmy begins a trail of kisses along the scruff of my facial hair. “And you’re listening to him?”
I mean, he did lie to me and made me believe he fucked my wife.
Thanks to my wife.
“I’ve been wanting you to take me all day,” she whispers, latching her lips around the column of my throat. “Can we just for a minute?”
A pained moan escapes my lips, but I’m not dumb enough to know that it won’t be for just a minute.
Why are you listening to Mills again?
Because he could walk in his damn place at any minute.
“Might be home soon,” I have the audacity to say. I must be more fucked up than I thought I was because I could make this quick and easy, and really this shouldn’t even be a conversation.
Emmy taunts me by arching her back, giving me more of a handful and a straight view down her back at her flawless ass.
The pink dress she’s in against her dark hair, I feel like I’m cheating on the old Emmy with this darker version that throws caution to the wind.
She should be the one reminding me that our associate will be home at any given time.
“I’m already in enough shit with Mills,” Emmy advises between kisses. “Adding another one won’t harm anything. Especially when I was hoping you’d fuck my ass.”
“Emmy,” I growl. “Try again.”
“You wanna try again?” I feel her lips curl, clearly taunting me to just give up on being so cautious.
My girl sucks mercilessly on my neck like we’re teenagers, slaying into my good sense.
Common sense.
“I know a way to make you do what I want,” she discloses.
“I’m fascinated, baby. What would that be?”
Emmy hops off me like a bunny and wears a shit-eating smile on her face. A rare occurrence these days.
“Something to look forward to,” she quips with a wink. “I’m going to go get the babies.”
Our babies.
If Emmy will allow and want me to be the father to them. I never fucking asked. I just stated and pointed it out like I have a right.
My girl comes out a minute later with one of them, cooing and swinging it gently in her arms. Emmy comes to sit in my lap again and turns her body to show me that she has Alaric.
I rest my chin on her shoulder and gain Alaric’s focus. We stare at each other, in love with the same woman, and one day he’ll stand by my side to protect her.
I can’t help but regret him not having my DNA. That I wasn’t there when he and his sister were born.
I suck as a human being.
I’m hoping I have something in me that can be somewhat of a role model, at least.
“He was the smallest and had a hard time regulating body temperature. He wasn’t eating that well either at first.”
“Probably homesick.” Emmy
