"He's running late, but he'll be here soon. He said not to wait."
"We'll wait. We only get together once a month, we'll all eat together."
Mrs. Cooke was sitting at the table in Mom's kitchen rolling out dough for cookies. She had made the move to Mom's permanent. I liked that they had each other, that Mom's house became the hub of the neighborhood and that every night of the week there were people coming and going. Damian bought Mrs. Cooke's house to set up HQ for his security firm, which was financially solvent because their ops had high price tags due to the complexity of them. And there was a need because his team was expanding. He kept her place exactly as she had it and she was able to visit whenever she wanted. She had started baking again. Confessed to us she had stopped because baking had been one of the ways she had shown her love to Mitchell and when he died it hurt too much. I understood that, boy did I understand that. But now that she was among her new family, she was whipping something up every other day.
Ryder strolled into the kitchen, Kimber right on her heels. "Table is set."
"Derrick and Uncle Guy are making drinks. Does anyone want one?"
"Martini for me," Mom said.
"A pink squirrel." Mrs. Cooke had a fondness for all the excessively sweet drinks, but I think she had more fun surprising us with her drink selections.
"Thea?"
"Nothing for me."
I got a look from both Ryder and Kimber, suspicion. I had news. At first I just suspected, but it was confirmed. I wouldn't share until I told Damian. I was a little nervous because though I knew he wanted kids, we hadn't discussed when. It was a little late now.
Anton entered from the back door. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. Cam came in right after him. "The firewood is stacked. You got the chimney cleaned, right?"
"Yes, Cam."
"If you run out of wood, let me know. I'll have more dropped off."
Mom rolled her eyes. "It's like I've never lived on my own before."
Anton unrolled his sleeves as he stepped up next to Mom and pressed a kiss on her cheek. "Not at all. It's just love, Rosalie."
Anton had been distracted since it all went down and I knew he had a score to settle with Federico. It scared me, that part of his life, but he had to do what he had to do and I just hoped I could help him when the time came, just like had helped me.
Mom's eyes turned bright. I had two brothers and she had three sons, but that list was growing. Razor, yoga man and Mic had been brought into the fold and with Damian's security team all moving closer to headquarters-Damian claimed it was logistically a good idea, but I knew it was because they were his family in a badass, mercenary kind of way-our makeshift family continued to grow.
Bullet came darting into the kitchen, Matthew right behind him. They both had recently resigned their commissions and were the newest members of Damian's team. As was his way, Bullet dropped on his butt right next to Mom and me, too disciplined to beg for food but ever hopeful.
"He's ridiculous. Six months out of the army and he has completely forgotten his manners," Matthew teased but there was nothing but love in his tone. "Are you still thinking about getting a puppy?" he asked me.
I adored Bullet. We never had pets growing up, but I wanted a dog … so did Damian. "Absolutely."
"When you're ready, we'll talk."
"I'm so ready."
"Alright. After dinner."
"Sounds good."
"I need to take this boy for a walk before dinner. We'll be back."
"Dinner will be ready in about a half an hour," Mom said.
"I'll come with you," Anton offered.
"Me too," Cam and Anton followed Matthew and Bullet outside.
We were just getting the food on the table when Damian arrived. The sight never grew old, watching him. He was still Damian, conserved his words, preferred the background to being the center of attention but I knew he loved me, as deeply and completely as a person could love. He had just reached my side when I grabbed his hand.
"I have to talk to you." He let me pull him out of the room and up to my old bedroom. I shut the door and leaned up against it. He had a wicked little grin on his face.
"Miss me?"
"You know I did, but that's not why I need to talk to you."
I never knew anyone could stand so perfectly still and yet I knew I had his undivided attention.
"We never talked details, but … "
"But what?"
"I'm pregnant."
He had no reaction, just stood there like a statue.
"I suspected, but I went to the doctor today to confirm it. Eight weeks. Baby will be born in May sometime."
Still nothing. I hadn't really been worried, but now I was beginning to.
"Damian?"
And then he was on me, had me pressed up against the door, the fingers of one hand pulled through my hair as his mouth claimed mine. He lifted my skirt, shifted my panties to the side and pulled his cock out, burying himself inside me like he was possessing as much of me as he could. And then he stilled, like he was committing the moment to memory.
"A baby," he whispered.
And I knew that was exactly what he was doing, marking the moment. My heart should have burst it was so full.
No words were needed, the moment deeply poignant and then he lifted my leg to get better penetration just as he rocked his hips. I linked my fingers at his neck and pulled him closer. We found our rhythm and when we came, it was together.
He rested his forehead on mine. "Thank you."
"You're happy?"
He shifted his hips and I bit my lower lip because damn he felt good. "What do you think?"
"We should probably get back. There are two detectives downstairs, they will easily deduce what we're doing up here."
"You're mine." He shifted his hips again. "I don't care if they figure it out."
His hips were picking up speed, hitting me in all the right spots that I didn't care anymore either. He never took his eyes off me as he slowly brought me to orgasm again, and watching him as he found his release, the moment or two when his body gave in, was my favorite because I saw right down to his soul and the depth of what he felt for me. He was beautiful, imperfect and mine.
It felt as if I had just fallen asleep when I woke. I reached for Damian but the bed was empty. He stood next to Edie's crib and Pilot, our German shepherd puppy, stood right next him; we had named our daughter Edie in honor of my dad. I climbed from bed and joined them, my arm coming around his waist as I looked down at our little girl.
"All I feel when I look at her is love, the kind of love I feel for you." He turned those eyes on me. "She's a piece of me."
I swallowed down the sob because I understood. I was his family, Anton, Cam and my mom, he had family, a big and loving one, but this beautiful little girl was a part of him.
His voice broke when he said, "Thank you."
We had just landed and were running late. I called mom from the car to let her know we had arrived. She and Pilot were on a walk, he loved going to Grandma's. We had hoped to drop our bags at the cottage but there just wasn't time. Damian kept Amelia's cottage. Right after we got married, we returned to town for a visit. We had missed the reenactment, but it had been so good to get caught up with everyone and not have any drama hanging over our heads.
Damian and I discussed selling the place, but neither of us wanted to. We may not get to visit as often as we wanted, but we liked the idea of having a place when we did, her place.
Edie started clapping her hands in her car seat. She had wild brown hair like me, but she'd gotten Damian's eyes. She adored her daddy and her big, badass daddy adored her right back.
We reached Main Street to see a crowd had gathered at the end of it. Damian walked around the car and helped me from it, his hand lingering longer than needed, his eyes soaking me in like he had a tendency to do. He then freed Edie from her seat, tossed her in the air, which always had my heart stopping and her squealing in delight, before he settled her close to his heart. He reached for my hand and pulled us down the street.
Missy was the first to greet us then Maureen, Dinky and the others moved in for hugs and kisses. Amelia's items were all back-the recipients of Amelia's things were appalled when they heard the story-and Janice was serving three to five years. We turned toward the bar and the sign that was not yet lit.
"Ready?" Missy asked.
The sign flickered on.
Amelia's
Mom had Edie and Pilot for the evening and having a night off Damian and I had spent it watching scary movies and making love on the sofa. It was late and I woke to find the apartment empty. I knew where he was, so I reached for a blanket and headed to the gym. I passed the table in the living room, then stopped and walked back to study the picture … one of Damian, Edie, Pilot and me. Dad's special box sat next to it and was filled with all the letters I had written to Damian, minus that first letter and the picture of me because he still carried them in his wallet. And just in front were his dog tags. It hadn't been my intention, but I loved the table because it represented the journey it took for Damian and me to get to where we were. I touched his dog tags, thankful that he was home and safe and then I walked down to the gym. He didn't have his late night sessions as often as he used to. The ghosts that haunted him were growing quieter and I liked to believe Edie and I were helping with that.