That memory will haunt me for life. The fact that I lost her after I escaped that wretched basement still aches more than I like to admit.
So, yes, I guess I have the right to be as overbearing as it can get because her well-being comes before anything else.
Speaking of the beautiful angel, she carries the drinks towards us and places them beside the chessboard. Landon hops down to snatch a cola.
Elsa stands on Eli’s side and strokes his hair back. When she speaks to him, her voice is soft, welcoming, like she’s singing him a lullaby. “What do you want, hon?”
“Nothing.”
“Is it not here? Do you want something else from the kitchen?”
“He can get it himself.” I pull her so she’s by my side, and no, I’m not jealous of my own son. It’s that she’s too doting on him and that will turn him into a mama’s boy like Ronan, and that’s not something I’ll allow. I push him down my leg. “Off you go.”
He glares at Landon one more time before he stalks in Brandon’s direction. “I’ll have juice, Mummy.”
She starts to follow him, but I hold her by the waist, my head touching her dress.
“Aiden…” When she attempts to struggle, it only makes me tighten my hold on her.
“He can take care of himself.” I pause. “Actually, I’m pretty sure Jonathan and Aurora miss him, so he should spend the weekend there.”
“Stop shipping our son off any chance you get.”
I graze my teeth against her side, and even though I’m separated from her skin by cloth, she shudders as I murmur, “No.”
She stares down at me with raw lust that makes my dick rock-fucking-hard. I’ll never get over the way she looks at me, the way her blue eyes brighten and the way she speaks without words, telling me to take her, to own her. To make her all mine.
It doesn’t matter how long we’ve been together. It doesn’t matter that she sleeps in my arms every night and wakes up wrapped all around me.
Even as an old man, I will never get enough of this woman. I will never get enough of the brightness she brings to my life. She’s the calm to my storm. The light to my darkness. And I don’t take any of that for granted. I worship her every day so she knows how fucking grateful I am for finding her again.
For having her.
For breathing her in every night.
For seeing her face every morning.
“The rooms are upstairs.” Cole’s bored voice interrupts our connection.
“And the door is just there.” I point at it with my middle finger.
Elsa blushes before she slips from underneath my touch and picks up Ava, who’s struggling to reach the floor.
“That’s not true!” Ronan pushes Xan away as the two of them, their wives, and Silver join us.
“Now what?” Cole tugs on Silver’s hand so she falls on to his lap. The fucking hypocrite was just pointing out the rooms for me.
“Xan here was saying that he’s Kimmy’s first and last when I actually dated her first.”
“No, you didn’t.” Xander elbows him.
“Mais oui. Remember that date at Mum’s favourite restaurant, Kimmy?”
“Your mum’s favourite restaurant, huh?” Teal crosses her arms, staring her husband down, even though he’s way taller than her.
He quickly backpedals, holding her hands. “You know that’s not what I meant, ma belle. Xan was a dick at the time — more than usual, I mean — and I was only being my usual Prince Charming self. It’s not me, it’s my genes.”
“Shut it, Ron.” Xander elbows him again and gathers Cecily off the floor. She snuggles in his embrace, ignoring everyone else. Xander feels smug whenever we tell him she’s a daddy’s girl.