“Jax?”
“What is it?” I reach her side and she nearly crawls into my lap. I want her to want me, I need her need me.
“I’m sorry. I let my guard down and he got the first swing in, but right after I got him good.” She cries and thinks I’m upset she didn’t lay him out. Woman is a little crazy but given what just happened I’m more than happy to let that go. She was in a physical altercation that never, ever should have happened.
“Listen to me, I am so thankful that you’re okay. I don’t give a shit if you missed a block. You shouldn’t have had to be in that position in the first place. He’s an asshole with no boundaries and that ends today.”
“I know.”
I shake her once to get her attention in my fear of losing her.
“No, you don’t know, because if you did, you wouldn’t be apologizing. You would understand how freaked out I am about almost losing you.”
“But you d
idn’t.”
She still doesn’t get it. My stubborn little warrior woman.
“Diana Valentine. I love you. I loved you when I didn’t really know what love was. I’ve loved you for a decade and stood by on the sidelines waiting for you, but I can’t do that anymore. I won’t and I don’t care what crazy obstacles you think there might be. I love your beautiful amazing daughter and the strength you have for the both of you, but by god woman, don’t you ever scare me like this again.”
“Okay. Okay.” She’s nodding but I’m demanding more.
“What? That’s all I get. Okay?”
“I love you too, Jax Holden.” She kisses my lips and our hands cradle each other’s faces as gently as we can because each movement makes her wince.
“I am not letting you go, you got that?”
“Good, because I’m yours and you’re mine.” Hallelujah, finally she’s on the same page.
“You and Maisy.”
“We’re a package deal, Mr. Holden.”
“You just wait until I get you home…” And if you’ve ever been at a hospital emergency room, you know the wait is torturous–almost as bad as ten years.
Epilogue
Jax
“Daddy, daddy we’re home!” I stop what I’m doing and go to greet my daughter. Maisy is thirteen now and just when I started to breathe a sigh of relief, the teenage years hit far too quickly. I hadn’t been in her life for very long when I met her mother, but we bonded quickly. Maisy is a loving little girl and I’m blessed to have her in my life. I think coaxing Diana took longer than Maisy. My girls were worth it. All three of them.
“Daddy!” Coco is a bundle of energy for an eight year old taking after her older sister. There was no fear with this one as she launched herself into my arms with a confidence that terrified me as she got older. Diana would swear she has a wild streak but it’s subtle, Maisy is my thinker like her mother. The boys won’t know what hit them with Coco.
“Where’s mommy?” I ask hugging the bouncing blond heads.
“Mommy is right here.” The girls untangle from me and I stand to hug my wife. In almost nine years of marriage my wife hasn’t lost her shyness even with me.
“I missed you little warrior.” She blushes at the nickname. She will always be my warrior woman, my little Valkyrie.
“I missed you too.”
“How are Piper, Milo, and the kids?”
“Oh my god, I think she’s pregnant again, but she won’t take a test.” We laugh and I wonder what Diana would look like swelled with another baby of ours.
“I’m sure Milo is thrilled.”