Epilogue One: Carlos
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“Where’s Mrs. Antonello?” I ask the nanny, groaning when she smiles. I already know what she’s going to say.
“You’re kidding me! She’s supposed to be resting.”
My hands shake when I think about almost losing her. Our babies nearly took her from me. The twins are rotten little monsters and I love them. So does Aspen. But she needs to rest.
My heart skips a beat when I think about how pale and sickly she looked after she gave birth. So delicate and frail, her tanned skin milk-white. She had to have a caesarian because of the multiples. And then she went into shock on the table from blood loss. We found out that she is a bleeder. Which gives me another reason to watch her like a hawk. I refuse to lose her because of a little cut.
“Dammit, Aspen! Where the hell are you?”
She walks through the doorway to the nursery and I smile softly, enjoying the sight of her long curls draped over her shoulder while she coos at both babies, one in either arm.
“Why are you up with the babies? You’re supposed to be resting. That’s why we have a nanny.” I stalk over and pull little Perry out of her arms. She smiles at Promise.
“Daddy’s a big old grouch isn’t he, little one? Yes he is,” she coos.
“Once again. We’ve got a nanny. You need to let her do her job and you need to do yours, which is rest.”
“Pshaw!” She waves a frail wrist in the air. “I’m perfectly fine. I don’t need to rest. I need to see my babies.”
“And now you’ve seen them…you can go to bed.”
Tears well in her kaleidoscope eyes. “I told you I didn’t want a nanny,” she whispers, her soft voice broken and watery.
My heart aches when I see tears pop up. I can’t stand to see her cry. It’s worse than a bullet to the gut. And I should fucking know.
“Come on, let’s put them back in their cribs. I need to talk to you.”
She sniffles and we lay the happy babies in their cribs, her hand trailing over their downy heads.
I grasp her hand and pull her out of the room. I tug her into my chest and then I study her pale face. I can still see the dark circles. This birth took a lot out of her.
My big hand delicately traces her soft cheek and she turns her face into my hand, sighing. My dick stretches when she breathes out. I talk to him sternly. This isn’t the time for that. I cup her cheek and turn her face up to mine. Her eyes close and she sinks into my touch. I smile.
“I love you so much, princess. I just want you well. And you’re not there yet. It’s my job as your husband to take care of you. To make sure that you’re taking care of yourself.”
“I know,” she sighs. Golden light dances in her eyes. “I miss being with you so much. The only other thing that makes me as happy as you do are our children.”
I lean down and kiss her forehead, drawing in a deep breath of her soft, sweet scent. “I’m glad. But what makes me happy is to have you well and whole.”
She sighs and I lean down, picking her up when she looks ready to fall down. “Now, I’ll take you back to bed and sit with you until you fall asleep.”
“Don’t you get bored watching me sleep?” she snipes.
“No. When I think of how I’ve almost lost you multiple times since I found you…watching you sleep is no hardship at all. It’s a necessity. Like breathing or eating.”
I lay her on the bed and crawl in beside her, smiling when she curves her slender body into mine. She sighs and her breath drifts across my throat. I have to swallow a lump that’s threatening to choke me.
“I love you so much, princess.”
“Queen,” she sighs and her breathing evens out. I rub her back and feel her relax into my hands. Then I close my eyes and drift off, content to hold my woman. The treasure that I’ve had to fight for since I met her.
Now that we’ve got a family, there’s nothing more important to me.
This family is mine. This is where I belong. When I’m with her, I’m home. I kiss her cheek and sink down until I’m curled around her sleeping body, protecting her. Because a man always protects his treasures. And I will until I’m dragged kicking and screaming from this mortal plain and her.
My future lies with my one true love and our little family. Everything else will take care of itself or it won’t. None of it matters.
Just us. And the greatest love I’ve ever felt. My queen and our children.