Smack. I redden her ass with a much-needed spanking, then kiss the sting away and pull her onto my chest.
“I can’t believe you spanked me,” she grumbles.
“You loved it.”
She doesn’t disagree. Instead, she snuggles closer.
Granger jumps onto the bed and settles on the pillow above my head.
“Did one of the kittens choose you?” She smiles and reaches up to pet him.
“Yep.” I kiss her forehead. “Granger.”
“Congratulations.” She grins and kisses my cheek.
I sigh contentedly. It’s the start of my family, and it’s messy and new, but that doesn’t make it any less real. Or any less perfect.
EPILOGUE
MARIANA
A few years later
“Everything okay?” I ask Junior when he opens the car door for me, offering me his hand.
Most times Fenton is with me wherever I go, but on the rare occasions that he’s not, like today, he’s usually waiting for me at the front door. Yet today he’s nowhere in sight. I had asked him not to come with me, which I know he wasn’t happy about.
That man hates when he has to be without me. But honestly there was no point in him coming. There were a few things I’d asked him to handle for me while I was gone. Amelia had gone to the graduation with me.
“He’s in a mood,” Junior informs me.
“I thought the pregnant one was supposed to be the one to have the mood swings?” I reach down and rest my hand on my ever-growing stomach.
It had taken almost two years for us to conceive. I’d started to get worried. We both went to specialists to find out what might be the problem, and they assured us nothing was wrong. God and everyone else knew it wasn't for lack of trying. Fenton can’t keep his hands off me.
Of course when it finally happened I didn’t only get pregnant with one baby. Nope. It wasn't even twins. Triplets! I mean really?! I’m only three months along and already showing. Fenton strutted around like a peacock for over a month. He was so damn proud of himself. I have to say after the initial shock, I was more than ecstatic.
Honestly, once I found out I was pregnant, I was thankful for the few years we had together with only the two of us. It gave Fenton and me time to enjoy each other. It also allowed me to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. Fenton was nothing but encouraging, letting me know that whatever I decided to do he’d be at my side.
The reality was once I’d come back home with Fenton by my side, I’d realized this is my life. It’s in my blood. The problem was I hated how my father did business. It was my chance to step in and make a change, and I had.
I’d wanted to level my childhood home. Fenton had no problem with me destroying the ten-million-dollar home, which only made me love the man more. But as I settled in more, and Fenton showed me all my father’s dealings that needed to be handled, I’d come up with a better use for the house. I’d turned it into a halfway house of sorts.
It was no surprise my father had a few brothels. I wasn’t going to toss any of those women out on the streets. With Amelia by my side, we helped them go back to school and do anything else they might want to do.
Two girls actually graduated today, and Amelia and I were front and center to support them. One of the girls is going on to get her veterinary degree. So many women get trapped in those lifestyles and are not sure how to get out. I’ve found such pleasure and joy in showing them there are options and people out there that want to help.
“He’s in the back office,” Junior says with a laugh.
Of course, he is. Fenton wanted us to share an office but he is always getting blood all over them. When we built our new home on the other side of the estate, I’d come up with the idea of two offices, with strict instructions that Fenton is to use the back office when he thinks things might get a bit messy.
That was another plus of me not conceiving right away. We were able to build our dream home. Parts of it are still under construction, but the major sections are pretty much complete.
There is no mistaking the sounds of a fist connecting with someone’s face. I already know what I’m going to see when I pull open one of the double doors to the office.
“Please stop! I swear I thought she was still a whore,” the man begs. He earns himself a blow to his kidney for the whore comment this time.
“You’re lucky my wife is home, or we’d have a bit more fun.”