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I gave him a slight smile. “You don’t need an excuse, man.”
Carmen’s apartment was packed up and empty. The lease was broken, and she’d redirected her mail to my penthouse.
She’d officially moved in.
I didn’t ask her to marry me because there didn’t seem to be a rush. The diamond was still in the box whenever she was ready to wear it. We were happy, so it didn’t seem like I needed to hurry.
“Are you okay?” she asked when I walked in the door.
It was the last time my suit would smell like cigars. I would actually miss that. “I’m fine, Beautiful.”
“I know it must be hard for you…” She pushed my jacket off my shoulders and rubbed my chest. “And that’s okay if it is.”
I stared at the beautiful woman who loved me, loved me for me and not my money. She didn’t care about my power and was intimidated by it most of the time. This woman only wanted me. I knew how lucky I was to have her, that not all men could have such an extraordinary woman. “It was a little hard when I left the office. But when I remembered what I was coming home to, it wasn’t so bad.” My hands gripped her hips, and I held her against my chest, treasuring the petite woman I would love the rest of my life. She was the only woman I would fuck, the only woman I’d ever made love to. The thought wasn’t scary at all.
Her eyes softened in the most adorable way. She cupped my cheek and placed a kiss on my lips. “I love you, babe.”
I loved that nickname. It was a pussy name, but I liked it anyway. I liked the affection, the way she called me that by accident the first time she said it. It was the first time I knew she loved me, the first time I understood how possessive she was of me. “I love you too, Beautiful.” My hand slid under the fall of her hair as I enjoyed her lips. “I’ll love you for the rest of my life.”
Epilogue
Carmen
Once I sat in the chair at the dining table, I couldn’t get up again. “Oh my god, I’m so fat, I can’t even move.” I placed my hand on my stomach and groaned as my knees and back ached. I was carrying a litter, and my body couldn’t handle the twin boys growing inside me.
“If I can give birth to Crow junior, then you can do this,” Vanessa said across the table from me, her pregnant belly only three months along.
Griffin was beside her, holding their son in his arms. Young Crow was asleep, passed out after a busy day of swimming in the sun.
“My back killed me too,” my mother said. “With both of you. It sucks, but it’s so worth it in the end.”
“You told me that last time,” I said sarcastically. “And that’s debatable.”
My father came out of the kitchen holding Emily by the hand, my two-year-old daughter who liked to rock a side ponytail. He tickled her tummy, making her giggle. “I gave her some ice cream, Carmen.”
“I told you she can’t have dessert before dinner.” I was a lot more irritable than I used to be since my belly was getting so big. Now anything pissed me off.
“Not my problem,” Father said. “I love being a grandparent.”
“Wait,” I said. “You never let us get away with stuff like that when we were little.”
Father shrugged. “I like being a grandpa more than a father. It’s more fun.” He took Emily into the other room to play with Luca, even though he was a lot older than she was.
“Babe.” I sat back and rubbed my stomach.
Bosco came out of the kitchen. He was cooking with my brother and uncle, trying to whip up a dinner that could feed nearly twenty people. “Beautiful, are you doing alright?” He kneeled down and placed his left hand on my stomach, his black wedding ring visible.
“I think I need some ice cream,” I blurted.
Mom laughed. “He’s in the middle of making dinner, and you’re going to ask him for ice cream?”
“Father just gave my daughter some, so now I want some,” I demanded. “I’ve got two babies in here.”
Bosco kissed my stomach, amused by my request, not annoyed. “Coming right up, Beautiful.”
“Way ahead of you.” Ronan came up behind him with a bowl of vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, and sprinkles. “I know how she likes it.” He set the bowl in front of me with a spoon. “Anything else?”
“You’re my favorite brother,” I said, partially joking and partially not.
Carter’s voice sounded from the kitchen. “I heard that.”
I rolled my eyes.
Bosco rose to his feet then rubbed the back of my neck. “Dinner is almost ready.”
“Thanks for cooking,” I said. “My knees are killing me.”
