Two Weeks Later
Beckett
The screeching noise bouncing off the walls of the brownstone as I push open the front door could not possibly be human.
Dylan rushes ahead of us. “Oh my gosh! I think Junior’s having her babies!”
“Nope.” I shake my head and pull my wife back. “Not doing it. I love you, Livy, but we are not staying in this house tonight.”
She laughs. “Because Junior is having her babies?”
Finn pushes off my leg, ready to rush for the living room to check out the situation, no doubt, but I pick him up by his waist and toss him over my shoulder, then begin my descent down the front steps. I know how this will go if we go inside. Finn will cry right along with the damn raccoon. Then he’ll convince me that I need to climb into the fireplace to help birth these damn animals. I’m not doing it. Nope. Not going to happen.
“Bossman!” Finn kicks at my stomach
I hold his feet down with one arm and continue on my way. “Finn, here’s a life lesson: We don’t belong in there. Birthing is for women.”
Medusa sucks in a breath as she stomps past me. I swear I can feel the eyes in the back of her head coming out of her skull. Soon they’ll pop out and scare the bejesus out of me.
I keep walking.
Winnie chases after me, and Liv is close behind with Addie in her arms.
“You really won’t go inside?” Bear whispers as I toss Finn back into the limo and put a finger to my lips, motioning for him to be silent.
My expression must convey how serious I am. The kid doesn’t even whine. He just scoots across the seat and folds his arms over his chest, angry at me. Whatever. I’ll do just about anything for this family, but birthing a litter of raccoons is a step too far.
“Livy, we’ll come back in the morning. I don’t ask for much, but please, do not make me go into that house right now.”
She folds her lips over like she’s fighting a smile, but her dark eyes dance. “All this over a little raccoon?”
“A pregnant raccoon, Livy. A ducking pregnant raccoon in active labor. I’m not doing it.”
She sucks in air, still fighting back laughter, and holds Addie out to me. “Fine, I’m just going to grab a few things for the night.”
With Little One propped on one hip, I let out a sigh and lean against the limo.
“All okay, boss?” Charlie asks as he steps out of the driver’s door to chat with me.
I nod, pulling my phone from my pocket. “We’re going to spend the night at the penthouse. Just give Liv a few minutes to pack up some stuff.”
The door to the brownstone flies open, and Shayla comes out, pulling Kai with her. “Can you give us a ride to a hotel?”
Her short hair is hanging over one eye, and she’s practically panting.
Concerned, I push off the car. “What’s going on in there?”
Her eyes bulge, and she shakes her head. “It’s not pretty.”
“You don’t have to stay at a hotel. There’s plenty of room at the penthouse if you and Kai share a bed.”
She nods. “That works.”
Medusa is next, flying out the door and pulling the twins behind her. “Not a word, man-child. We’re coming with you.”
I laugh and roll my eyes. “I take it even a woman doesn’t belong where animals are giving birth?”
She glares at me. “I’m all for teaching the girls about the circle of life, but that’s not normal.”
I hold an arm out toward the open limo door, and she and both girls scramble in.
Liv is next. Her face is flushed, and she has an overflowing bag over one shoulder and a folded-up Pack ’n Play in her other hand. She swipes at a few strands of hair that have come loose from her bun. “Do not go in there.”
I laugh, feeling better about my decision by the minute, and nod at Charlie so he knows we’re about ready to take off.
Dylan appears in the doorway next. “Guys, you’re going to miss it!”
Liam slides past her. “Sorry, Ma. You’re nuts if you think we’re staying here.” He grabs her hand, slams the door, and pulls her toward the limo.
“You’re all really afraid of a pregnant raccoon? Pregnancy is beautiful.”
Liv rolls her eyes. “Says the woman who hasn’t been pregnant since the early 2000s. Believe me, Dyl, there’s nothing beautiful about what’s about to happen in there. We’ll come home tomorrow, and you can dote on her babies then.”
Dylan frowns and tilts her head. “But what if she needs help?”
“That’s precisely why I’m not going in there,” I remind her.
She laughs and pushes past me to the open limo door. “True, the last thing Junior needs is to listen to your screaming when she’s trying to have a calm birth.”
I roll my eyes. Calm birth. Is that even a thing?
Once Dylan’s inside, Charlie points at the car. “You getting in?”
I shake my head and shut the door. “Nah, I’m riding up front with you. My head needs the quiet for a few minutes before I welcome this insanity into my penthouse.”
Charlie laughs and rounds the hood. I take a second to run up the steps and lock the door. Back at the limo, I spin and look up at the brownstone. The holiday decorations, the Happy V l Day sign that’s lost another letter or two, the gutter hanging precariously from the edge of the roof. It’s still not perfect, but it is home.
I take Medusa and Liv and our three kids up to the penthouse first, then Finn and I ride the elevator down again for the rest of the crew since we couldn’t all fit at once. When the elevator opens into the foyer, the kids explode out of the stainless-steel box. I have to hold my breath as they run wild around the open concept living and dining area, hollering and bouncing all over. It’s not childproofed, and it’s definitely not mom-com proofed but the women make themselves comfortable, grabbing wineglasses and pulling open the fridge in search of dinner. Before things get out of control, I head to the drawer where I keep the takeout menus and motion to Liv.
“Sorry, baby. I know this wasn’t what you had in mind,” she says as she sidles up next to me and snakes her arm around my waist.
Pulling her closer, I brush my lips against hers and smile. “Just tell me you love me. That always makes me feel better.”
She melts against me, her smile consuming her face. “I do love you, Bossman. So much.”
Soaking in the meaning behind those words, I relax with her in my arms. The chaos around us continues, but I tune it out. I don’t care who has crayons near my marble counters or who’s jumping on my ten-thousand-dollar couches. Vases may be broken, bottles of wine worth more than the average person’s annual salary may be consumed, and I legitimately couldn’t care less.
We order takeout—each family choosing food from different restaurants, and some ordering stuff from multiple places and then we all sit around the big table and argue over Delia’s assigned topic for dinner.
We split the kids into two rooms for a giant sleepover. Dippy Do, Medusa and Pip share the guest room. I don’t know how they all plan to fit in the king-size bed, and I really don’t care.
It’s after ten when I finally have my wife alone, in my room, in the quiet.
“You think Junior is okay?” Liv asks from the master bathroom.
I lean against the counter, legs crossed, and stare at my wife as she washes her face. I’m already smiling. “I’m sure she’s enjoying her time alone with her babies.”
Liv hums. “Probably.”
“I like seeing you in my bathroom.”
She smiles. “Beckett, you can’t sweet talk me into moving into your penthouse. I told you—the girls and I are a package deal.”
“I know. We’re living with them until they find their perfect men.”
She laughs and pats her face dry. “Ha. You think Delia is ever going to settle down and live with a man?”
I shrug. “Stranger things have happened.”
Liv’s eyes dance. “Yeah, like me marrying my boss.”
Grasping her by the hips, I pull her close and drop my lips to my favorite spot on her neck. I bite down, eliciting a moan from her. “That was fate, Livy.”
She sighs as she plays with the hair just above my nape, her fingers raking through it and making me want to stay in this position for hours.
“This place is nice, though,” she says quietly. “If Drake keeps his word and takes the kids every other weekend, maybe we could come here when the kids are gone. You know, get away from the chaos.”
My heart jumps. The idea of forty-eight hours alone with my wife is too good to be true. “Really?” I ask, giving away just how hopeful I am when I look up at her.
Liv bites her lip and nods. “Maybe we could bring the kids here every once in a while? You did say you have a swimming pool.”
I squeeze her to me. “God, I love you.”
“We can have it all, Beckett. The crazy chaos of the brownstone and the quiet moments just for us. I want to give you everything you deserve.”
She still doesn’t get it. She’s all I need. I’m not sure she’ll ever really understand the depth of my obsession, but that’s okay. I’ll allow her to “make it up” to me if it means more nights alone with her like this.
“You going to give me what I deserve right now?” I tease, tugging her into the bedroom.
“Only if you can be quiet. After the incident with the snake in the basement, we both know how loud you can shriek.”
I lunge, gently pushing her onto the bed and pinning her to the mattress. “The question is, can you be quiet, Livy? Because we both know how loud you were last time I had you in this position. I had to gag you to keep you quiet.”
I grind against her, pulling a moan from deep within her. It takes no time at all for her to pull my pants down and for me to strip her bare. Then I’m sliding inside her, finally returning to the only home that matters to me. It’s not about the location or the money or the disasters that surround us. It’s about this right here. The quiet moments with my wife when we become one. When I get to see the woman no one else sees. When she’s all mine.
“God, that feels good,” she murmurs.
“It always feels good when my cock is inside you,” I say, thrusting into her slowly, taking my time.
“Harder,” she begs.
With a wicked smile, I grip the headboard and quicken my pace, pistoning my hips.
The bed squeaks beneath us. “You said you’d be quiet,” she teases.
“Can’t help that my massive cock makes this much noise.”
We both laugh, and I drop to my forearms and kiss her slowly, smiling as we make love. No, it may not be the roughest sex we’ve ever had, and definitely not the kinkiest, but laughing with her, while inside her… Fuck, it’s the best sex of my life.
Because it’s her.
