My baby girl.
She walks over to Denny keeping the baby in one hand as she lifts the flimsy nighty we changed Denny into over her head, placing the baby on Denny’s bare chest. My eyes don’t move from Hope, not even when the midwife starts to speak.
“Mason?’’ Denny calls snapping me out of it. Her voice is tired and soft and I know she’s feeling just the same as I am, if not more.
“Sorry?’’ I ask, wiping my face and feeling wetness coating my cheeks.
“Do you want to cut the cord?’’ the midwife asks again and I nod my head, my throat clogged up with a ball of emotion.
I grab the scissors she gives me and cut into the rubbery umbilical cord. Hope gives another loud cry, her lungs obviously in good working condition.
“Look what you did,’’ I whisper amazed to Denny.
“What we did,’’ she whispers back, her eyes still filling with more tears.
“I love you,’’ I tell her, leaning into give Denny a kiss on the forehead, then down to do the same to Hope. Her little fists fly out, followed by her chubby little feet. More tears fall from my eyes as I take everything in about her. She’s got a cute little podgy belly, and little button squashed nose and has a head of fair hair, obviously taking after her mother. I can’t tell who she looks like the most because to me, she looks like Hope Sophia Carter. I can’t see yet what colour her eyes are because they are too dark to be able to tell.
“I love you too,’’ she chokes out, then leans up as I meet her halfway down to give her another kiss.
The midwife walks up explaining she needs to weigh the baby and check her over, so I stay by Denny’s side knowing Hope is in good hands.
When Denny turns tiredly to look at me, her smile lights up my world, she truly is the most beautiful woman I have ever had the pleasure of being with.
“Thank you. Thank you for never giving up on her or us and for giving me another chance Denny. Without you in my life I don’t know what I’d do. I know I completely fuc-screwed things up in the past, but I promise you with all my heart I will try everyday to be the man you deserve. You and Hope mean everything to me and nothing or no one will ever come between that. I can’t picture spending my life without either of you in it.”
“Mason I-‘’
“Let me finish,’’ I stop her, watching tears fall from her eyes as she watches me. “I love you. I love you so goddamn much, and being without you for all those months destroyed a part of me I thought I’d never get back, but then you came home and I knew, even before then, that I had to find a way to get you to trust me again, because there was no way I could spend another day without you. You’ve always been mine, but now I want to show you how much I am yours. Denny Smith, will you marry me?’’ I ask, and then pull out the loose ring I quickly grabbed before we left the house. I didn’t bring the box; scared someone would notice it and ask questions.
“Are you serious?’’ she asks looking at me wide eyed in shock.
The midwife brings Hope back over interrupting us, but it’s the best interruption I’ve ever seen when she places Hope back in her mother’s arms. Denny looks down at Hope, stroking her finger across Hope’s cheek.
“Denny, I’m serious. Hope is going to have my last name, and so will you,’’ I tell her, holding the ring out again, my heart beating wildly in fear she will turn me down. I don’t think I could handle the rejection right now with all my emotions up in the air.
“Are you asking because I just gave birth or because you love me?’’ she asks taking me off guard. I sit on the bed, my finger running along Hope’s cheek, the same way Denny was doing, liking the fact her eyes flutter closed.
God she’s already beautiful.
Looking back up at Denny, I give her a sheepish smile, not sure how she’s going to take all of this. “I bought the ring for you four months ago,’’ I tell her honestly.
“But that was… that was when we…’’ too lost for words she gives up and I send her a grin.
“I know. I’ve still got the receipt somewhere at the office to prove it too. I wanted the moment to be perfect and I honestly don’t think there is a better moment than this,’’ I tell her, feeling my eyes water again.
“Yes.’’
“Yes?’’ I ask confused. Is she saying what I think she’s saying?
“Yes, I’ll marry you,’’ she smiles giggling. “I love you Mason; I want to spend the rest of my life with you.’’
She doesn’t get to continue her sentence; I cut her off by putting my lips on hers. When she gasps I take the opportunity to slide my tongue into her mouth, the sweet taste making me groan. When a loud cry echo’s around the room, we pull away slowly and look down at Hope with gentle faces.
“Would you like me to take a photo of you three?’’ the midwife who delivered Hope asks, now finished with her notes.
“Yes,’’ I tell her the same time Denny groans. “I look a mess.’’
“Trust me sweetie, in a few years’ time you will look back on this moment and wonder why you cared. You’ll want to remember this,’’ she gestures to the room and Hope. “as it is now. Not something you changed by looking good,’’ she smiles and Denny smiles back at her.
“You’re right, I don’t care how I look,’’ she says while looking down in awe at Hope.
“Do you have a camera or phone?’’ she asks holding her hand out.
“Oh, we have a camera in the bag, hold on,’’ I tell her and rush over to the bag and grab the camera. Once I’ve shown her what to do, I look down at both my girls with a huge smile on my face. The camera goes off making me jump.
“Hey, I wasn’t ready,’’ I mumble.
“No…maybe not, but that picture was just too precious,’’ the midwife smiles, her smile reminding me of my Nan’s. It’s kind and gentle. “Now shift in closer,’’ she advises us.
Denny scoots over a little, giving me space to place my ass on the bed, and then she shifts Hope so she’s somewhat between us, our heads bent together. Before the picture is taken I turn my head over to Denny, who does the same when she feels me shift.
“I love you so much, Mrs. Carter,’’ I grin, liking the sound of her soon-to-be new name.
“I love you too,’’ she says, her eyes soft with love shining through her eyes. Then we both turn our heads, both wearing huge grins on our faces as the flash clicks.
Epilogue
DENNY
Three weeks of being at home and you would have thought everyone would have gotten used to there being a baby around the house. But no! Max comes round hourly, if not more to come see his favourite niece. Myles comes by daily, not wanting to become a pest like his twin brother and Malik and Maverick come between working.
Harlow has been here the most helping out. After having stitches after giving birth, I was finding it hard to manoeuvre around the house. It also meant she missed out on going to the court hearing, but thankfully her lawyer called when it was over and told her that Davis got fifteen years in prison and was found guilty on all charges.
We also found out that his brother Carl would be in prison for life, not ever having the chance to get out on parole, because when they tried transferring him from one precinct to another, he caused problems, attacking one of the guards who ended up dead. The list of crimes he had been charged with just kept getting added along the way.
I’m just glad I won’t have to attend court. I’m not ready to leave my baby girl, especially since they let my mom off with a warning. She’s meant to have left, but I don’t trust the woman as far as I could throw her. My Nan has even hired some private investigator to try and find her. As soon as she knows where the wicked witch of the west left to, she will have her checked on regularly, wanting to know where she is at all times, so that if she does show signs of returning we will have a heads up.
Mason… now Mason on the other hand has shocked the hell out of me since I gave birth to Hope three weeks ago. I never expected him to be so hands on. When I first
came home I was still recovering, and he offered, well jumped at the chance to do night feedings every time Hope woke up. I could understand his need to do this; I wanted to be around her all the time too, even if it meant just holding her sleeping in my arms. But Mason, he jumps up ready when she needs her nappy changed, or if she stirs.
Like earlier, he had been leaving to go check in on the club and ended up being an hour late because every time he got to the door he swore he could hear her. She never made a peep, I should know, she was in her moses basket right next to me. He left after I threatened him with bathing Hope by myself tonight. Don’t get me wrong, I felt his anxiety; I didn’t like the thought of leaving Hope for a second, let alone for a few hours to go to work, so I never gave him too much shit.
Now he’s back and brought Maverick and Myles with him. Max was already here trying to get me to give in and let him hold her.
“Max, I just got her to go to sleep, wait until she wakes up then you can hold her,’’ I scold, feeling like I’m telling him off like a mother would, and every day the feeling increases.
“She’s right. For some reason Hope was hard to settle down last night and she needs her sleep,’’ Mason pipes in, walking into the room looking D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S as hell in his black work shirt and his tight ass hugging jeans with his black shoes. My God I love him in a shirt. Especially when he has his shirt sleeves rolled up to his forearms and has the top three buttons undone showing off his hard chest. The veins in his muscled arms show when he lifts the moses basket off the floor from where Max had moved her and I have to discreetly wipe my mouth to make sure I didn’t drool. Ever since the night we had sex it’s been all I can think about. When the doctors told me we couldn’t have sex for a long time, I nearly cried.
“Hey, if I can’t hold her then leave her there so she knows I’m here,’’ Max whines watching Mason move Hope back on her stand. He moved Hope when he first arrived and I scolded him for trying to pick her up. So instead of picking her up he picked up the moses basket and carried her over to the armchair, placing the basket on the floor by his feet so he can stare at her.
“I doubt she thinks you leave,’’ Myles mutters chuckling.
“You’re just jealous that I’m the best uncle,’’ Max throws back.
I shake my head at their antics, knowing exactly how this will play out. They’ve been doing it since the day she was born and my ears can’t take any more.
“Well it’s lucky she’s got a mommy and daddy she loves a lot more,’’ I rub in, hoping to shut Max up for a little bit. He just scoffs rolling his eyes, when the front door knocks.
“I’ll get it,’’ Maverick speaks up, getting up off the side of the sofa from where he was looking down smiling at Hope.
He leaves and a second later returns with a frantic looking Joan. She breathes heavily as she comes in and kneels on the floor in front of where I’m lying down relaxing on the sofa, after only have two hours sleep last night.
“I’m so sorry,’’ she whispers, her eyes watering and her eyes filled with guilt.
“What are you sorry for?’’ I ask, looking at her confused. I’m struggling to figure out what she has done to warrant an apology.
“I’m the reason for all of this. For all of your troubles and why you left.’’
“Joan, what are you talking about?’’ I ask her again, sitting up a little but keeping my legs tucked under me.
“I’m the reason Hope is here today,’’ she gasps.
“I’m pretty sure you’re not Joan,’’ Mason grunts.
“Kinky,’’ Max mutters chuckling and earning a slap and a glare from Mason and I.
“Joan, get to the point, you’ve kind of got me worried.’’
“Denny, for you to understand I need to go back to the beginning a little. A few years ago Max and Mason were at the worst with their hoochie ways, so Mark and I decided to teach them a lesson and we went with Max first because he was the youngest and could be helped the quickest. We knew Mason would need more work,’’ she says dryly, looking at him with disgust making me bite back a smile.
“And?’’
“And it worked. But I’m so sorry. If I knew the simpleton wouldn’t have thrown them away, I would have done so myself,’’ she says giving Max a death glare.
“What are you talking about Joan; we’re going to be here all day at this rate? Hope needs her sleep,’’ Max tells her dryly, obviously not liking where the conversation is heading.
“Oh, yes, right. Well, I had a plan. Mark had told the boys they weren’t allowed to bring their lady friends around, or that Malik, Max, and Myles weren’t allowed to keep sleeping around. Max, thinking he could do as he pleased didn’t listen. So one morning, after the girl left I walked in as Mark distracted him with the third degree while I ran upstairs to poke holes in the condoms,’’ she winces.
“What does this have to do with me or Hope?’’ not clicking on to what she is trying to say and by looking at Mason’s face he has no idea either.
“Denny, you and Mason courted each other in that very room. You used those condoms. We were just cleaning out the room and three were missing. Two of those missing I knew had holes in them.’’
Then it all clicked into place and I sit back completely shocked and overwhelmed. Everything, and I mean everything, had happened because of a prank, but then I look over to Hope’s sleeping form and relax.
“It’s okay. As much as I wanted kids when I was older with a steady job and a husband, I wouldn’t trade Hope for anything. She’s my world and the best thing to ever happen to me,’’ I tell her, but my eyes search for Mason’s and when we lock eyes I know he feels the same way.
That moment, the moment she poked holes into the condoms brought me here. I’ve got a fiancé, a little girl, a home, but most of all, I have a huge ass, wild, crazy family who I love very much.
“You’re not mad?’’
“Are you mad, Mason?’’ I ask after shaking my head.
“If it had been anyone else, yes, but it got me you and Hope, so no, I don’t care.”
“Hold up! What are you doing cleaning out my drawers?’’ Max pipes up outraged and we all laugh at his expression.
“Max, I’m sure the boys have all seen your collection of porn and High School Musical DVD’s under your bed,’’ she snaps rolling her eyes, and I watch and listen as all brothers give him shit, laughing at him which just makes me laugh along with them. I love this. Love the banter they share together, it’s what a family should be like. It’s what I want for Hope.
“This isn’t fair. It’s invading my privacy. Does Granddad know you’ve done this?’’ Max asks completely outraged, thankfully keeping his voice to a low hiss.
“It was his idea to clean your rooms and the rest of the house. The place was starting to stink the street out. Having all you boys in that one house under no supervision was a bad idea. I’m hoping we can convert the two houses as one.’’
“Are you serious right now?’’ Max asks.
“I’ll be back there soon Joan and will have them doing their chores,’’ Maverick pipes up.
“Well that would be great dear if it wasn’t for the fact I’m still doing your dirty laundry. And Max, I’m deadly serious. You either keep that house spotless or I’ll be looking in to having it converted someway, one that will still allow Mason and Denny to get out. If that doesn’t go through, your Granddad and I will be moving in with you and letting Harlow and Malik stay at our house.’’
“This is…this is just wrong,’’ Max throws out, getting up to the door and leaving.
“Well now that’s settled and everything is okay, I better get back to working,’’ Joan says before giving me a kiss on the forehead and checking in on Hope sleeping in her mosses basket. “Such a darling.’’
We all grin watching her walk to the door. When she opens it Malik is holding his hand up in the air, his knuckles ready to knock on the door. He passes Joan with a nod, and walks into the front room.
“Is that safe? She’s still only a baby,’’ I ask Mason concerned.
“It’s fine. We double and triple checked that we could use it. Plus, it’s fast drying so the paint will dry before she goes up to bed,’’ Mason tells me making me relax.
“That’s good,’’ I nod, and groan when the door knocks again. This time it’s Harlow and she’s walking in with some shopping bags full of food and stuff that she left to get us earlier.
“Ahhh, thank you,’’ I gush, going to get up, but she puts her hands up to stop me.
“I got it, you stay there and I’ll put them away.’’
“Thank you so much,’’ I tell her, truly thankful that I get to call her my best friend. She truly has gone fabove and beyond with our friendship the past few weeks.
I hear the shopping bags hit the kitchen floor first before I hear the front door knock again.
“Bloody hell, it’s like Piccadilly Circus in here,’’ I groan, really needing some freaking sleep.
Maverick gets up from the floor and answers the door when Myles refuses to get up again after answering the three times. I can barely see the front door from where I’m sitting, but Maverick’s huge frame is covering the door way, blocking me from seeing who is on the other side. From the sound of the voice, it’s a girl. When he pulls back his expression is wary when he looks at me to Myles.
Wondering what has him on edge I sit up a little straighter in my seat, and gasp when Kayla’s tiny frame walks out from behind Maverick’s large frame.
Holy shit!!!
“It was you wasn’t it, the other witness?’’ is the first thing I blurt out jumping to my feet.
“Yes,’’ she whispers in a small voice, before looking around the room with wide frightened eyes. It’s then I look at everyone and see what she’s seeing and can’t help but want to cuddle her close. Although all the Carter brothers are soft as teddies, to an outsider they are a bunch of strong, muscled alpha males. With what Kayla has gone through they most likely look like The Hulk to her.
Mason Page 26
