by Erin Trejo
25
Callan
A daughter. I always thought I’d have kids with Shane because I loved her so much. Even when we were younger, I knew there was something more in her that I wanted. It didn’t matter how old we were, I knew. Now that we have Bella, I couldn’t imagine my life without her. I watch her as I lean against the wall of the studio with my arms crossed over my chest. A smile on my face that could be replaced.
“She’s too damn cute. A lot like her mom,” Knox says leaning up next to me.
“Yeah, she is.” Bella twirls with the other girls, smiling and even laughing when she falls on her ass. Her laughter is infectious. Shane grabs her hands and pulls her up before leaning down and kissing the top of her head. It’s the perfect sight to see. She’s happy, she smiles all the time.
“Did you talk to the lawyer?” Knox asks.
“Yeah. He will have all the paperwork ready as soon as Shane says yes.”
“You think she won’t?” he asks. I laugh. I know she will but that doesn’t mean anything.
“Want to find out?” I ask, raising an eyebrow. Knox chuckles as the class ends and the girls run out the door. Bella runs into Knox’s arms, hanging off his neck as she tells him about her fall. I move toward Shane, grabbing her by the wrist and pulling her into me, kissing her until she can’t breathe.
“Marry me.”
“Excuse me?” she says pulling back.
“You heard me. We’re getting married.”
“No, we’re not. What the hell is wrong with you, Callan?”
“Nothing. Nothing is wrong except this. Everything in my life is perfect except for your last name. We’re getting married. If you want a big fucking wedding later on, you can have it but for now we’re doing it the informal way,” I tell her. I’m not asking her. I’m telling her. I’m sick of not having what I want in life and now I’m taking it.
“This is crazy. You can’t tell me what to do, Callan. We aren’t ready for marriage.” Her hands land on her hips in that sexy way she does and my heart nearly bursts from my chest.
“Why aren’t we ready? I fuck you every night in a bed we share. What more do you want?”
“I don’t know!” She throws her hands in the air while I laugh.
“Well I know. I want you. I want Bella. I don’t care how old we are. I don’t care what other bullshit excuses you have. I’m tired of losing everything I love; do you understand?” Her eyes fill with tears as she shakes her head. I grab her face in my hands, pulling her mouth to mine. After a punishing kiss, I pull away and just breathe her in.
“Are you sure? Taking on a child is a lot, Callan.”
“I told you before that I wanted her to be mine. If things were different, she might have been, just not when you were sixteen. She’s everything to me, Shane. Just like you are. I want this. I promise you that I will show you every single day of my life that this is all I want. My family has been fucked since the day I was born. Don’t you see that? I don’t want that for you or her. I want us to be happy and together.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really. Pay attention, Shane. You and Bella are all I want. There is nothing I want more,” I tell her. She nods her head and I crash my lips against hers once more. The taste of her salty tears on my tongue makes my heart speed up.
“Did you win?” I hear Steele before pulling back and looking at him.
“Damn right I did.”
“Wait? What? Win what?” Shane asks, looking around at my brothers confused.
“He said he wasn’t giving you a choice. The asshole was going all alpha on you,” Whisper laughs.
“Are you kidding me? You think you can tell me what to do?” Shane turns to look at me. I can see the slight anger but I also see that she likes it when I tell her what to do.
“Yeah, I do, Mrs. Alder. And once you sign the damn papers at the house, that little girl is going to be mine too.” She gasps. “Don’t look so surprised. The adoption papers go along with the marriage certificate, Shane. I wasn’t joking about any of this.” She reaches up and swipes the tears from her cheeks when Bella rushes in between us. I lean down and pick my daughter up, holding her in one arm and pulling Shane in with the other.
“What am I going to do with you, Callan?” She whispers.
“Just… stay with me.”
The end.
Afterword
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