by Lila Rose
My hand went to Vice’s chest. It was bouncing up and down from his rapid breathing. But what he’d said made a lot of sense.
“Tell me it isn’t true, John. Was Daphne even here, even the girlfriend you left me for?”
“I’m sorry, but yes, it’s true. Cammy and I hooked up for a few nights a long time ago. And Daphne was real, until I rekindled things with Cammy while staying here.”
“So, you and my sister… years ago started something while we were married?”
He actually looked remorseful.
“John, you don’t have to say anything,” Cammy said.
Turning my gaze to Cammy, I asked, “You slept with my husband before we’d even divorced? What did I ever do to you?” My eyes welled. Vice’s arm wrapped around my shoulders. “Why do you hate me so much?”
Sick, I felt so sick in the stomach from the thought of my sister betraying me so long ago along with my ex. It wasn’t that I lost John out of it all, but Drew lost his father. All because of her and the way John couldn’t keep it in his pants.
Cammy’s hands fisted. She then placed them flat on the table. “You always got everything. I got nothing.”
“Jesus, Cammy,” John sighed. He shook his head. Maybe he was finally realizing her play had nothing to do with Drew’s safety, but to hurt me some more.
“How can you say that? Mom and Dad always tried to bend over backward to make you happy. I didn’t get to do dance or tennis or anything else you tried.”
“You said no to be the good, perfect little girl, so they felt they had to spend the money on me. They hated me, loved you.”
Throwing my hands up in the air, I groaned and then wiped my face. I would not cry over her any longer. “You can think what you want. I really don’t care anymore, Cammy. Do you hear me? I don’t care about you because I no longer have a sister.”
Her eyes widened for a fraction before slanting into a scowl. “Whatever. At least Little Miss Perfect can’t have everything. Drew will be staying here with us or else your man there will be paying big bucks to shut us up about his life and what trouble it could cause for Drew now at school and when he’s older.”
“Drew won’t be staying with you,” Vice growled.
“You can’t—” Cammy started.
“Cammy,” John warned, his eyes searching Cammy for something before they flashed with disappointment. “This has nothing to do with what Addy has or hasn’t got, and it certainly hasn’t got a goddamn thing to do with money. We’re doing this for Drew’s sake.” Cammy reached over and patted John’s leg.
“Of course.” She nodded.
“Are you seriously going to stand there and listen to your woman’s words? She hates her sister to a point she’ll use anyone to bring Addy down. I know I won’t let it happen ever again. You need to think of your son, not the woman who’s leading you around by your dick.”
“I am thinking of my son. I won’t let Drew be around a person like you if it could cause problems for him in any way. Kids can be cruel.”
Vice smiled. “Then it’s a good thing two weeks ago I sold those businesses.”
“You what?” I gasped.
“Yeah, baby. I sold them because I knew having you and Drew in my life were more important than those businesses. You think I want Drew to come home one day asking if I make porn? I don’t, so I made sure that won’t happen.”
“But, but…,” Cammy began.
“No one knows. It isn’t public. The change is happening though, and everything about my name associated with porn and adult stores will be gone from any search engine on the net. The films I’ve already produced will have a cover change with the new owner’s name on there.” He turned back to look at John, with his lip raised in disgust. “Adalyn and Drew are my world. I’d do anything for them. It’s something you should have done because, man, they make my world shine bright. They would have yours if you hadn’t fucked them over. Your loss, my gain, and I’m gaining big.”
“This… you… fuck.” John turned to Cammy. “You egged me on and all for what? To mess with Adds more and because you saw dollar signs.” He shook his head and glanced back to John. “I don’t—”
Vice’s hand came up. “I don’t want to hear anything you have to say right now. Take the trash at your side and go. We’ll be leaving tomorrow with Drew. If you want to see Drew the next school holidays, organize it, but you’ll fly to see him in our town and without her. If you think you can play more games with us, think again. I have the means to tear your lives apart even before it went to court.”
Holy shit.
Vice was so getting lucky.
I was giddily ecstatic with how my man handled the situation.
“Adds, I’m sorry, I—”
“Don’t you apologize to her,” Cammy screeched, stamping her foot.
“Shut up, Cammy,” John barked in her face.
Running my hand up from Vice’s belly to his chest, I caught his eyes when he looked down. “Can we get out of here? Drew wants to show us the beach.”
“Sounds good to me.” He smiled, touched his mouth to mine, and we walked away.
Getting closer to the doorway, I said, “You know I wouldn’t have cared if you kept the business?”
“I know. But I wanted to. I’ll have people living with me soon. I didn’t want to be run down with work. Besides, I’ll have to keep up my energy for all the sex we’ll have to make more babies.”
I stopped. “You want to have children with me?”
“Fuck yes,” he whispered against my lips and then ran his tongue around to my ear. My legs quivered along with my clit when he bit down before adding, “Speaking of which, I’m not getting any younger, we should start tonight.”
Pulling back, to see if he was serious and he definitely seemed it, my heart jerked inside my chest and then galloped along in excitement. Even my belly was tumbling in joy at the thought of having Vice’s child. Still, no matter how big I was smiling, I had to ask, “Can we wait at least until Drew and I have moved in?”
“We’re moving in with Vice? Wicked!” Drew yelled.
Epilogue
The bed dipped, and I blinked through the haze of sleepiness when Vice wrapped me up in his arms. Rolling, I cuddled in close and kissed his chest. It was mornings like this I loved. Actually, I loved every moment with Vice.
“Is Drew awake?” I asked. I knew it wouldn’t be long. He was a very early morning riser, especially when it came to days he was excited about. Like Christmas. We’d been living with Vice for six months, and it was our first Christmas together, I think I was as excited as Drew.
“Not yet, but he’ll be awake soon.”
Pulling back, Vice dipped his head so our eyes could meet. His eyes held a glint to them, meaning he’d done something.
“What did you do?”
“Baby, get your pj’s on.”
“Vice, what did you do?”
He smirked, leaned in and kissed me. Once his tongue touched mine, I was on my back with him hovering over me. Only when things had heated, his lips trailing down my neck, that he shifted back and got out of bed.
“Hey,” I called, annoyed.
He chuckled, and while putting on warm clothes, he said, “It seems my girlfriend can’t get enough of me.” He faced me, smiling. “I had you last night, twice, baby. Thought it would get you through the day. I see it won’t, but baby, you’re going to have to wait. I promise I’ll make it up to you tonight. Quick, Addy, get dressed.”
My brows dipped, but I slipped out of bed and pulled on my pj’s Vice had taken off the previous night. “I don’t understand why it’s so urgent when Drew isn’t even—”
“Mom!” Drew yelled, his voice full of awe and elation.
Vice winked. “Come on, baby. Santa’s been.” Vice took my hand and tugged me out of our room, down the hall to enter Drew’s room. I’d thought Drew would already be in the living room where the Christmas tree was with all the presents under it. A Christmas tree we all
went shopping for and one we’d all decorated. It had been another perfect night, one of many nights, days, and mornings we shared. Of course, everything couldn’t be all roses. We had our days where we went head-to-head against each other, but even on those days I loved him.
Because the making up part I looked forward to something fierce.
Vice stepped away from the doorway, and my mouth dropped open. Drew, still in his bed, held a blond Labrador puppy, who he was cuddling tight.
“Look what Santa brought me.” Drew beamed up at us. His eyes held wetness. He’d been asking for a dog since he could talk. When Puss-it had rocked up at Mom’s place, his need for an animal settled a little. It wasn’t until after we’d moved, and Drew wanted Puss-it to stay with his nana in case she got lonely without them there, did he start hinting at a dog again.
As Drew shoved his face into the dog’s neck, I turned to Vice and whispered, “You got him a puppy?” That must have been why he kept going into the garage the night before; he said he was doing some work on the car. Of course he knew I’d tune that out, not wanting to investigate when it had something to do with a car. He was a smart cookie.
“He’s wanted one for a long time, baby. Couldn’t not get our boy his first puppy.”
Our boy.
I loved hearing Vice call Drew our boy.
He’d been wonderful with every aspect of altering his life with ours. Once we moved in, he made sure he was home to each dinner with us. He came to all the basketball games, helped Drew with homework, and loved reading with him. After we’d got back from Hawaii, John called, and when I refused to answer, Vice had.
“No, you’ve got Vice,” he answered. “Not sure she’s ready to talk to you.” He frowned, listening. “Right. You know where I want it to lead with Addy and Drew, so you have to understand I’ll be in their lives from now on.” He paused. “Good to hear. You’re still his dad. I’d never stand in your way, but if you fuck with either of them again, I will come down on you like a ton of bricks.” My va jay jay danced at his words. “Okay, I’ll let her know, and come back to you once we’ve talked. Later.”
As soon as he hung up, he pulled me onto his lap on the couch and told me, “He didn’t like I answered, but he knows I’m a part of your world now. He wanted to apologize. Said he’s kicked Cammy to the curb and wanted it clear he was still Drew’s dad. He’s moving back, baby. Wants more time with his son.”
“Vice….”
He tucked my hair behind my ear. “He’s getting his thumb out of his ass for Drew. It’s a good thing. Wish my dad would have thought of his kids instead of his dick. But we’ll sort it so you and Drew are comfortable with whatever you want to give him.”
“Before everything, John was a good dad. Turned out, he just wasn’t great at being my husband. I’ll never forgive him and my sister for what they did. I have a lot of hate inside of me for them lying to me for so long. However, I couldn’t have Drew miss out on time with his father since John and I did do one right thing together. Bringing Drew into the world. Doesn’t mean I’ll ever be happy to be around John. You may have to deal with him.”
“I can do that. Anything for you and Drew. Anyway, it won’t be for a while until he moves back, so we have time to organize the times he has Drew.”
“Okay, honey.”
“You good?”
“Yes.” I smiled.
That was no lie, I was good because I had Vice at my side.
John moved back two months later, and he now had Drew every second weekend. Both son and father looked forward to those times, and maybe, eventually, we’d come to some type of agreement where John could share the special events with us. Though, it wouldn’t be just yet. We were still working on a congruous relationship between us.
Watching Drew lavish the puppy with attention, my eyes misted. Stepping close to Vice, I wrapped my arms around his waist. “Love you, Vice Salvatore.”
“Love you, Addy. Always.”
“Can I name him? Can I?” Drew climbed out of his bed with the dog in his arms.
“Careful,” I said.
“I know, Mom,” Drew replied, then looked at Vice and rolled his eyes.
Snorting as Drew got close, I tugged him into both Vice and me. “Kiss and hug first. Then you can think of names while you take him out the back for a bathroom break.”
Drew sighed and puckered his lips up to me. I leaned in for a quick kiss and then wrapped him close to Vice and me. Vice placed his arms around the both of us.
“You happy, kiddo?” Vice asked, gazing down at Drew.
“Totally.”
“Good.” He ruffled Drew’s hair and then added, “Now go do what your mom said, and no peeking at the other presents.”
“That’s like when Mom asked us not to touch the cake she made yesterday, but… nothing.” His eyes flicked to me quickly and then away. He wiggled his way out and started for the door.
“Drew, did you have some of that cake?”
“Um. Sorry, gotta take Optimus Prime out. Ask Vice.”
Turning my glare to the man at my side, I placed my hands on my hips. “Vice Salvatore. Tell me you didn’t let Drew touch that cake.”
His lips twitched. “God, you’re cute when riled.”
“Vice?”
The doorbell rang. Vice smirked. “Saved by the bell.” He dipped in for a quick touch of my lips and dodged my fist. He chuckled as he made his way out of Drew’s room.
It was just lucky my guys were cute, and I’d made a second cake hidden at the back of the refrigerator because I’d known, once I saw them eyeing it, they wouldn’t be able to resist.
“Merry Christmas!” was shouted from the front door. Mom had arrived.
“Jesus, woman. Warn before you do that” was boomed just after by Trent.
Grinning, I made my way out of Drew’s room and down the hall. Since the barbecues, Mom and Trent were getting to know one another. Well, that was what they both told Kenzie, Lori, and me, but we were sure it was more since they spent a lot of time together. Of course, we teased them about it all the time. That was until Mom sat me down and said if I didn’t act my age soon, she would go into great detail about her time between the sheets with Trent. Then she’d added not that she had as yet. Since I never wanted to hear it, I cut my teasing back to the bare minimum and mainly focused on Trent because when he blushed, he went bright red, and then he’d start stuttering or calling us every name under the sun.
“Merry Christmas!” I called, walking into the living room to find them already sitting on the lounge, waiting for Drew to come back in.
“Merry Christmas, sweetheart.” Mom smiled.
“Merry Christmas, shithead,” Trent grumbled.
“Hey, I haven’t even started.” He rose a brow. “However, I have a question.” He sighed, Vice chuckled, and Mom glared. Still, I went on. I just couldn’t resist. “Since being here so early, did you and Mom have a sleepover, Trent? Do I call you my stepfather now?”
He coughed, glared, pointed his finger at me while opening and closing his mouth.
Drew came running in. “Nana, Pop. See what I got? His name is Optimus Prime, but Prime for short.”
One day when we were at Mom’s, and Trent was there, as he usually was, we were all sitting down to a meal when Drew turned to Trent and asked, “You’re always with Nana so can I call you Pop?” It was another time Trent blushed, coughed, choked, and spluttered words without a real answer. So Mom came to his rescue, placed her hand on Trent’s thigh and said, “Drew, my boy, that would be fine, and it’s really sweet of you.”
“Yeah!” Trent yelled. “What she said.”
Vice came up behind me and circled his arms around my waist as we watched Drew fly at Mom and Trent, then drop his wiggly, bouncy puppy onto their laps.
“Oh, wow, a puppy,” Mom cooed.
“You must have been a very good boy to get a puppy, Drew-Boo,” Trent said, ruffling his hair before pulling him onto his lap.
“I was. I
ate all my vegetables, even though I hate them.”
“Say what? All of those pesky vegetables?” asked Trent with mock horror.
“Yep.”
“Good job, boy.”
Drew looked up. “Can we do presents now? Can we?”
“How about we get Prime into his playpen, so he won’t eat all the wrapping paper first,” Vice suggested.
“Good idea.” Drew nodded, scooping up his puppy and walking to the pen Vice must have set up in the night, before he placed him in. Warmth flooded me when I saw Drew kiss Prime’s head. “Presents?”
“Yes,” I cried, clapping. Then I ran over to the tree and picked up a bracelet-sized box. I couldn’t wait any longer to give Vice his present. “Drew, can you give this to Vice?”
“Sure can.” He skipped over, just as thrilled as I was over the gift since I’d told him about it the night before. Anything earlier and he would have spilled the beans about it. Drew was terrible at keeping a secret.
Drew made it to Vice with the gift and when Vice took it, he met my gaze and said, “I thought we were doing ours after Drew’s done his.”
“Just open, open, open,” Drew told him.
Vice chuckled. “Okay, kiddo.”
Wrapping my arms around my middle, I rocked back and forth on my feet while my nerves bombarded me. If he didn’t like it, I was screwed. He had to like it. No, he would like it. He would. Biting my bottom lip, I watched as he finally got the paper off and then lifted the lid of the bracelet box.
His eyes widened, his mouth dropped, and slowly he lifted his head to look at me. “Really?”
Once more, tears filled my eyes, and I nodded.
“What?” Mom asked.
“We’re having a baby!” Drew shouted. He spun around and did a jig, while Mom screamed then burst into tears. Trent, with his own eyes filling, pulled Mom into him.
“Addy?” Looking up, I found Vice right in front of me. “How far are you?”
