by Kasey Krane
As she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, she gave me a look. I knew she wanted to talk too.
“Thank you for everything you did for us tonight.”
“I wasn’t the one who brought Davey back.”
“But you weren’t going to stop looking for him. You were willing to go to any lengths you had to.”
“You don’t need to thank me, Rosalie. He’s my son. I did it for me more than I did it for you.”
She looked down at her feet, refusing to meet my eyes as she asked the next question.
“Do you forgive me? For keeping Davey from you?”
“Yes,” I said without missing a beat.
She looked up at me with her blue eyes sparkling. Her hair was a mess but it made her look even more ravishing. No makeup. Old jeans and an oversized sweater. Rosalie was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen and she was the mother of my child.
“You’re not going back to that apartment,” I said.
“What?”
“I don’t want you guys living there. I don’t want you living alone.”
“So where will we live?” she asked.
“Here, with me.”
Of course, she could have said no. In fact, I expected her to. I didn’t think she would go for it. Why would she willingly put herself in more danger by being around me?
But then Rosalie smiled.
“I thought you would never ask,” she said.
Twenty-Nine
Rosalie
I went to him.
I was so excited. I was so happy and relieved. I had wanted to be held by him for so long.
He wrapped his thick muscular arms around me and held me close. My hips thrust into his legs while he framed my face with his hands. When he kissed me, it was slow at first. The deep kind of passionate kiss I had only read about described in stories. I didn’t think people actually kissed like that in real life.
But that was how Brendan kissed me. Our mouths fuzed, while his tongue pushed deep into my mouth. I could taste the beer on his breath, it didn’t matter.
I could also feel the strength of his arms. The way he held me told me everything was going to be all right. It would always be all right as long as I was with him.
The way he kissed me was a testament to how our life together could be. If he decided to spend it with me—because I already knew I didn’t want to spend it with anybody else.
The one thing I knew about being involved with Brendan was that danger would follow us wherever we went. His family was the mafia. I was sure of that now. They lived their lives dangerously. They went into bloody battles with other mafia families. People lost their lives over these battles, like some of them had that night.
But despite all the danger and uncertainty, I would always be safe. I would always have a man to rely on. Who would cherish Davey and me. How many people could say they had that in their lives?
I put my hands on his chest and pushed him backwards.
I wanted him to know just how serious I was about everything. I wanted to be there in his apartment, and be a part of his life.
And I wanted to be an equal partner to him.
Brendan let me push him. He was bigger than me. Taller and stronger than me, but I shoved him backwards until he fell into the couch. I tumbled down on top of him, sitting astride his lap.
I leaned into him, pushing him even backwards. I grabbed his face, molding him to my lips again. With my other hand, I undid his pants and grabbed his cock. So hard. So stiff and big. Brendan groaned with delight while I kissed him hard.
I stroked his cock until I knew he was on the verge of coming right there in my hand. Then I stopped.
“What are you doing to me?” he growled, grabbing me by the back of my neck when I started to pull away.
He sat on the couch with his big throbbing cock out. The cock I wanted inside me.
Maybe he hadn’t noticed yet but I was dripping wet for him.
I bit down on my lip and pulled myself away.
Brendan clenched his jaws tightly. His eyes were bloodshot and heavy as he watched me undress.
I took off the jeans and the sweater. Then the tank top and my bra. All I had on now was my panties. His eyes traveled all over me. Top to bottom. Taking in the scene.
I had never felt more beautiful naked than I did when he looked at me like that. Like he had never seen anything more astonishing before.
“I can’t believe that body made, carried and gave birth to my son,” he said in a deep murmuring voice.
“You helped make that boy. Without you there would be no Davey,” I said, pulling down my panties.
“Get over here, now.” It was a command.
I could see how hard he was. On par with how wet I was.
I obeyed his command. Just this once. With a smile on my face I climbed on top of him again, throwing my legs on either side of him.
Brendan’s hands were on my hips while I brought myself closer and closer to his cock. I held him in my hand again, bringing him to my moist swollen pussy. I had my other arm wrapped around his neck.
I teased him at first, slipping the tip of his cock into me and then sliding him out. He growled each time like a wild caged animal.
“Rosalie. What the fuck are you doing to me?”
That was all I needed to hear. I needed to hear how madly he wanted me.
I guided him in and before I could push myself completely down on him, he thrust upwards so his cock settled deep inside me. Buried inside me with a thud. Like a machine locking into place.
I gasped with joy and he groaned with satisfaction.
That was exactly where we were always supposed to be. Intertwined with each other.
Brendan held on to my hips while I bounced on his lap, sucking him deeper and deeper inside me. My breasts bounced too, right in front of his face. He stared at them, like he couldn’t look away.
His cock filled me, deep and thickly. When his fingers found my clit and he started stroking lovingly, slowly, gently—I couldn’t hold back any longer.
I was about to come. Quickly. Hard.
And I knew I didn’t need to hold back. I could have him again if I wanted to. He wasn’t going anywhere.
I moaned, arching backwards as I allowed myself to come. Brendan held on to me tightly while I swayed, revealing in the ecstasy of complete abandon. Then he shot his seed inside me too, growling with every long thrust inside me. He filled me with his come and once again, I couldn’t help but wonder if we could make another baby.
Brendan pulled me into his arms once we were done. I was still on his lap and I laid my head on his chest. He weaved his fingers into my hair.
“I feel like I should warn you,” he said.
His eyes were dark and troubled when I looked at him, although I knew what he was about to say.
“It’s not going to be an easy path to take if you decide to be with me. If you decide you want me to be a part of Davey’s life too. I’m not sure what it looks like on the outside, but it’s not easy being a Doherty. The dangers severely outweigh the perks.”
I had to smile at that.
It was an understatement.
I nodded. “And if I’m being honest with you, Brendan, I don’t know anything about this world other than what I have experienced today. When I thought I came so close to losing my son. So yeah, my first impressions about the life you lead are not exactly rainbow-colored.”
Brendan’s hands gently stroked my back and my hair, distracting me from the conversation. I could feel desire rising in me again. Would I ever stop wanting this man?
Nobody else would ever match up.
“But I have been in love with you for four years and I don’t have a hope of ever falling out of love,” I added.
He looked confused by that.
“You didn’t figure it out?” I asked. “The reason why I kept pushing you away, and the reason why I didn’t find you and tell you about Davey…all that. It was because it was love at first
sight for me. And I was rejected by you once, and I didn’t want to go through that again.”
“I never rejected you, Rosalie,” he said, grabbing my chin, pulling me closer so he could kiss me.
Our mouths met and once again, I melted. There was no stopping me while this guy was around.
“Yeah, well I thought you’d rejected me, and as the months went by and even though I found out I was carrying your child and you weren’t around…I never got over you. I could never replace you or that night we shared. I know it sounds crazy. Holding on to something like that for four years but…”
He interrupted me. “I know how that feels, because even though I wasn’t fully conscious of it, it was how I felt too. I always knew, at the back of my head, that through the drunken haze of those years, I had actually stumbled upon something real.”
We kissed again. This time even softer. Even more tenderly.
I felt a spark of sudden happiness, like I had never experienced before. I was safe. Davey was safe. I was with the man I loved and maybe he loved me too.
“And you’re never going back to that damned bar or the diner again. You don’t have to work another day in your life if you don’t want to,” he added.
I was proud. I didn’t want to rely on him or anyone for my livelihood, but going to college was something that I’d always wanted to do. It would be a dream come true. Additionally, I had wanted nothing more than to spend time with my son. If I didn’t have to do multiple shifts in a day, I would actually be able to do that. I would be able to raise Davey the way I had always wanted to.
So, I nodded in agreement. I liked Brendan’s plan.
We made grilled cheeses and ate them at the kitchen table. We even considered waking up Davey and offering him some food, but when we checked on him, he looked so cozy and peaceful that we let him sleep.
I couldn’t remember feeling this content. Ever.
As intimidating as it was to become a part of the Doherty family, it was also fulfilling. I would never feel this safe anywhere else.
And no other man would satisfy me the way he did.
“Do you ever want to meet your biological father?” Brendan asked as we sat beside each other at the kitchen table. He was shirtless and my eyes kept drifting to his chiseled naked torso.
I shrugged and then nodded. “Sometimes. And it horrified me that Davey would want to meet you too, someday. I didn’t know how I would tell him the truth. How I would face you. If you would even want to see him. I lived my life in a constant state of panic, guilt and looking over my shoulder. Nobody knew about you. I hadn’t even told my friends who Davey’s father was.”
Brendan’s eyes were on me and I liked being watched by him, scrutinized by him. I didn’t want to keep any secrets from him. I wanted him to know me inside-out.
“And what about you? Do you think you can be around kids now? Do you think you will ever forgive yourself for everything that happened in your family in the past?” I asked.
He clenched his jaws and took a deep breath.
“As twisted as it sounds, tonight was actually a lesson learned for me. Davey’s kidnapping was completely out of your hands, out of my control too. Just like Tristian’s had been when he was a kid,” he said.
“You were a kid!”
Brendan nodded.
“I think I can forgive myself now. At least I can start trying to.”
“Davey is back safe with us, just the way your brother came back to you.”
“Aldo Baron is still going to pay for what he did. He kidnapped my son,” Brendan growled.
I knew there was no point in trying to talk him out of revenge. He meant it when he said he would make them pay. Each and every one of them who was responsible.
My hand subconsciously drifted to my belly as I sat there beside him. I wasn’t actively thinking about it, but it must have been on my mind. A second pregnancy. Another baby. How amazing would that be?
I kissed his cheek and took another bite of my grilled cheese.
Whatever path our future would take—at least I would have him with me.
Thirty
Brendan
Rosalie was already making pancakes the next morning when Davey woke up. We heard him get off the bed, then open the door and come look for us in the kitchen.
He went straight to his mother and Rosalie lifted him up.
“Did you sleep well, honey? Are you feeling okay?”
He nodded and smiled, gave her a kiss and then came over to me.
“Is this where you live?” he asked.
“Yeah, it is, do you like it?”
Davey nodded.
There were going to be many changes in his life in the coming months, and I was worried he was too little to actually understand it. They would move into my apartment. He would have a new room. Rosalie would be able to spend a lot more time with him.
Most importantly, he was going to find out that he had a dad. That I was his dad.
Neither Rosalie, nor I knew how he was going to take this news.
Davey never had a father figure in his life.
Rosalie brought the pancakes to the table while I asked Davey to help me with the whipped cream and the fruit for the toppings.
“Do I have to go to school today?” he asked when we sat down at the table.
“No honey, you don’t have to go to school until you’re ready to go back,” Rosalie replied.
“Will I stay with Grandma? Will you go to work?” he asked.
Rosalie smiled and glanced at me.
“No, I’m going to stay home too. We can spend all day together.”
“I’m going to be home today too,” I added.
Davey’s face shined bright as he looked at my face and then his mother’s. It was almost like he was in disbelief.
“Okay. Can we get pizza? And ice cream? Can we go to the park? I want cotton candy too.”
I laughed and Rosalie rolled her eyes.
“Don’t push it there, buddy,” she said.
In reality, we both wanted to give Davey all the things he wanted. Anything that would make him feel safe and help him forget what happened the previous day.
“But before we do any of those amazing things, honey, we have something we want to tell you,” Rosalie said.
She looked at me for support. We had already decided we would tell him in the morning, as soon as possible. Give him the time he needed to get used to the idea.
Davey pouted and looked confusedly at us.
“Brendan is your daddy,” she continued.
Even though Davey was just three, it seemed like he soaked in the information for an extended period of time. Like he needed extra time to make sense of what had just been told to him.
“My daddy?” he asked, staring at me curiously.
Rosalie got up from her chair and went over to kneel down beside him.
“Do you understand what that means, honey?” she asked, taking his hands.
He was still staring at me, studying me like he was trying to figure it out.
“You mean I have a daddy? Like on my shows where they have daddies?” he asked.
Rosalie pursed her lips together and it looked like her eyes were welling up. I assumed she didn’t know that Davey had noticed this significant detail on the shows he watched regularly. That other people had daddies but he didn’t.
Rosalie stroked his hair and nodded.
“Yes, sweetheart, exactly like that. You have a mommy and a daddy.”
“My friend Sam has a daddy,” he replied, looking at me excitedly.
“And can Sam’s daddy do this?” I asked and quickly picked up all the pancakes on my plate and stuffed my mouth with them.
Davey burst out laughing when he saw how ridiculous I looked trying to chomp through all the food in my mouth. Rosalie smiled too. She looked relieved that I’d managed to make the scene a little less intense.
“No. He can’t!” Davey exclaimed, laughing even harder.
“Wha
t about this?” I asked, popping two blueberries in my nostrils where they got stuck.
Davey couldn’t stop laughing. I added some funny grunts into the mix. I loved watching him laugh. It made me happy that he was happy. That there was a possibility he would be happy with me.
“Can I call you Daddy now?” he asked when he was finally done laughing.
I had to grip the table with both hands because that was something I wasn’t expecting to hear. I figured it would take Davey a long while before he got there. But I had clearly underestimated the kid.
“Of course, kiddo, you can call me anything you like.”
“Daddy.”
“Sounds good to me.”
Rosalie gulped down the lump of joy that had formed in her throat.
“And now that you have a daddy and a mommy, we were wondering how you’d feel about moving into this apartment. So we can all live together. What do you think, honey?” she continued.
“Do I get that room?” Davey asked, pointing down the hall in the direction of the spare room.
“Yeah. It’s yours,” I said.
Davey nodded excitedly. “But I don’t have to leave school, do I?”
“No, honey, you don’t have to leave school or your friends,” Rosalie said.
First he hugged his mother and then he came over to give me a hug too. I held his small body in my arms. It felt like I had known him forever. He had always been mine.
“Her name is Elsie,” Tristian said on the phone.
“Okay, and what else has she told you besides her name?”
“That she is…was…the accountant for the Baron family. Until she decided to run.”
“And that is what she’s telling you. What are you doing with her?”
“She’s at my place. I didn’t know where else to take her. I need to talk to Dad and the others about it. Everyone’s chilling out for now after the night they’ve had.”
“So she’s just there in your apartment?”
“Yeah. What the fuck else was I supposed to do?”
