Adrianna Doukas’ POV
“I think you need help. I can call Drake or someone else.”
“No! I do not. Everything is fine. It’ll be built in no time at all.”
I looked at the pile of material needed to build two baby cribs and sighed. Damien was not someone who is handy and could follow instructions. That’s probably why he is the boss of his own company where he could order people around to get things done.
“No, really, I think you need help,” I said leaning against the door frame.
Damien scowled. “I am Damien Doukas, and I do not need any bloody help. And these are for my sons. I am going to build the cribs, and no one can build it except me.”
I rolled my eyes at his stubborn pride and unreasonable logic. I stroked my swelling belly and murmured softly to the twins. “Your papa may not have your beds ready when you arrive, but you can stay in papa’s bed with mama, and he can sleep on the floor.”
“I told you I can do it!” Damien shouted annoyed while I held back a grin.
Now that I was reaching full term, Damien and I were prepared for anything that could happen. Meanwhile, Damien had also been preparing our two angel’s rooms, and now, he was trying to piece the two cribs together.
The reason why he wanted to do it himself was because he wanted to be fully involved with anything and everything. The reasoning was sweet, but when it came to the actual work, it was beyond frustrating and tiring.
“Yes! Look! I pieced it!”
I stared at the thing that Damien fit together and frowned, “Damien, why did you fit the headboard with the legs?”
Damien looked down and frowned. “What? Really?”
I sighed and rolled my eyes, “Just refer to the instruction manual!”
Damien frowned before glaring at me. “The instruction manual is for fools! I am Damien Doukas, and I do not need it.” He scoffed arrogantly
I glared back at him. “And I am Adrianna Valdez, and I say you need it!”
Damien scowled at me before standing up and crossing his arms. “No! You are Adrianna Doukas!”
I raised my eyebrows and pursed my lips before admitting, “Right, I forgot.” Sometimes, I forgot that I was married and my name had changed. It was like a beautiful dream that had happened, and it did not feel real.
“YOU FORGOT?” Damien looked close to erupting, and I hid back a laugh. It seemed that Damien was more used to being married than I was. I rolled my eyes and gave him a pointed stare.
“Just look at the instruction manual,” I said calmly.
Damien glared at me before stalking towards me. “How could you forget your new name? It has only been two months and a half since we got married! You married me, so your name is going to be Adrianna Doukas from the day since we said ‘I do’!”
I opened my mouth to retort, but sudden pain racked through my body, and I let out a loud gasp with one hand on the wall to support me and the other on my belly. Liquid began dripping from my legs, and I cringed at the feeling.
“Adrianna, what is going on? Are you okay?” Damien seemed to forget his annoyance with me as his gaze ran all over my body worriedly.
“T-the babies… Coming! The hospital now!” I gasped out, and Damien’s eyes widened before he frantically ran to our room to grab the baby bag, and I slowly made my way to the living room. Damien skidded down the stairs and helped me into the car.
“Damien, hurry!” I gritted my teeth as I began walking slowly. He started the car, and I gripped his thigh tightly, my body tensing as if preparing for a bout of pain that was going to come any moment.
“Ow, fuck! That hurt. Stop holding onto me!”
I glared at him. “I would not have done that if you brought me to the hospital already!”
Damien glowered at me as he glanced at me before turning back to the road. “I would have gotten you to the hospital if you had not embedded your fingernails in my thigh!”
“Do you really want to argue with me now? I said take me to the hospital this instant!” I snapped, and Damien widened his eyes at me before giving in.
“All right, all right.”
He pressed his foot on the gas pedal, and we speeded off.
***
Damien Doukas’ POV
“Oh, I remember the contractions when I had Trevor. Drake was lucky he only got away with a few scratches on his arms,” Olivia said as she patted Trevor to sleep in her arms.
“A few scratches? Woman, you almost clawed my eyeballs out,” Drake retorted before Olivia rolled her eyes.
“Semantics. At least, you weren’t in as much pain I was when Trevor was born. Right, baby?” Olivia scoffed before cooing to Trevor who was sleepily gazing at us.
Drake rolled his eyes in response before sipping from his soda bottle. “Hey, where’d Kolosov go?”
I shrugged, not particularly caring about the Russian. “Why is it taking so long? Yours was only two hours,” I spoke out worriedly as I watched the room where Adrianna was in anxiously. Adrianna and the nurses had kicked me out when I had fainted thrice when Adrianna started to push.
What if things went wrong? What if either Adrianna or the babies did not make it? I panicked. There were cases where women in labor had not made it alive as their bodies could not withstand the trauma of giving birth. If Adrianna didn’t make it, I know I wouldn’t make it either. She was the sole reason that I was living.
Reading my expression, Olivia assured me, “Don’t worry about Adrianna. She’s tough, and she can take it. Just imagine in a few moments, you will be holding your two sons in your arms.” Olivia smiled at me before rocking Trevor to sleep.
“I hope you’ll be returning the favor. After all, you’re Trevor’s godfather.” Drake hinted with a smirk. I opened my mouth to reply when the room door opened, and a nurse gestured me to go in.
“W-what is going on? Is Adrianna all right?” I asked anxiously, and the nurse smiled at me.
“Yes, your wife is doing fine. She wants you to be by her side now. One of your sons is arriving very soon, and she wants you there.”
I stood to my feet jerkily and made my way in. Adrianna was panting heavily. Her eyes met mine, and she gave me a weak smile. “Hurry, Damien. Come here.” I went towards her and held her hand tightly.
I kissed her forehead and gave her a smile. “You are doing great.”
Adrianna smiled tiredly in response before her face scrunched up in pain as she let out a push. I winced at the feeling of my hand being squeezed so tightly but remained silent. It was my fault that she was in this state.
***
“Here are your sons, Mr. Doukas.” A nurse handed me a blanket carefully and the other to Adrianna. I held it gently, afraid that if I held on too tight, I would squish my son. I peered at the baby in it, and instantly, strong emotion crashed over my entire being. Love for this baby swept through me, along with joy. Tears of happiness ran down my cheeks as I gazed at my son. Blue eyes met mine, and he yawned. My heart melted, and I stroked his cheek tenderly.
“Damien, I want to see him,” Adrianna called out, and I slowly handed him to her. I didn’t know how Adrianna managed to hold both our sons in her arms, and we gazed down at them lovingly. “Whom shall we call Roman and the other Raphael?”
“The first one who is born can be called Roman, the second can be Raphael. How do we differentiate them?”
I observed them both. “Raphael has a dimple on his right cheek. Roman does not have one at all.”
Adrianna sighed happily and kissed them both on their foreheads. “That is good. They are so precious.” Adrianna cooed.
I silently agreed with her, and we watched our two angels as they fell asleep.
***
“Oh, look, they are absolutely gorgeous!” My mother gushed as she cooed over my sons.
Adrianna beamed and handed Raphael over to my mother, and my father held Roman. “Oh, they have my blond hair!” Laura gestured towards the tuft of blonde hair on Raphael’s head.
I snorted and rolled my eyes while Adrianna laughed and nodded. “Yes, they do. It was a really big surprise.” It was true, both my sons had inherited my mother’s blonde hair, and it was strange considering both Adrianna and I had dark hair. But the good thing was they had gotten Adrianna’s blue eyes. It was a beautiful dark shade of blue, unlike my blue eyes.
“Which is my godchild?” Slade frowned and studied my two sons. “God, they look the same.”
“Raphael. Drake’s godchild would be Roman. And yes, that is what identical twins mean Slade.” Adrianna raised an eyebrow before smirking.
Slade had rolled his eyes before he reached out to take Raphael from my mother. “He looks more like Adrianna than you Doukas. Hey, buddy, when you grow up, you can join uncle Slade and learn how to use a gun.”
Adrianna gasped before hitting Slade viciously in the arm. “Slade!” I glared at him, “Why don’t you get your own kid and leave mine alone?”
Slade snorted but smirked. “I can’t. The women I want bearing my child are all taken by my best friends.” He planted a kiss on Adrianna’s cheek and shot me a smug grin before sprinting away from me.
Adrianna gaped in surprise as she stared at Slade’s retreating form before meeting mine. I growled angrily before chasing after Slade. “Stop flirting with my wife!”
Later that night, after they had left, Adrianna and I watched our two blond-haired angels sleeping away in their cribs that I had finally pieced together with the help of Drake and Slade.
I scowled at the thought of Slade’s lips near Adrianna. “Do they not look beautiful?” Adrianna’s quiet voice asked as she caressed Roman’s head lovingly.
“Yes, they do. I kissed the top of their heads gently and led Adrianna away from their room.
“I love you, Adrianna mou. Thank you for giving me a chance, loving me and giving me our sons.”
Adrianna beamed up at me before pressing her lips against mine. “I love you too, Damien. Thank you for giving me the happily ever after I thought I would never have.”
I hugged her tightly. Emotion welled up in me. Adrianna kissed my cheek tenderly and embraced me. Before Adrianna, I guess I was never truly happy with my life. Now that I had everything that I wanted and needed, I was complete.