CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
Still Mine
Reese
I roll over and look at the clock. Something isn’t right. I gasp and sit up, it is two o’clock in the afternoon. How the hell did I sleep all morning? I rush out of bed and into the bathroom to do my business and freshen up as fast as I can.
I step out of the bathroom to find Nico, shirtless, with a twin baby carrier strapped to his back and chest. Lanya is sleeping on his heart and N.J. is on his back. In his hands, he has a breakfast tray.
“Come, Cara mia,” Nico says quietly. “Get into the bed. We are serving you today.”
A huge smile cracks my face. It does not escape me that this is the second time that Nico has called me Cara mia, and not just Cara. It causes hopeful butterflies to fill my stomach.
I climb back in bed and Nico places the tray over my lap. It smells delicious and it is my favorite. Turkey bacon and strawberry covered French toast. I haven’t had this in so long.
“A little birdie told me you gave this up to make sure our babies arrived safe. We thought you could use a treat,” Nico says with a blinding smile.
“Thank you,” I say looking up at him through my lashes and giving him a shy smile.
“Mangiare,” Nico commands and I dig in. I am starving and it is delicious. Nico chuckles at me as he rounds the bed and starts to release the babies from the carrier to place them on the bed. Nico then climbs in and places them both on his chest.
“This was sweet, Nico. I appreciate it,” I say as I cover my mouth.
“It is nothing less than I am supposed to do,” Nico replies.
I don’t say anything. I just return to my food. Nico watches me the whole time. I try not to fidget under his gaze. It has been so long since Nico has been this intense with me. I sneak a peek at him and a shiver runs through me.
I finish my food and place my knife and fork down. I take a fortifying breath and address the elephant in the room. “Nico, are we going to talk about us?” I say as I turn to look at him.
“What would you like to talk about, Reese,” Nico says softly.
“For starters, do you still want me,” I say and bite my lip. I might as well get it out there. Makes no sense beating around the bush.
“I have never stopped wanting you, Reese. I believe you have been under the impression that you are no longer mine. This is not true, Cara mia. You are mine and will always be mine,” Nico says with conviction. “We broke a promise to each other. We once promised to talk things out. It was selfish of me to give up on you, so you in turn gave up on me. I do not blame you. This was my fault.”
“No it isn’t, Nico,” I try to interject, but he lifts his hand to me.
“Yes, it was. You were under the impression that I didn’t want you to have our children and that I wouldn’t standby you if you became pregnant again. That is wrong, no matter the outcome, I wanted to be with you. I would have stood by you,” Nico says with pain in his voice. “For this, I am very sorry.”
“Nico, I did what I did to keep from hurting you, but I also did it for myself. I was selfish as well. I had to do this for me. It has been so long since I stood on my own two feet, and relied on my faith. You have asked me to spend my life with you once, but in order to be your wife I had to find my own strength. I have that now,” I pause and remove the tray from my lap. I place it on the night stand and then I climb out of the bed.
I make my way into the closet and retrieve the journals and the phone I have kept all the photos and videos for Nico on. I hand Nico the journals and start to send the files to his phone. Lanya starts to stir on her father’s chest so I take her into my arms.
“I am afraid I used the last of the pumped milk,” Nico says absently as he pages through the journal.
“It’s fine. I will feed them. You work through those. I think they will explain things to you better than I can,” I say as I latch Lanya on. N.J. wakes as if he knows his sister is eating and he is not. Nico hands him over than sits up and starts to read.
We sit like this for hours like a family. My heart swells as I watch the wide range of emotions that cover Nico’s face the whole time he is reading. I was very detailed in every journal entry. Sometimes I think I poured out too much. Only time will tell.
~B~
Nico
I don’t know what pains me more. How lonely Reese was feeling or how much she wanted me with her. It is all here in her journals. The days she packed her bags to come home to me. The relationship she has built with my Mama. Uri’s visits to make sure she was okay.
Her entries say a lot about the woman Reese was, as well as the one she has become. My favorite entry is the day she found out she was having twins. It was one of the days she almost came back to me. Sim locked her in her room. That cracked me up, because I could see Symphony doing something like that. Reese tried to call me that day, but Sim and Michael scrambled her phone.
I can’t stop shaking my head at the lengths the people I love went to, to ensure that I would be a father. I was beyond pissed in the beginning, but now, especially after reading Reese’s journals, I can’t find it in me to be angry with any of them.
I wipe a stray tear as I watch one of the videos Reese sent to my phone. It is from the day she found out the sex of the babies. The entire ultra sound was recorded.
Reese’s face comes into the shot after the babies are pointed out on the screen for the camera. Her face is tear stained and she has a beautiful smile on her face.
You see that, Nico. I’m keeping them safe for you. We will have a little girl and a little boy. We’re getting so close, baby. I can’t wait to come home to you. I miss you so much. I hate that I’m doing this without you, but it will be worth it. I will see this through. Love you so much, Nico.
“I do,” Reese’s voice brings me back into the room.
She had gone to check on the children. I decided to run her a bath. Today has been amazing. Just the simple things have brought us back together in a way I cannot describe. Reese was right. Her journals and the videos got through to me in a way she wasn’t able to. I had already forgiven her, but now I understand.
I stand to my feet, pocketing my phone and hold my hand out. “Come,” I say as I hold my hand out.
Reese comes to me hesitantly at first. When she takes my hand I draw her into my chest. I cup her face with my other hand, rubbing my thumb over her lips. Her big brown eyes lock with my blues and I don’t know if I will make it to the end of the week. I need to make love to my woman.
I dip my head and nip at her soft lower lip. Reese surprises me when she breaks down in tears as she clings to my waist. I pull away and look at her in concern.
“Reese,” I question.
“Please don’t stop. I’ve just waited so long for you to kiss me,” she sobs softly.
I suck in a breath. “Let me make this up to you,” I whisper in her ear. I pinch her chin between my fingers and lift her lips to mine. This time I deliver a searing kiss. I devour her sweet lips like I have never tasted them before.
I peel her t-shirt over her head and toss it to the floor. Her breasts are so full from breastfeeding. She is at least a cup or two bigger now. I have tried not to watch her like a starving man, when she is feeding our children. Right now her breasts are begging for my attention as they spill over the tops of the cups of her bra.
Reese looks down at her body and frowns. She goes to wrap her arms around her waist, but I block them and pull her into me. Her soft body feels so good next to mine.
“Don’t hide from me. You are gorgeous Reese, the most beautiful woman I have ever seen,” I capture her lips again as my hands roam her curves.
I hook my fingers into her sweat pants and push them down her thighs. I am face to face with her mound as I lift her feet out of the pants one by one. I lick my lips in anticipation of getting reacquainted with her taste and scent.
I shake the thought off and lift to my full height. I lead Reese to the bath tub and help her in. When she settles, I pull my phone from my pocket and start a playlist we once made together.
Reese looks up at me with questioning eyes, when I sit on the edge of the tub without removing my pants. I smile down at her as I reach for the body wash and a cloth. Reese looks away with disappointment on her face. I place the body wash down and cup her face to turn it back towards me.
“All good things come to those that wait. Let me pamper you, Cara mia,” I dip in for a reassuring kiss to her lips.
“Thank you, Nico,” Reese purrs as I begin to massage her back with the soapy cloth.
“Anytime, my love,” I reply and she sags into my touch.