Broken Series (36 page)

19

Gabby

I jumped out of bed and barely made it to the bathroom before I vomited up everything in my stomach, which was next to nothing. Morning sickness was in full swing and it was already pissing me off. I begged the doctor for something,
anything,
to take to help ease the nausea, but they told me there wasn’t anything they could do. It was all just part of the process.
Fuck that
, I thought when I finished. I rinsed my mouth with mouthwash and then brushed my teeth, desperate to get the taste of puke off my breath.

Mallory called an hour ago and said she and Luke were coming over. She didn’t say why, which made me nervous, but once we hung up, the nausea kicked in and I’d been glued to the bed, not wanting to move a muscle in order to prevent throwing up.

No such luck.

At the very least, the sickly feeling seemed to be passing and I made it to the kitchen to start the coffee for Mallory and Luke. I gave it up, much to my brain’s dismay. After a week of caffeine withdrawal-induced headaches, I was finally okay without it, though I brewed a pot of decaf every once in a while, just to trick myself. This morning, though, I wasn’t going to make two pots of coffee, so I just stuck to the caffeinated stuff. I sat at the small table in my kitchen, staring longingly at the fresh-brewed pot of deliciousness.

When I heard a truck pull up, I didn’t even bother to get up, knowing that my friends would let themselves in. I laid my head against the coolness of the table, my eyes on the coffeepot.
It couldn’t hurt to have one cup
, I thought.

The door flew open, letting in a draft and snapping me out of my coffee addiction. I glanced over at Luke, who was clad in a heavy jacket and big boots.

“Don’t you ever run the woodstove?” he asked, making his way into the living area. I heard him pull open the cast iron door and fumble around with the kindling.

“I just woke up. Bite me,” I replied.

Mallory took off her boots and jacket after she closed the door and made a beeline for the coffeepot. She poured a cup, added far too much creamer for it to still be considered coffee, and then sat at the table with me.

“You’re not having any?” she asked, bewildered.

I laughed a little. “No caffeine for Mama Bear.”

“Shit, that’s right. I’m sorry. Do you want me to give it up with you?” She looked horrified by the thought, so I waited a full minute before I answered her. She squirmed in her chair.

“No, I don’t want you to give it up. Although I’m sure you will, at some point. You guys want kids, don’t you?”

“We aren’t in a rush, though I do want our kids to be close in age, so you never know.” She winked at me. Before I could wonder what the hell that meant, Luke shuffled into the room.

“Just fucking tell her, Mallory,” he grumbled, pissy at something.

“Tell me what?” I glanced from Luke back to Mallory and back again. Silence filled the room like a tangible fog. “
Someone tell me!
”

Mallory sighed. “I’m preggers, too.”

“What!? Congrats!” I said. I meant it, too. If ever there were two people who deserved their happy ending, it was Mal and Luke. Having a child was the next logical step for them.

“Are you really happy or are you just saying that? We waited to tell you because we weren’t sure how things would go down with the divorce and whatnot,” Mallory gushed.

“Wait, what? How long have you known?”

Mal looked guilty. “Since before Thanksgiving. Rainey knew, actually, but only because I knew she didn’t have much longer left, and I wanted her to know she was an auntie before she died.”

Whoa.
“Holy shit, guys!” I stood up to give Luke a hug and then turned to Mallory. “So how far along are you?”

“About four months,” Luke answered when Mallory stayed quiet.

I looked at my best friend, pride and happiness welling in my heart for the two of them. I sat back down, taking Mallory’s hand in mine. “I can’t believe you kept this from me.”

“I know, and I’m sorry. It wasn’t planned, but the truth is, we couldn’t be happier. And we’d heard so many horror stories about miscarriages that we wanted to wait to tell anyone. When Rainey took a turn, though, we made the decision to tell her and she was the only one. You are the first person to know after her,” Mallory confirmed.

“Well, I am just so happy for you guys! And we’ll be pregnant at the same time. We used to talk in high school about something like this happening to us. Although in my dreams, I was usually married.” I gave her a half-smile.

“Well, you were married when you conceived him or her,” Luke joked, pouring himself a cup of coffee. “That counts for something.”

“Don’t be a jerk, Luke. Not everyone is as lucky as me to get a man who fights through the bitchiness to still be with me,” she laughed.

“Ain’t that the truth,” a deep voice sounded from the doorway.

I looked over at Wolfe, standing there with his arms folded across his chest, his eyes fiery and intense. He probably heard the whole thing and I was mortified.

“Guys, would you mind taking Katie over to your house? She’s already loaded up in the Jeep. I’ll bring your truck by later,” he asked Mallory and Luke with a smirk.

“There’s no need,” I piped up, standing. I looked at Wolfe. “We don’t need to be alone for any reason.” It sounded good, like I wasn’t scared to death of being alone with the man who broke my heart, but I was shattering there on the kitchen floor.

“Pretty sure you’re pregnant with
my
child, which means we sure as hell do need to be alone, Gabby,” he said to me, his voice dead calm. It worried me.

“Yeah, we’ll take her,” Mallory said. “We’ll see you guys later.”

As she turned away, I noticed the small baby bump under her warm sweater.
How did I not see it before?
I wondered as she and Luke left the house.

“I don’t expect anything from you,” I said as soon as the door closed behind them.

“Fuck not wanting anything, Gabby. Why didn’t you tell me when you were in Florida?” he demanded.

“I was going to. That was the whole reason I was there. I wasn’t even trying to win you back, but then Katie came out, and I kind of panicked. I thought, for just a second, that you hid her from me, but then I remembered that you told me you didn’t really want children anytime soon, so I knew you must not have known about her. Speaking of, you just sent her off with Mal and Luke, people she doesn’t even know…”

“We were at their house last night, and they spent all kinds of time with her. She knows them,” he replied.

I gulped. “Well, you obviously had a lot on your plate in Florida and I didn’t want to add to it with the pregnancy.” The words were rushed together and I had to take a deep breath after I finished.

“You’re an idiot,” he muttered half a second before he closed the distance between us and pulled me into his arms. Just as his lips were about to meet mine, he paused. “I want you, Gabby. I’m here in Maine, for the rest of my life. I have no intentions of ever losing you again. Will you marry me again? Will you be the mother of both my children and love this fool until we’re both old and gray?”

I gulped. My hesitation had him pulling away. “Is that a no?”

“No, it’s not a no, but it’s not a yes, either. After everything that’s happened this past year, I’m emotionally drained, Wolfe. I don’t want to say yes to being a stepmother now and then when my emotions are normal, change my mind. Plus, dealing with Katie’s mother will be hellish. I may not have firsthand experience, but I’ve seen enough divorces to know that kids are the ones who suffer.”

He put a finger to my lips. “Katie’s mother died in November. Around the same time as Rainey, actually. And Katie went to live with Dianne’s parents. My sister ran into them and saw Katie, and knew that she was mine.” He gestured for both of us to sit while he explained. “Turns out, Katie is my daughter. And Dianne’s parents forbade her to tell me. They threatened to take Katie from her and basically controlled her life for over five years. It’s a sad tale.”

“So once I made sure that Katie was mine, I started the custody battle. Honestly, I knew she was mine before the DNA test. I mean, how could anyone look at her and not know she’s mine?”

“Well, that’s true,” I muttered, my mind reeling.

“I want you in my life, Gabby. I’m not taking no for an answer, either. You can fight it all you want, but you will be my wife again, and the mother of our children. And when you’re ready, I want you to adopt Katie. I want her to be yours in every sense of the word. She might not be yours biologically, but she will be your child.”

“What about Dianne’s parents? Won’t they object to an adoption?” I was stalling, looking for any excuse to bolt. I was scared to death.

“Probably, but considering the threat I left them in Florida with, I doubt they will say a word. I’ve already told them to stay away, but that’s a story for another day. Do you love me, Gabby?” His intense eyes burned into mine.

“I–”

“Don’t think, Gabby. Don’t let the what-ifs and the maybes cloud your decision. Do you love me?”

I closed my eyes. “Yes.”

I felt him pull me to stand, his strong arms applying gentle pressure on my arms until I was in front of him. “Open your eyes, baby.”

I did. His were filled with unshed tears and my breath caught. I loved him so much.

We didn’t need words then. He lowered his lips to mine, my mouth opening to him without any pressure at all. He brought me closer to him, his hands resting possessively on my hips. “Mine,” he growled against my lips.

And I agreed. I was now, and always had been, his.

20

Wolfe

Few things in the world created such a deep-rooted happiness as the woman I loved laying my arms. Currently, she was moaning as I applied pressure to her clit.

After checking with Mallory that Katie was alright, I’d carried Gabby into our old bedroom, noticing that one of my old T-shirts was wrapped around the pillow on my side of the bed. I looked pointedly at it and then back to Gabby.

“I missed you,” she explained. Her words made my heart clench.

“I missed you, too,” I mumbled, gently laying her on the bed. I helped her out of her hoodie and then slipped off her yoga pants. She hadn’t really gained any weight yet, not that I could tell. I was excited to watch her body grow, to shower her with love and devotion, and to prove to her that I wasn’t going anywhere. She might always worry, but I wasn’t about to give her anything to worry about ever again.

When I helped her out of her bra, I noticed that her breasts were already bigger, though, a fact that excited me more than a little. She had been perfect, but I had to be honest, I was a boob man.

“They’re sensitive,” she murmured, her face going red with a full blush. “So be easy.”

As if I could ever not be in tune with her body signals. But I respected her wishes with a nod and lowered my mouth to one of her areolas. I sucked the puckered nipple into my mouth and she groaned in satisfaction. I kept up my assault on her senses and eventually pushed her back onto the bed so I could get her panties off.

Once she was naked before me, I helped her scoot farther up the bed, knowing there wouldn’t be much need for foreplay. We were both more than ready. I kissed her ankle, working my way up her leg, driving her crazy. I knew very little about pregnancy, but I did know that sex during pregnancy wouldn’t harm the baby, which I was grateful for.

I couldn’t wait to start this new life with Gabby. Even though we spent three years together before, it felt like everything would be different this time, better. With Katie and this new baby, our lives would feel whole, complete. And later, I would get the two women in my life better acquainted. But for now …

I let my teeth graze the inside of her thigh, thoroughly enjoying her shiver. I lifted up, pressing my mouth to her still-flat belly.

“I’m so glad we are going to experience this together, baby,” I admitted to her, lifting my eyes to hers.

She was teary and, for a second, I panicked. “Are you okay?” I hefted myself up the bed to lie beside her, my hand cupping her cheek.

“I’m fine, I promise. You just know exactly what to say to make want to have forever,” she whispered.

“Don’t you think we deserve it, after all these years?” I asked.

“Absolutely. I’m just nervous. What happens when I get fat and you start to despise my body as much as I do?” She nibbled on her bottom lip, sucking the plump flesh into her mouth.

With a sigh, I decided that we still needed to talk before we made love. “You have no idea how I feel, do you?”

“I know you’ve said that you want to be with me and for me to be a part of your family, mother of your children and all that, but what do
you
want from me, Wolfe?”

I laughed a little, sitting up on the pillows behind me and pulling her with me. “I don’t want you for a mother to my children or someone to just be a part of my family. What I truly want, is you. No dishonesty or hiding anything from one another. I want us to be together and to be happy. I love you so damn much, I can’t imagine spending another day without you. When I was in Florida, I was literally in pain from being apart from you.

“I actually thought that distance would lessen the pain, but I was so wrong. Every mile away was like a thousand knives jabbing my heart until it crumbled into a billion little pieces. And then, when you showed up outside the Chuck E. Cheese, it was like everything came together. My heart repaired itself and I dared to hope, if even for a second, that we had a future together. And then you walked away …” I took a deep breath as I relived the scene where she left me again. “It was a kick in the gut, but I knew, even then, that I would win you back and that I would stop at nothing until you were mine. Now, you are.”

I watched the play of emotions across her face, reading her like an open book. When she finally settled on relief, I spoke again. “I love you so much, Gabriella. You are my forever.”

She smiled. “I love you too, Wolfe. I always have and I doubt that I would ever get along without you for too long. These past few weeks have been killing me.”

I hugged her tightly until she fidgeted and tilter her head toward me. “Take me to bed or lose me forever,” she whispered, quoting the movie we’d watched back at her house on our first date.

I felt relief flood me; we were both finally ready to take things to the next level, and not just out of passion, but of love. I leaned down to kiss her, pressing light kisses across her mouth until she grumbled.

“Kiss me already.”

So I did.

I put my lips on hers, my tongue seeking and gaining entrance to her mouth. I swept inside, loving every inch I could reach. My hands were at her waist, hers scored marks down my back, even through my shirt. I loved the way she reacted, so open and honest. I pulled away for just a second to grab the hem of my shirt and yank it off. I wanted to be naked with her as fast as possible. Just as I reached for the button on my jeans, she stopped me.

“Let me,” she demands, her pupils dilated with desire. I’d never wanted her more in my life than I did right then.

I removed my hands and sat back as she climbed on top of me, her fingers fiddling with the fly of my jeans. She taunted me with her slow movements, but I loved every second of it. When I moved to hold her, she stayed my hands. Ever so slowly, she undid my zipper and between the two of us, she managed to wiggle me out of the jeans. I was down to just my boxers, my erection painfully hard. She rubbed me a little, just to torture me. I moaned at the contact, and she giggled. An actual giggle.

“You’re tormenting me,” I complained.

“You like it,” she whispered.

“Turnabout’s fair play,” I said as I flipped her over on her back. I was gentle, and considering her hysterical laughter, I knew I hadn’t hurt her.

When the laughter faded, she looked up at me, her beautiful blue eyes glowing with happiness. I brought my lips to hers and kissed her sweetly. It was a perfect kiss.

“I don’t want to wait anymore,” she whispered against my shoulder when I moved to kiss her neck.

“Me either,” I agreed.

I got off the bed and slipped off my boxers, then fell back onto the bed, right between her legs. I trailed my fingers across her stomach and then lower. She was slick, so wet, so perfect. I just wanted to sink myself inside and lose myself in her. I slid my fingers inside her, groaning at the moisture that gathered there. She was ready for me. And I was ready to give her every aching piece of me.

I put the bulk of my weight onto my arms and held myself above her. She looked so gorgeous, her head thrown back in passion, her tongue darting out to wet her lips. I leaned down to kiss her and at the same time lowered myself to her body, my dick rubbing against her seductively. She was slick and her hips ground up against mine, desperate for me.

I pulled back, adjusting myself and then pushing into her, the feeling so perfect that we both moaned in delight. I entered her swiftly and then backed out a little, enjoying the feeling of her tight sheath around me. I thrust into her, faster and faster, driving us both toward that amazing peak.

“Wolfe!” she yelled, nearing climax. I drove into her harder, willing her to come soon. I wasn’t going to be able to hold out for long. Her body started to quake and I recognized the familiar shimmer of her body.

Her eyes opened and we watched each other, something I thought would be discomforting during sex, but for us, it was oddly powerful. We rode over the edge of orgasm together, staring into one another’s eyes. I kept my eyes on her as she shattered, as she forced her eyes closed when she came. It was too much for her and tears slid down her face. I wiped away at them as I came, the tremors racking my entire body.

I stilled inside her, her muscles still squeezing me. “I love you.”

Her eyes popped open, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. “I love you too.”