One Last Chance (13 page)

As he kissed her, he slipped his legs in between hers as
the swollen head of his cock found her opening. Breaking his mouth from hers, he stared down into her eyes and slowly eased himself into her and stilled.

Then, giving her a half smile, he withdrew from her and slammed back inside her hard, making her cry out.

Ally wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled him closer to her as she tilted her hips up to meet his thrusts.

“That’s it baby,” he growled against her mouth as he pushed into her deeper and deeper.
“God I can never get enough of your body, Christ I adore you.”

“Mmmm,” Ally sighed a
s she closed her eyes and allowed her body to feel every touch, sending her higher and higher.

“Look at me, Ally,” he said breathlessly as he never missed a beat and his paced quickened.

Ally flicked her eyes open and stared up
at Cole. He smiled back down at her.

Ally could feel her orgasm building in the pit of her stomach. She wanted to close her eyes again but
instead, she held his as he moved inside her harder and deeper.

Ally was close and she knew Cole was to. She slipped her hand down to his backside and pushed him into h
er further and it made her cry out.

“OH GOD!”
Ally cried out as her orgasm tore through her body. “COLE YES! YES!”

“OH FUCK YES!” Cole groaned as he pushed into her one more time and exploded inside her.

They laid together for a few minutes, sweating and breathless, neither attempted to move.

Finally
, Cole lifted his head and stared down into Ally’s face and smiled.

“Hey gorgeous girl,” he grinned down at her.

“Hey yourself,” she smiled back as he leaned down and kissed her before he withdrew himself from her and rolled on to his side so he was lying next to her on the bed.

“Are you okay?” he asked as he brushed the damp
strands of hair back from her face.

“I am perfect,” she replied happily. Suddenly her expression changed and Cole instantly panicked.

“What is it?” he asked in concern.

“I’m not sure,” Ally replie
d looking up at Cole with a funny grin on her face. “Give me your hand.”

Cole held out his hand
, Ally quickly took it and placed it on her stomach.

“What’s wrong?” Cole asked sitting up on the bed but not moving his hand.

“I’m not sure,” Ally said but this time she smiled wider. Just as she did, Cole could feel something beneath his hand, like a tiny flutter. “Did you feel that?”

“I did,” Cole said with a big grin. “Is… is that the baby?”

“It is,” Ally nodded. “I thought I felt it last night but I wasn’t sure. But now I know it is.”

“Oh my God!” Cole exclaimed, excitedly. Once again they both felt the tiny flutter and Cole’s smile widened. “This is amazing. That’s our baby.”

He leaned in and kissed Ally on the lips and then pulled back slightly. He gave her the biggest smile.

“I love you so much, Ally
,” he said as he kissed her once more. “Thank you.”

“For what?” Ally laughed.

“For being you,” he replied honestly. “For making me the happiest man alive.”

Suddenly
, Cole’s phone rang from the bedside table, where he had left it when he got changed for his swim earlier. Ally looked at the phone and then at Cole, but he didn’t even blink.

“Aren’t you going to get that?” Ally asked.

“Nope,” Cole replied simply.

“But it might be important,” Ally continued.

“The only thing important to me right now,” he said looking her straight in the eyes. “Is here on this bed with me right now. Nothing else in this world matters.”

They spent the rest of the afternoon, lounging beside the pool. Ally couldn’t help but smile at the fact
, Cole placed his hand on her tummy every chance he could. Ally’s heart tugged a little with the look of disappointment on his face when the baby didn’t move again.

His phone rang several more times, but each time he just let it go to voicemail. Ally smiled to herself. She knew he was determined to let her see nothing came before her and the baby.

As the sun set, they strolled down to a little bistro about a ten minute walk from the Villa.

Carlos, the waiter that looked after them every time they went to the bistro, greeted them warmly and showed them to their table.

As always, he was full of compliments for Ally and as always she would blush. And as always Cole would try not to react, but Ally could clearly see that he was not happy with this waiter’s words.

“You know
, he is only being nice,” Ally reassured him when the waiter had left them alone. “You have nothing to be jealous of.”

“I’m not jealous” Cole pouted and Ally couldn’t help but laugh.
Before he could say anything else his phone rang once again.

“Oh for the love of God,” Ally exclaimed. “Answer the
damn phone already. It’s been ringing off the hook all afternoon.”

Cole looked at her for a
moment then sighed before he pulled his phone from his jacket pocket and pressed accept.

“Hello,” he said as he reached across the table and took Ally’s hand. “Hi Mom… She is great thanks… Yes
, she has a tiny bump now…”

Ally smiled as she looked down at her tiny bump and
ran her hand over it. She looked back at Cole, but when she saw the look on his face, her heart began to race. She knew something was very wrong.

“When?” Cole said as his eyes met Ally’s and her
heart sank further. “Do they know how? Where was he? Is he okay? This is a disaster… I will talk to Ally… Yes I will call you back in an hour…Thanks Mom… You too.”

“What’s wrong?” Ally asked once Cole hung up the phone. Her hear
t was hammering so hard, she could hear it in her ears.

“It’s Steph,” Cole said staring straight at Ally, the blood completely drained from his face. “She is dead.”

Cole
’s jet touched down in London just after 10 p.m. that evening. He had called Nick, had him arrange everything and asked him to meet them at the airport.

He looked over at Ally and sighed. She was miles away and
had barely said two words on the flight home. In fact she had barely said two words since he told her the news at the bistro.

He could still see her face when he told her what had happened.

“What do you mean Steph is dead?” She had asked in complete disbelief. “When? How?”

“She was found in her apartment this morning,” Cole explained and swallowed hard before he continued. “She overdosed. She had been dead for over a day when they found her.”

“Where was Ben?” Ally asked. But before Cole could answer, the look on his face told her everything she needed to know and her hands flew to her mouth as she gasped. “He was alone with her, wasn’t he?”

Cole simply nodded his head and closed his eyes as the thought of the little boy, screaming
from hunger for god knows how long, was too much to bear.

“The social services contacted Mom,” he finally continued when he regained him composure. “Steph had never taken my name off the birth certificate. I am still officially Ben’s father. I am his next of kin.
And it would seem Steph’s family want nothing to do with him. They are saying he is my problem now.”

“Then we need to go home,” Ally said
, standing up immediately and picking up her bag.

“Ally, we are on our honeymoon,” Cole replied surprised by her reaction. “And I am not his father, not really.”

“Cole, I know you,” she said still standing next to the table. “You will not be able to relax here, knowing he needs you. And Cole, right now, he really does need you. We have no choice, we have to go home.”

“But Ally, I don’t think I should get involved,” he replied much to Ally
’s surprise.

“Cole,
Ben needs you!” Ally exclaimed and stared at him in amazement. But he didn’t reply. His eyes dropped to the table as he picked up his glass of water and took a sip.

“Fine!” She said as she picked her wrap up of the back of the chair. Then to Cole’s surprise she turned and headed for the exit.

“Ally wait,” Cole called out as he hurried out after her. The waiter, who was on his way to take their order looked at them in confusion but Cole didn’t pause to explain. Instead he tried to catch up with Ally, who was now, at top speed, heading back in the direction of the Villa. “Ally slow down, please, talk to me.”

“There is nothing to talk about Cole,” Ally said not even pausing briefly
. “That little boy needs someone there for him. If you don’t want to, that’s fine. But don’t ask me to stay here and do nothing.”

“Ally wait,” Cole cried.

“No you wait!” She snapped as she stopped abruptly and spun around to face him. “I have been the kid no one wanted and it really sucks. He is a baby and he has no one.”

“You really want to go back,” Cole said
, looking Ally straight in the eye. “You aren’t just saying what you think I want you to say.”

“
Cole, he needs you,” she replied honestly then added. “He needs us.”

“Cole,” Ally said, pulling him from his thoughts. “We are here, it’s time to go.”

Cole looked up and saw Nick standing at the door of the jet. He nodded to Cole then smiled at Ally before he disappeared back down the steps.

Ally undid her seatbelt and picked up her jacket and handbag as Cole slipped on his jacket. He reached for her hand and when he took hold of it, she looked up and smiled warmly at him. It was the reassurance he needed.

“Are you ready?” H
e asked her and she nodded. So, still holding her hand, Cole started toward the exit and down the steps. He stepped back to let Ally into the car before he climbed in behind her.

“What did you find out?” Cole asked Nick as they drove out of the small airport. “Where is Ben now?”

“He is in Great Ormond Street,” Nick replied over his shoulder. “They said he was a little dehydrated but other than that he was perfectly healthy. They are going to keep him for the night and then Social Services will take him into their care in the morning.”

Ally looked over
at Cole and her heart broke. She could see how upset he was even though he was trying his best to hide it from her.

“Can we see him tonight?” Cole asked as he reached for Ally’s hand.

“They said it would be okay,” Nick nodded. “Given you are still legally his father.”

Cole simply nodded.

It was a little after 10:30 p.m. when they reached the hospital.

Nick dropped Cole and Ally at the front door while he went to park the car. Cole led Ally to the reception desk, where they were directed where they needed to go to find Ben.

They took the lift to the third floor and followed the directions they were given at reception. When they reached the right place, they gave their name to one of the nurses who said she would go find the doctor looking after Ben.

“Mr. Thomas?” A
young doctor dressed in scrubs and a white coat said when she emerged from an office behind Cole and Ally.

“Yes,” Cole answered turning around to face her. “But please, call me Cole. And this is my wife Ally.”

The doctor shook both of their hands.

“I’m Sarah Knight,” she smiled. “I am Ben’s doctor. He is sleeping now. He was very distressed when he came in. He w
as dehydrated and his bottom was very sore from being left in a soiled nappy for an extended period of time. But other than that he is doing ok.”

“Can we see him?” Cole asked anxiously.

“Certainly,” she smiled and held up her hand indicating the direction to go. “If you follow me, I will take you to him now.”

She led Col
e and Ally down the corridor to a little room at the end. The room was in darkness except for a nightlight over the crib where Ben was asleep.

Ally could feel Cole stiffen the moment he saw the little boy asleep in the crib. It was cl
ear he had been very distressed. Even though he was asleep, his breath was still catching in his chest in a shudder. A clear sign he had been sobbing. It was truly a pitiful thing to see.

Cole walked to the crib
, lowered the side down and reached in to Ben. He softly stroked the little boy’s hair and as he did, Ben shuddered again.

Cole could bear it no longer, he scooped the little boy up into his arms and held him close to him.

“He will be released in the morning,” the doctor finally spoke. “We have arrangements with the Social Service to come and collect him, but as you are here now, I am sure there will be no need for them to intervene.

“He is not my son,” Cole quickly replied looking at the doctor.

“But you are down as his next of kin,” the doctor said with a look of confusion on her face. “I mean his name is Benjamin Thomas.”

Look Dr. Knight,” Cole spoke
calmly. “I know what all the certs and forms say, but I am not his biological father.”

Ally, who was still standing by the doorway, watchin
g everything that was happening, finally spoke.

“That doesn’t mean you can’t be his dad,” Ally said
, walking slowly towards Cole. “You are his dad, you have been since the day he was born. Cole any asshole can be a father. But it take someone special to be a dad. You are his daddy. You love him and biology is never going to change that.”

“What are you saying, Ally?”
Cole said, looking at her half in surprise, half in hope.

“I am say
ing you are his dad,” Ally said as she reached up and softly brushed the tiny blonde strands that where on Ben’s tiny head. “He needs you.”

She bent down and kissed him on the forehead then looked back up at Cole.

“He needs us,” she added with a smile.

Cole star
ed at her for a moment.

“Do you realised what you are saying?”  Cole
spoke softly to Ally. “You are almost seventeen weeks pregnant, how would we cope with a baby?”

“He is a baby, Cole,” Ally laughed. “Not a monster.”

“Ally, I can’t ask you to do this,” Cole replied in a serious tone.

“You didn’t,” she shrugged. “Look at him Cole, just look at him. He needs us. That’s all that matters.”

Cole stared at Ally in complete disbelief. Then he leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips.

“Do you know how
much I love you, Ally Thomas?” He asked, his face barely inches from hers.

“About as much as I love you,” she smiled back at him.

They spent the night sitting next to the crib. Cole asked them to bring Ally a comfortable armchair as she was pregnant.

At about 2 a
.m., Ally drifted off to sleep and Cole sat and watched Ben sleeping too.

It was almost 3 a
.m. when Cole’s eyes grew heavy. He was just starting to drift when he heard a noise. He opened his eyes and saw a pair of big blue eyes staring up at him.

“Hey little man,” Cole said in a whispered voice. “How are you doing? Are you hungry?”

Ben just yawned and continued to stare at Cole. Cole lifted him from the crib and held him close to him once more. Then taking the bottle from the side locker, he settled back in the chair and fed Ben.

“That really does suit you,” Ally said suddenly, when Ben was about half way through his bottle.

“Why are you awake?” Cole asked looking over at Ally.

“This little one
is laying funny and now I need to pee,” Ally said as she rubbed her stomach.

“Are you okay?” Cole asked with concern.

“I am perfect,” Ally said as she stood up from the armchair. She leaned down and kissed Cole. “I won’t be long.”

She made her way to the bathroom and headed straight for a cubicle. When she was do
ne and she had washed her hands, she made her way back to Ben’s room.

She paused at the door and watched Cole as he rubbed Ben’s back, trying to burp him.

She smiled as she listened to the one-sided conversation that was going on.

“Tomorrow, we are going to bring you home,” Cole
spoke softly. “And you are going to meet your Grandma and Grandpa. They are going to love you so much. Then once everything is sorted here, we are going to go home to Dublin, where you will meet lots more family. We will decorate your bedroom. And in a few months’ time you will get a little brother or sister to share your room with you.”

Ally smile
d at his words. She could see all the worry and stress of the past few months was finally gone. She was happy that he was finally able to move on from the whole Steph mess, and what’s more, Ben was safe.

“You will never be left alone again, little man.”
Cole said as he leaned down and kissed the little boy on the forehead. “Mom and I will never let anyone hurt you again.”

His words hit her like a steam train.
In all the time she had supported him, all she had thought about was what having Ben meant to Cole.

And she knew she wanted to help this little boy as much as Cole did. But it had never oc
curred to her she would be his mom, Steph was his mother.

But Steph was gone, and she was all he had left
now. Just her and Cole. She would be his mother now. She reached down and held her stomach and just as she did, she felt Little Bean flutter beneath her hand once again.

She knew she was going to be a mother, but she thought she had time. She wasn’t sure if she was ready to do this yet.

She looked up at Cole and Ben and she realised, she was already a mom. This was her little family and ready or not, it was time for her to step up.

It was after 2 p.m. before they finally made it out of the hospital. At 9 a.m. that morning, Siobhan Carter, a social worker from the Social Service arrived at the hospital.

Ally like
d her straight away. She was all about what was in Ben’s best interest and she said clearly, as Cole was still his legal guardian, and as Steph’s family are denying all right to him. She didn’t see any reason why he couldn’t take him home and that included home to Dublin.

Ally was completely blown away when Cole brought up the possibility of Ally adopting Ben so she could be legally his mother
too. Siobhan though it was a brilliant idea and said she would get started on the paper work straight away, but warned it could take a few months to process.

When they left the hospital, they headed straight to Cole
’s parent’s home.

Ella was at the door the minute the car pulled into the drive way. She had a huge smile on her face when she saw Ally step out of the car.

“My sweet girl,” she said as she hurried towards Ally and hugged her tightly. “You look tired, but beautiful.”

“I feel tired,” Ally laughed. “And not very beautiful.”