Xavier FINAL (Men of Steel #4) (33 page)

Neither of us had checked luggage so we walked out and hailed a cab. He reached in
his backpack and grabbed a baseball cap and pulled it on his head.

“You like?”

“You’re in Boston that’s probably not a good idea.”

“Gotta be true to who I am. You need to accept that. Nothing will change it. Nothing.”

~

We bickered about him coming to my family’s house. He agreed to stay at the airport
Hilton if I stayed with him. I didn’t want to wake my parents at six thirty in the
morning when they weren’t expecting me until four.

We slept and held each other for the rest of the day. I told him it felt wrong and
that I felt like I was using him. He told me to use away.

When he woke me at three he had already rented a car. He was going to drive me to
the ultra sound appointment. I begged him to let me go alone and he wouldn’t.

While we waited for the technician he paced. “I wasn’t joking about not giving a shit
about the dates. I will never resent you or our child. Besides Irish I know it’s mine.
It’s my kid inside of you.”

I knew he was trying to convince himself. He was just as worried as I was. I knew
if it wasn’t I would not be able to hold him to what he had said in a moment of anguish.

She walked in and he stood at my head holding my hand as the technician started the
exam.

“Right there is your baby. You are measuring at eight weeks.”

We both looked at each other as we counted the weeks. His face fell and my heart started
to crumble into pieces.

“The date of conception would be March twenty first. You’re a very new mommy.”

“What? How does that make her six weeks?”

“Conception usually occurs two weeks after the last period--.”

“So that means there’s no way in hell that a period in January or late Frbruary and
this baby’s size would even be match up?” He was nearly crawling out of his skin.

“Not possible.”

He grabbed her face and kissed her. “I love you nurse--Nurse?”

“Sandy.”

“I love you Nurse Sandy.”

He walked over and rubbed my belly and laughed. “Who’s your Daddy?” He pointed to
himself. “This guy is.”

He kissed my stomach at least twenty times.

“And then there is you.” He grabbed my cheeks and kissed my entire face. “I love you.”

“I love you.”

“Of course you do, that’s how we are.”

“You’re sure about this?”

“Sure? I’ve already picked out his name, and his first tattoo.”

“Oh yeah?” I sat up.

“His name is X2 and his first tattoo is gonna say,
My Mommy is Sexy as Hell
.”

The nurse laughed and so did I.

“If it’s a girl?”

“Her name is Chastity, middle name Belt and we're moving to a deserted Island with
its own nuclear missiles.”

When we left he seemed happy, excited even, I was relieved. We were us. Or as he said,
us plus one
.

~

My mom met him first and she seemed to like him a lot. He held my hand, opened doors,
and paid attention to everything that went on.

When I used the bathroom I walked out and heard her ask him how he
felt about my daughter.

His reply, “Is there a stronger word than love?”

“No.”

“I wish there was because then I would know what to call this feeling inside I have
for her. It’s crazy, insane, and irrational. I look around and see couples and I think
there is no possible way they could feel as intense a feeling I have for her.” He
snickered. “Maybe I could come up with a word someday.”

I walked out and Mom looked at me and smiled. “You can keep this one.”

“I’m going to.”

When my father came home I was a bit anxious. Xavier walked out and shook his hand.
They stood outside for nearly half an hour and my nose was literally glued to the
front window. Mom laughed at me.

When they came in I heard my father say, “There is only one way to prove to me that
you’re worthy of my only daughter.”

“Become a Sox fan.”

“There has to be something else. Like maybe cut off my left nut?”

My mom covered her mouth and we both laughed quietly so they didn’t hear us.

“Son then if you fucked up I wouldn’t be able cut it off myself.”

“I have two.”

“That’s nice to know.”

“I won’t fuck up. But there is no way I’ll be a Sox fan.”

“New England Patriots?” Dad asked.

“Giants.” Xavier answered.

“I don’t know what she sees in you,” Dad chuckled.

“I don’t either but I’m grateful for whatever it is.”

All three of my brothers came to dinner. Grady was decent enough. Kaen and Keller,
well that was a different story. My mother tried to interfere and my father shook
his head no. I saw the look in his eye, Dad wanted to see how Xavier dealt with them.

When we all sat for dinner Kaen looked at me, “This one isn’t gonna work out either.”

Xavier did his little neck roll thing and Dad sat back ready to watch the fight.

“It’s not up to you. She can make that decision on her own.”

“She doesn’t choose well.”

“From what I understand he had you all fooled as well.”

“And what makes you any different.” Keller asked. “You are all over the internet,
pictures of girls sucking you off--.”

“That was before Taelyn. Irish I don’t have to explain my shit to him in order for
you and I to do our thing, do I?”

“No.” She looked at her brothers. “We love each other you’ll have to accept it.”

“Irish?”

“Keller don’t--.”

“This has got to be a joke. You can’t seriously want a man like this. He comes here
to get a nightstand and kicks Dan’s ass. He’s got you living with him--.”

“We’re going to be together. No need for this discussion.”

“Fine so tell me what’s so different about Steel?”

“Everything.” I looked at Xavier and smiled.

“Dad you seriously can’t let this punk--.”

“Daniel cheated on me. Xavier was there for me.”

“To get in your pants!”

“No to stop him from hurting me.--.”

Xavier grabbed my hand. “You don’t have to sell me to anyone.

“This douche has a bad temper Taelyn. You think he drove five hours for a nightstand?
He did it so that he could--.”

“Not that I want to keep living this nightmare and correct me if I’m wrong Xavier.
You probably drove here more because he hit me. Because you wanted to--.”

“Daniel what?” All the men at the table said at the same time.

“When I broke up with him, and no you don’t get all the details, it’s incredibly humiliating
but I confronted him. Punched him and he hit me back. He held me down--.”

“Don’t get yourself all worked up babe.” Xavier rubbed my back. “It won’t ever happen
again.”

“Why didn’t you tell us?”

“Why didn’t you know that the piece of shit banging your sister was screwing around
on her? Why didn’t you know that he has a blow problem and that she was busting her
ass to make sure he could go to Harvard while she footed the bill and he snorted his
trust fund away? Here’s the deal. We’re getting married--.”

“Taelyn for Christ sake move home. He can--.”

“Over my dead body,” Xavier sneered at Kaen.

“That can be arranged,” Kaen sneered back.

“Don’t talk to him like that. He’s been amazing.”

“Yeah we see that online.”

“Yet you can’t seem to figure out Danny boy had a little fuck pad at property your
company over sees security at--.”

“We took over the two days before your sorry ass showed up.”

“My sorry ass?”

“Enough! You’ll have to learn to get along. I love him. We’re getting married--.”

“Did he have the decency to ask you Dad?” Keller snapped.

“He told me he cut off his left nut before he chose the Soxs over his New York team.
Shows conviction. Your mother likes him. She wasn’t sold on Daniel. Your sister is--.”

“Head over heels in love and eight weeks pregnant.” I said quietly.

“What the hell did you just say?” Kaen snapped.

“You heard me, now hear me again. Your niece--.”

“Nephew,” Xavier whispered. “Oh and while you’re breaking the news, let your father
know he’ll be a Yankees fan.”

Dad huffed. “We’ll see about that.”

“Sorry but it’s gonna happen.” Xavier smiled back.

“You Catholic?” My dad asked.

“Yes. Although I must admit I haven’t attended mass a lot lately. And when I did it
was more for the wine and all the girls.”

I laughed and he winked.

“I love your sister, your daughter, the mother of this child. I told her I didn’t
want kids or marriage.Two weeks after meeting her I knew I wanted it all. She was
going through hell so I gave her space until I just couldn’t anymore.” He looked at
my brothers. “From what I understand you three aren’t much different than I was. Fair
warning, when it happens you’ll know and there isn’t anything you can do to stop it.
So did I ask permission to marry her? No. That would be like asking for air that is
already free, the sun to stop shining in July, or my heart to beat. It’s a given.
She was mine from go and I was hers.”

My mom was crying and my father smiled. “Even if you don’t need my permission you
got it son. Just remember I have your balls.”

“I told you I’d gladly hand them over.”

Xavier told my parents that his townhome was open and connected to mine. He would
make sure anytime I wanted to come home he would make it happen, and that anytime
they wanted to come down there was always a place for them.

He extended the offer to my brothers as well but it seemed a bit less sincere.

When we left the next morning my mother had already said she would be there next weekend.
She wanted to meet his family and be there with me through every step of my pregnancy.

Xavier smiled. I knew what he was thinking.

“It’s still us,” I said as we got in the car to head to the hotel.

“Always will be.”

Chapter 30

Forever Steel - X

We left a day early. Taelyn and I both wanted to tell my family. It felt odd not telling
them first but I was gonna have in-laws who would be involved, a lot from what I understand.
It would be a little hard to get used to since we were so damn close but I wanted
it for her. She was damn lucky to have a family still here and as solid as the one
I was raised in.

We walked into Jase and Carly’s as the lasagna was being passed.

“You made it?” Momma smiled, “Sit and eat.”

Everyone was there. Cyrus and Tara were home from their honeymoon and I was dying
to tell them all I was getting married.
How fucked up was that
?

Cyrus stood as we sat. “We have an announcement to make.”

How fucking perfect is this? Three out of four of us were having babies. I felt a
little ridiculous about these girly feelings so I grabbed Taelyn’s hand, pulled it
under the table, and put it on my dick.

She giggled and yeah she blushed. My good girl was walking on the wild side but she
hadn’t fully crossed over yet. That shit would change. I swear I would make sure when
I was seventy she’s he still wanting to jerk me off under the table in public restaurants.

“Tara and I are expecting. She is four months pregnant and we are pretty sure there
are two.”

Momma started laughing and crying and speaking all sorts of Italian.

After all the congratulations, hugs, and tears had subsided I stood up.

“Brace yourselves I have an announcement too. We spent the past two days with Taelyn’s
family in Boston; I like her parents and one of her three brothers.”

“Because the other two act like you.” She laughed.

“Hush up.” I winked. “Taelyn and I will be married this summer. No dates set but get
this Momma; it’s gonna be a full blown Catholic wedding in a church and all.”

“You better make sure the foundation is strong if we all walk in there together,”
Zandor laughed.

Momma covered her mouth and then started to stand. “Wait there’s more. Taelyn you
wanna tell them?”

She shook her head no, “You go ahead.”

“We are expecting a baby in about thirty two weeks. But just so you know I had already
planned on proposing and that’s a whole-other story that we won’t get into. I also
want to apologize to the three of you. I was pretty damn harsh on you all for falling
so fast and I understand now. You don’t chose it, you fight it for so long but when
it happens, there isn’t a damn thing you can do to stop it, and there isn’t a damn
thing I would do differently. So here’s to the beauties that came to us by fate, the
only ones we asked for a second date, the ones who we chose as our best friend, and
who really dig us hot as hell tattooed men.” I lifted my glass. “Forever Steel.”

They all followed suit, “Forever Steel.”

Zandor stood. “I suppose I can share something too. No we’re not having a baby. We
still have some -- kinks to work out.” He winked at Bekah. “Two weeks before we came
home we too became man and wife or as I like to say…”

“Zandor, Bella.” Jase warned.

“Sorry Little Bell. We chose a very nontraditional way to get married. Not one I would
have wanted any of your vanilla--.”

“Zandor.” Jase sneered.

“I like chocolate Uncle Zandor.”

“Me too Little Bell.”

“Well, I would have come.”

“Well I wish I had known that then. Will you forgive me?”

“Maybe if you buy me a necklace like Bekah’s.”

After hugs and tears and Zandor getting scolded by Momma we headed home she was exhausted
and so was I.

~

Taelyn graduated from college and both of our families met. They stayed the entire
week and I was well aware that I was being scrutinized but I didn’t give a shit. I
had nothing to hide from them, well almost nothing. I certainly wasn’t going to let
them know about our adventurous sex life or the fact that Taelyn and I had sex everywhere
we went. I didn’t push that shit either but I ate it up.

~