Chapter Thirty-Three #2
“Reina, you’re havin’ twins. We’re havin’ twins.
That’s about all I know since you’re so early in the pregnancy.
Doc wants you on bedrest for right now until he can get Dr. Phillips, the obstetrician, in to see you.
No unnecessary walkin’ around. Cali, I think we need to talk,” Caleb says, pulling up a second chair and moving it as close as possible to the side of my bed before he sits back down and laces our fingers together.
“What, um, what do we need to talk about?” I ask him nervously because it could literally be about anything.
“Us. I’m done fuckin’ around, Cali. For so long I thought I needed to remain loyal to Darren and the relationship you two shared for almost nine years.
With everythin’ he’s done, he no longer has any hold over me.
I’ve cut all ties to him and I want to be with you.
I’ve wanted to be with you for so long. Cali, I want to make you my ol’ lady and wife.
I don’t want to wait or waste any more time.
You’re mine,” Caleb says, his voice gentle and slightly hesitant as if he’s not sure what I’ll say to that.
“I need to know what changed your mind, Caleb. You were loyal to him for so long and we’ve been through so much over the years.
Especially this last year. How do I know you won’t suddenly realize you should remain loyal to what you thought our relationship was and leave the kids and I behind again?
” I ask him, the thought a real possibility as I look at him and wait for his response.
“The second I realized Darren betrayed us all, I knew I’d never have any loyalty to him again.
He took everythin’ we all felt for him and shit on it because of some revenge plot.
The things he said about you, Cali, absolutely gutted me.
He was never in love with you and you became nothin’ more than part of his plans.
Darren used you to hurt me because he knew I loved you.
That was the last straw for me, Reina. I could never remain loyal to a monster like Darren.
The memory of you two bein’ together doesn’t matter.
All of those memories are tainted and will never come between the two of us again.
“For the first time in my life, I’m gonna be selfish.
I’m gonna do what I should have done in school and make you mine.
Bryce and Rory should be my kids and you should’ve been my ol’ lady and wife for the last almost nine years.
Hearing my papa tell me you were taken from Kreed’s house made me realize how life can change in a split second.
I didn’t know if I was ever gonna see you again with all the trainin’ Darren has.
I’m done not goin’ after what I want with you.
We both love one another and time is too damn precious for us to waste.
I want to raise Bryce and Rory as my children.
To be the dad they deserve to have in their lives.
I love you so fuckin’ much. Cali, will you please be my ol’ lady?
” Caleb asks me, leaning closer as he waits for me to answer him.
I don’t even think he’s breathing as anticipation fills the hospital room.
“Yes, Caleb. I love you, too. I always have and always will. I’ll be your ol’ lady. But I think you better ask Luca and your family members if I can be your wife. They might not approve of us gettin’ married,” I tease him, my voice full of laughter despite the pain my body’s in.
“I’ll ask every single man in our lives, Reina.
You’re important to so many people who love you, Cali.
If they don’t approve of us gettin’ married, then we might have to run away and elope,” he responds to me, his voice full of laughter of his own before he leans in closer and presses his lips against mine.
Caleb deepens the kiss and I wrap my one good arm around him the best I can despite the IV in it.
He holds me close and lets me rest in his arms for as long as I need to without pulling back or complaining about being uncomfortable in the position he’s currently in.
Caleb will never be the first one to pull back from me when I hug him.
He knows I need this after everything I’ve been through.
“You said the kids are here?” I ask him when I finally pull back from him.
“You wanna see them?” he questions me, his voice serious because he knows I’ll struggle to let Bryce see me hurt this bad. It was bad enough when Darren was home and he saw the altercations between us. Well, he saw Darren yelling at me and everything else he did.
“Yes. I need to see them with my own eyes to make sure they’re okay and here with us,” I say, knowing in my heart this is what I need more than anything else right now.
“I’ll be right back, Cali. You good with my parents comin’ in too?”
“Of course,” I respond knowing Sam won’t relax until she sees me and can be assured I’m alive and okay.
Caleb leaves the room and I take a deep breath because fear is starting to fill me.
It’s going to take time for me to realize Darren’s dead and not coming back.
That our parents won’t take the kids from me in order to get money I don’t have.
In less time than I was expecting, my door is opening once more and I look over to see Bryce leading the way.
His little face is screwed up in pain as he looks at me.
I hold out my hand for him and watch on as my son runs to the side of my bed but doesn’t touch me.
Tears fill his eyes and I watch as they spill over his lashes and roll down his face.
Caleb is instantly at his side and pulling my son into his arms. Bryce cries against Caleb’s chest while Sam makes her way over to me and hugs me gently.
She tells me how sorry she is and how worried everyone has been while Playboy holds my daughter in his arms and stands back to give us the time we need.
I spend the rest of the afternoon with my family as members of all three clubs come and go from my room.
Once Dylan enters, he refuses to leave and pulls Luca inside to visit with us.
Everyone knows Luca and I are close and they won’t let him remain on guard duty instead of seeing me and being around those who truly care about him.
The men of the Feral Dragons stay longer than others as they make sure the kids and I are fine.
Though everyone is excited when Caleb announces that I’m his ol’ lady now.
Usually it would have to go up for a vote in church, but he knows none of the guys will vote against us being together.
And I have a feeling he talked to them all while I’ve been sleeping in the hospital after surgery.
Everyone visiting with me is almost enough to make me forget I’m in the hospital.
It’s not quite enough, but close enough.
The love they show me is more than I’m used to and it only makes me realize we truly have no clue what each day will hold for us and it’s important to spend time with the ones you love to create memories that will last a lifetime.