Epilogue Caterina
Although the decor surrounding us was bright and cheery, Callum’s dark mood permeated the room. As for me, I couldn’t help thinking how comical he appeared in a three piece suit pacing back and forth in front of the rainbow colored examining table. Wriggling on the crinkling paper was our three-month-old daughter, Julianna.
Callum had kept his word by allowing me to bestow an Italian name on our first born. I had given the Sicilian Giuliana an anglicized spelling. I’d furthered her Irish roots by giving her Maeve as a middle name. I couldn’t imagine a stronger role model for my daughter than her aunt.
Stripped out of the designer dress Quinn had bought, Julianna resided only in her diaper. As the nurse slipped the measuring tape through her dark curls, she kicked her legs and cooed. “She’s measuring right on target,” the nurse commented.
Callum nodded his head, never taking his eyes off of his daughter. After recording the numbers in a file, the nurse said, “Dr. Sheehan should be right in.”
“Thank you,” I called as she exited the room.
While I sat in the chair across from the examining table, Callum leaned over Julianna. When his lips brushed against her bare skin, she squealed since she knew what was coming. He blew the raspberries across her tummy. She giggled and grasped the strands of his hair.
I couldn’t help smiling at the sight before me. “Never would I have believed a scene like this would be part of my life when you kidnapped me,” I mused.
Callum threw a glance at me over his shoulder. “Even after all this time, you’re never going to let me forget that, are you?”
Shaking my head, I laughed. “Never.”
Callum turned back to Julianna. “Your mommy is the most stubborn woman I’ve ever met.”
I stood up from the chair to join them. Leaning over Julianna, I added, “And your daddy’s biggest weakness is the two of us.”
With a grin, Callum replied, “Aye, as much as I don’t want to admit it, you’re right.”
I brought my lips to his for a kiss. When I pulled away, I ran the back of my hand across the hair on his cheek. “The best thing that ever happened to me was being kidnapped by you.”
“The best thing I ever did was kidnap you.”
Before we could start kissing again, a knock came at the door. “Come in,” I called.
Dr. Sheehan stepped in the door with a bright smile. “It’s good to see all of you again.” She gave me a knowing look since Callum was in attendance. He’d come to her two-day checkup as well. Even though she’d taken a Hippocratic oath, Callum didn’t trust her when it came to Julianna.
“Yes, he’s a very involved father,” I mused.
Dr. Sheehan smiled. “You’re lucky.”
Returning her smile, I replied, “I am.” And it was the truth. I’d never imagined Callum being such an involved dad. He’d gone so far as to take a month long paternity leave from his work, so he could stay by our side. Once he’d gone back to work, he called or texted constantly throughout the day. I tried reminding him he had cameras to check in on us, but he claimed to want to hear my voice. I think it was more about wanting to see a clearer image of Julianna on facetime than the grainy images on the security cameras.
As crazy as he was about her, Julianna was just as crazy about him. She was a Daddy’s Girl through and through, and I teased Callum that some days I felt like she preferred me only as a milk receptacle. He quickly argued that I had him beat considering how much Julianna favored me. She had both of our dark hair, but her facial features did resemble mine. Of course, it felt a little conceited to say she looked like me and then say what a beautiful baby she was.
So, I bit my tongue and let everyone else remark about her beauty instead.
Once Dr. Sheehan was through with her examination, we came to the part of the appointment I’d been dreading: the vaccinations. While I didn’t want my daughter to feel pain, I really feared Callum’s reaction when she was hurt.
At the first shot and Juliana’s high pitched wail, Callum’s hand went for his gun under his jacket. “Callum!” I hissed in horror.
When he met my gaze, he had the audacity not to even appear apologetic. “She hurt her,” he gritted out.
I rolled my eyes. “She had to get her vaccines, especially with us traveling overseas.”
For Julianna’s baptism, we were traveling to Sicily. We’d decided to have her baptized at the church I’d attended as a part of the Sacred Heart. Most of our family thought we were insane to do it there considering the potential bad memories involved with my kidnapping. Maybe Callum and I weren’t sane, because to us, it was a special place.
It was where we first met.
Of course, it was also where I’d shot and bitten him, and he’d drugged me. But without all of our initial trauma, we wouldn’t have each other or our beautiful daughter.
Another reason we would be baptizing her there was because I’d asked Sister Lucia to be one of her godmothers along with Maeve. We’d chosen Rafe and Kellan as her godfathers. Although Quinn and Dare should’ve been higher on the list, I knew Kellan had the heart and soul needed to watch over Julianna in a spiritual and emotional sense. As the new capo of the Neretti family, Rafe brought physical protection.
Once Dr. Sheehan was finished, Callum practically shoved her away, so he could get his hands on Juliana. “Oh, my angel, Da is so very, very sorry,” Callum murmured as he cradled Julianna against his chest. At her continued wailing, he began cooing to her in Irish.
When Dr. Sheehan shot me a look, I held up my hands. “My sincere apologies. I promise I’ll leave him at home for the next set of shots.”
While she laughed, Callum shook his head. “Like hell. My princess needs me.”
Once again, I rolled my eyes. Dr. Sheehan replied, “It’s always the hardcore daddies that break down the worst with their wee one’s shots.”
Since she was one of the doctors connected with the Kavanaugh family, she knew exactly what kind of “hardcore” man Callum was. “You guys have a safe trip, and I hope to not have to see you until the six-month shots.”
“Thanks, Dr. Sheehan,” I replied while Callum merely grunted. With a frustrated huff, I said,“Come on. Let’s get her dressed and out of here before you shoot someone.”
He grinned at me. “I’m making no promises.”
When we arrived back home, tears once again assaulted my eyes at the glimpse of the moving boxes. At the sight of my face, Callum gave me a reassuring smile. “Kitten, are you ever going to get over this?”
“I can’t help it. I’m still so hormonal,” I argued.
With Julianna’s arrival, it had been decided it was time for Dare and Quinn to move into homes of their own. They’d both bought penthouses less than five minutes from us. Although we would lose two brothers, we would be gaining Orla and Eamon. With me in school full-time, Julianna would need a nanny.
Thankfully, we had to look no further than Callum’s mother. After spending the first month of Julianna’s life with us, she decided she couldn’t bear to be so far away from her granddaughter. Eamon was thrilled to be joining his brothers and to begin his initiation into the clan. With their arrival, Maeve would be the only Kavanaugh still in Ireland, but thankfully, there were enough Kavanaugh clan members there to make sure she was safe and protected.
Dare appeared on the landing of the stairs. At the sight of Julianna, his face lit up. “There’s my beautiful princess!”
When he reached us, Julianna took one look at him, jutted out a quivering lip, and then burst into tears. Her reaction caused Dare’s face to fall. “What the fuck did I do?”
While Callum chuckled, I shook my head. “It’s not your fault, Dare. She just had her shots, so she’s not feeling her best.
Dare rubbed Julianna’s tear-stained cheek. “Oh, my poor wain,” he crooned, which caused Julianna to cry harder.
Not only did Julianna have her father wrapped about her finger, but all of her uncles as well. They loved helping Callum with bath time and bedtime. Her closet was full of ridiculously expensive clothes, not to mention all the toys and books they bought. It was quite humorous watching them wearing her in the sling, especially when fielding phone calls that involved dark dealings. Like Callum, Dare and Kellan loved having her fall asleep on their chests. While Quinn still shied away from holding her as much as the others, he enjoyed pushing her pram during our daily walks around the neighborhood.
Dare’s and Quinn’s devotion to Julianna was another reason why I was going to miss them so much. Just the thought that they wouldn’t be on the floor right above us caused tears to fill my eyes again. It felt like I was saying goodbye to my own brothers. Although she didn’t get to spend as much time with them, Rafe, Leo, and Gianni tried to come down every other weekend.
When Dare shot me a concerned look, I laughed. “I’m fine. I keep getting emotional thinking about you guys moving out.”
He grinned his signature cocky grin before throwing his arm around me. “I’m going to miss you, too, Sister Sassy.”
I rolled my eyes at him still continuing to call me by my old nickname. “Admit it. You’re only going to miss Julianna.”
“How could I not miss you?”
Putting my hands on my hips, I countered, “Me or my cooking?”
“You.”
I kissed his cheek. “While I don’t believe you, I appreciate the sentiment.”
“I’m not lying.” With a wink, he added, “I still plan on getting my fill of your cooking when I come here for dinner every night.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
When Julianna continued fussing in Callum’s embrace and rooting around on his chest, I held out my arms. “I think that’s my que to feed her.”
Dare wrinkled his nose. “That’s my cue to get my boxes and get the hell out of here.”
I rolled my eyes. “Like I would just whip my boob out right in front of you.”
The only thing that freaked the brothers out was feeding. Nothing made the room clear out faster than for me to start unbuttoning my top. Not that I wasn’t modest and wouldn”t have wanted to flash them, but it was really quite comical. I walked into the living room and eased down in one of the chairs. Callum followed closely on my heels, easing Julianna into my arms.
Once she was latched and feeding, he squatted down in front of us. “I’m not going to lie that I’m starting to get slightly jealous of our daughter’s unlimited time with your boobs.”
With a squeal of horror, I kicked him with my leg. “You’re terrible.”
He laughed. “I can’t help it. I’m wandering through a sexless desert.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “I’m sure if you’d had a third-degree tear to your dick, you wouldn’t be ready either.”
One thing my husband and mother-in-law had failed to tell me was that Kavanaugh’s produced big babies. All of the Kavanaugh brothers had been nine pounds and up, and Maeve had almost been nine. Healing from the tear had been worse than the pain of delivery. It’s why I hadn’t been given the green light for sex at six weeks. While I hadn’t had any desire to get physical, I had thrown several mercy blowjobs at Callum.
With a groan, Callum bowed his head to rest his chin on my knees. “I’m sorry I’m a sex-crazed asshole who would die just to be buried inside you again.” He leaned forward to kiss the hand that nuzzled Juliana’s head. “I miss you–I miss us.”
“I miss us, too,” I whispered. And that was the truth. I’d grown to enjoy the physical side of our relationship almost as much as Callum. I missed waking to his fingers and tongue between my legs. I hadn’t even wanted any oral from him because I was still gunshy.
But I’d turned a corner in the last few days. Not only had I finally been given the green light by my doctor, but I’d started to feel more like the old me. I hadn’t told Callum yet because I didn’t want to promise him something I wasn’t sure my body could deliver.
Tilting my head at him, I said, “After I put Julianna down for her nap, maybe we can try.”
He jerked his head off my knee, and a laugh burst from my lips at the expectant look on his face. “You’re serious?” he questioned.
“I am.”
“You’re not fucking with me?”
I shot him a wicked grin. “No, but I’d like to try fucking with you.”
He closed his eyes in exaggerated bliss. “Oh Kitten, that word on your lips.”
“I’m going to expect a lot from your lips to get me ready to take you.”
He grunted like a caveman, which caused Julianna to turn her head and eye her father suspiciously. When he smiled adoringly at her, she reached out a hand for him, which he took and pretended to gobble up. It always elicited a giggly response from her. She then kicked her feet and babbled at him.
Rubbing her cheek with my finger, I said, “All right, piccola stellina, you need to focus on eating and not on your daddy.”
Callum kissed Julianna’s head. “I love you to the moon and stars, but hurry up and go to sleep, so Daddy can bury himself inside Mommy.”
“You’re terrible,” I huffed before pushing his head away with my free hand.
With a wicked grin, he winked and heading out of the living room. After Callum left, Julianna returned to nursing, but her eyes began to droop. I kept rocking her in my arms long after she went to sleep. Callum’s whisper caused me to jump. “Quit stalling and put her down.”
As I rose to my feet, nervous butterflies filled my stomach. But at the sight of my handsome husband leaning against the doorframe, I knew it was ready.