Chapter 89
CHAPTER EIGHTY-NINE
Ryker
Eight months later
Ellery sat on the bed with our daughter cradled in her arms. Her dark hair was still sweaty and stuck to her flushed face, but she glowed with love as she gazed down at Lillian Rose Marian and played with the tiny fingers poking above the pink blanket.
When we learned Ellery was pregnant, I was the one to suggest our child should bear the surname Marian. It was time to stop passing on the last name of Locke. It was one more way that Veni’s legacy would die.
Ellery had agreed and reverted to the use of her maiden name. I’d also accepted the last name of Marian. I was happy to shed the last remnant of my past life and to watch the Locke name die in Tempest.
Bearing my mother’s name as her middle name, I knew Lillian Rose would grow into a strong, formidable force. I already pitied anyone who tried to stand in her way.
Settling beside Ellery on the bed, I kissed my wife’s temple while I gazed at the wonder nestled securely in her arms. It had taken two days for Lillian to enter this world; I’d spent those two days pacing, holding Ellery’s hand, and trying to remain calm while pain and exhaustion battered her.
I’d failed while she triumphed.
I kissed her again. “You’re amazing.”
Ellery grinned at me. “Look at what we made.”
Love squeezed my heart as her bloodshot eyes twinkled with joy and love. Then she shifted her attention back to our child.
Lillian’s wispy brown hair stood up in patches around her head. She had the tiniest little nose and fingers; I’d spent some time admiring those digits before she was swaddled and handed to Ellery.
I had no idea what color her eyes were, as she’d mostly slept since arriving, but I hoped she had her mother’s eyes. She already had her beauty.
Ellery looked up at me and smiled again. It lit her eyes and bathed her face in pure joy.
We were both surprised to discover she was pregnant. It shouldn’t have been a shock, given we’d both had a lapse in our birth control, but we remedied that soon after our first night back together.
By then, it was too late. Lillian had already taken form, and for that I was so incredibly grateful.
With my hand against Ellery’s belly, I’d delighted in Lillian’s kicks and hiccups. I fell in love with her months before she made her way into this world.
When I took Lillian’s tiny hand, she wrapped her delicate fingers around mine. Her eyes fluttered behind her lids but didn’t open.
“She’s perfect,” I said.
“She is,” Ellery agreed.
We sat together for a while, simply basking in our daughter, before I rose to let the others in. Scarlet and Ruby were here for the birth, but they left soon after to give us time with the baby.
Now they returned with Luna, Callan, Ianto, and Tucker. Trailing behind them was Mouse, who’d grown at least six inches during Ellery’s pregnancy and now carried a bouquet of yellow wild flowers.
Ellery grinned when Mouse handed them to her. She clasped the flowers and drew Mouse close to kiss his forehead. When she released him, she offered Lillian to him.
“I know you’ll watch out for her and be a good big brother,” Ellery said.
Mouse’s mouth parted as he gazed at Ellery in surprise. Then he nodded enthusiastically and placed his fist over his heart.
Mouse had taken Ellery’s words to heart. I hoped that meant we’d see him more often. He stopped by at least twice a week, but it would be better if he visited more.
When Ellery transferred Lillian into Mouse’s arms, his face lit up with awe. Mouse carefully rocked Lillian back and forth while cooing over her.
Eventually, the boy handed the baby over to Ianto, who looked incredibly awkward with the tiny bundle in his arms. While he was great with kids, there were no newborns at the orphanage, and it was clear the giant was afraid he’d drop her.
He twitched every time she moved. I grinned at the oaf, but didn’t see how he could drop her, given that Lillian was the same size as his hand. He carefully passed the baby on to Luna.
When the baby started fussing, Luna handed her back to Ellery. They all came to kiss Ellery goodbye before leaving the room so Ellery could feed her.
Once she finished, Ellery’s head fell back against the pillow and she slept. I didn’t know how she’d stayed awake for as long as she had, given everything she endured.
I gently lifted Lillian from Ellery’s arms and held her against my chest while I walked around the room, singing to her. Faded memories of my mother singing the same song to me drifted across my mind as I whispered the words to her.
“You’re going to know nothing but love from both of us,” I promised before I kissed her forehead.
“You’ll get in trouble, of course, especially if you’re anything like your mother, but you’ll never know my hand in punishment.
I’ll protect and love you every day of my life, little Lillian Rose, and you have so many who already love you and will protect you too. ”
As I talked, I counted all her fingers again and basked in her wonderful innocence. She’d never know the kind of life I’d lived or a war.