Chapter Thirty-six
Luca
Seeing Stephen for the first time in years poked awake something inside me that has been asleep for so long. Seeing my father, my blood, in front of me, it’s everything to me. And knowing he went and saved my girl, I could never repay him for that. Because, in all honesty, he was saving me.
Stephen has been here since I left him the message that I needed him.
Keeping watch. He was able to take someone down, and that was why my recording kept replaying to the same scene of the back door when we were gone to Two Brothers.
He was worried that if I got wind of it, something worse would happen—me going after them.
I know who sent them. And all I needed to know was that he had fixed the problem.
The fear that coursed through me, knowing that they were so close to her, was palpable when he spoke those words, letting me know what I already knew, thanks to Aiden.
I wish my father had made himself known, but if he had, would Rowan have had the help she needed last night?
No. Probably not. So, his uncertainty kept my world alive.
Rowan showing up and getting the guns, that raised a red flag for him.
Fucker drove behind her with his lights off, so she wouldn’t notice him.
The reason he knew exactly where she was is because he had placed a tracker on her rental car while she was inside the gas station.
Always three steps ahead of the situation.
I would have paid to see Damian’s face when Stephen jumped into his car at the apartment. I bet he almost shit his pants.
Once I got my eyes on Rowan, my anger overruled everything.
I wanted to scare her like she scared me, but everything in me couldn’t.
I couldn’t keep the secret about the woman in the closet; I needed to hand it to someone else, and she’s that someone.
I can’t keep doing the what-ifs about that, because I have Rowan to protect.
It’ll be my job forever. And she’ll always win out over everyone and everybody.
My father and I both look at each other, and it feels like I’m looking through a mirror, seeing myself in twenty years. It’s uncanny; he’s just an older version of me.
“Where are you going next?” I ask him.
He shrugs. “I don’t know yet. I was thinking I could hang around here.” His face is tired, his eyes drawn, his body older. I can see he’s ready to be done, like I am. This life is one we don’t need to keep doing anymore. They’re gone now. We got our vengeance, one way or another. We got it.
The little boy deep down inside me jumps with excitement, but the man I am now just nods. “We have an extra guest room. Weeks has the other one,” I inform him. Not showing much emotion.
He smiles at me.
“What?”
Leaning back, he says, “I like her. She’s definitely going to give you a run for your money, and I promise, ones like her…
like your mom, are so fucking worth it, son.
” His smile fades. “I’m sorry I left this all on you.
But I couldn’t immerse myself in them anymore.
” I know he’s talking about TUSB. “But because of your sister, you found your woman and, if anything, know that. She gave you one last thing.” His words come out shaky.
“She did, didn’t she?” I look up, hoping she can see him and me.
“I’m still mad at Rowan,” I tell him truthfully.
He takes a swig of his beer, “And that’s okay.
But now she had her own monsters to fight, son.
She needed what she did to move on. To finish her healing.
Did she do it in a stupid way? Absolutely, she did, but she was sitting across from me, all I could see was Lauren and what she didn’t get to give them back.
Be mad, but let it go when you step back into that house.
She’s here.” His eyes glisten, and I know he’s right.
We both sit in silence, lost in our own thoughts while drinking our beer.
All things truly happen for a reason. Him staying tucked saved Rowan.
My sister dying by their hands had me neck deep in TUSB, which also led me to Rowan.
Everything good and bad happens for a reason.
My crimson heart now beats steadily because of Rowan.
Ten months later
Luca
Laughter and conversations fill our house while we wait for Damian, Soleil, and Sunny to come back inside. Today is the day Damian proposes to Soleil.
My heart is so full it feels like it’s going to burst when I watch Rowan step off the last step of the stairs, her stomach swollen with our son.
Rowan is seven months pregnant, and I’ve never seen her more beautiful than she is now.
Her face glows, her hair shines, and her eyes widen with happiness as she spots me; her smile overtakes her.
Her white T-shirt encases her belly, showing it off.
Because that baby is loud and proud. She waddles as she walks toward me, my hand automatically reaches out to her wrist, pulling her in between my thighs, my other hand coming between us, rubbing her belly. Needing to make contact with her.
After David’s, Rowan stopped taking her birth control pills, telling me that we’re going to let nature take its course, letting me know that Dr. Maggie informed her that getting pregnant could be challenging, but it wasn’t an impossibility.
But knowing she wanted my child was the ultimate high.
We didn’t try, but when it happened, it felt like my tilted world got straight.
We hid it from everyone until she started to show.
Just in case, she was so scared of losing the pregnancy.
Her hands shook as she held the pregnancy test out to me, her eyes filling up with tears, panic on her face. “I didn’t think it would happen this fast,” she said in confusion.
All she was met with was my boisterous laugh as I picked her up, threw her on the bed, and fucked the weariness out of her.
“Hey,” Rowan kisses my lips, “what are you thinking about?”
“You,” I tell her as I’m brought back to the here and now.
Stepping back, she pushes my already placed hand harder on her stomach. “He’s in rare form today,” she says exhaustedly.
We’re cut off when the front door opens. Everyone claps when Damian and Soleil walk in, Sunny curled onto her chest.
Rowan looks at me, smiling, before grabbing Clover’s hand on the way to congratulate Soleil. “Let us see!” They mimic each other.
My island is the meeting place that everyone gathers around, picking at the food Clover graced us with, when a knock sounds at the front door.
My head jerks to it, and my hackles rise.
I feel Rowan’s eyes on me because she knows everyone who should be here is here…
even Stephen, who now lives on the property, along with Weeks as a neighbor.
In slow motion, I stand up as Matteo walks to the door and opens it. “Wait, no one else should be showing up,” I call at him, as the last word leaves my mouth, a shot reverberates throughout the house, and screaming commences.
“Luca!” I hear Rowan calling.
“Into the panic room. Now!”
It’s mayhem as Thomas, Weeks, Damian, and I run out of the house, leaving Stephen to tend to Matteo.
We all run in different directions, but come up empty, until I spot Weeks dragging something… No, someone from the woods.
Running to him, I skid to a stop when I look down and see a small woman who’s wailing like a feral animal to get out of his hold. I don’t recognize her.
Weeks stops, gun pointed down at her head. “You’re fucking insane. I should shoot you right fucking now. You do have a death wish, don’t you?” He’s speaking to her like he knows her, anger oozing from him.
She leans her head up, pushing her forehead into the barrel of his gun. “You already killed my soul when you took Gabriela; might as well kill the body, Carlos.” Tears roll down her cheek.
“Holy shit.” I jump when I hear Thomas’ voice behind me, not realizing he was there. “Fucking baby mommas.”
Damian slaps his back to tell him to shut up.
“You got this?” I ask Weeks. I need to go check on Matteo and Rowan.
Not moving his eyes from her, he grits out, “Yeah.”
Needing him to say nothing else, I take off running to the house, Damian on my heels.
I’m greeted by a pool of blood on my entry floor, and Matteo is no longer there.
Breathing a sigh of relief when I see him sitting at the island, a rag on his shoulder. “Get the women.” He tells me, jerking his head toward the panic room. As Stephen pulls supplies out of his bag.
“Rowan,” I call to the door, knowing she could hear me, but I can’t hear her. “Everything is okay, baby. I’m going to open the door.”
Rowan and Clover stand over Soleil and Sunny, blocking them from view. Her hand cradles her stomach, trying to protect our son. Her eyes scan my body to make sure I’m okay before walking into my open arms. “It’s okay.” I rub her head.
Peering back to look at me, she asks, “Who was it?”
“Weeks’ baby momma.”
Her eyes widen. “What the fuck?”
“I don’t know, but Weeks has her now.”
Clover runs past us to Matteo. Her cry is loud when she sees he’s not seriously injured, a cry of relief.
Weeks took off with Selene, apparently that’s her name, not baby momma, and everyone else followed suit, but not before Stephan hands me a velvet box, smiling at me and hugging me tightly. “It’s all yours, son.”
The box feels so heavy, even though the ring inside it is light. The weight of what this represents is monumental. Opening the box and placing the ring on my pinky, I know my mom would be so proud for a woman like Rowan to wear it.
Butt ass naked, I climb into bed. Rowan's already laying down, sans any clothing, ready for me to rub lotion on her tight skin, easing the itch she goes through every night. It’s our nightly routine now.
And one I love, feeling my son move around in her belly, my time to connect with him, whispering secrets for only him and I.
Letting him know how strong his mommy is and the fighter he’ll forever have by his side.
My hands lather the lotion, trying to warm it up, hoping she doesn’t see the ring before I rub her stomach, her skin soaking it up.
My ringless hand roams up her belly, to her engorged breast, her nipples now darker and wider, even sexier than before.
Rolling them between my fingers, she moans, the sensations too much with their sensitivity.
She spreads her legs wide, her folds blossoming open, and even her pussy is engorged with the pregnancy.
Leaning back on my knees, I memorize her at this very moment, watching her pregnant belly slowly rise and fall, anticipation marring her face.
Ready, as I watch her arousal leak out and onto the sheet, tempting me, calling me to her like a siren.
With Rowan, she doesn’t need any priming; she is always willing and ready, her orgasm ready to explode from her.
I run my cock up her slit, and back down before sinking into her, as she raises her legs, welcoming me in deeper. I fuck her slowly, edging her and pulling her right back. Hissing with each pump.
“I’ll always be wet for you, baby,” she pants up at me, her hands palming my ass cheeks, wanting me even deeper.
“I love you,” I sing down to her, each thrust making her moan louder.
“Let me come,” she pleads.
Leaning back, my cock still in her, I feel her pussy tightening, knowing it’s time.
“I’m going to co…”
I cut her words off, sliding the ring between my fingers, holding it up to her. “Marry me.”
Her eyes widened as I thrust harder into her.
“Yes! Yes, I’ll marry you!” She screams it as she comes around me, holding her hand out. I place the ring on her finger as her pussy constricts around my dick, coming inside her, claiming her forever.
THE END