Epilogue
Maeve
One(ish) Year Later
“Happy Mother's Day!” Kelcie, Kinsley, and Christian barged into the bedroom with a tray filled with breakfast treats and a vase with the most colorful poppies I had ever seen.
“Perfect timing. Guess who just woke up?” I looked down at the crib set up in what we used to call my room, although I admittedly didn't think I had ever slept there. It was always meant to be baby Greyson’s room.
Christian slid next to me and looked down where the cutest little boy lay tucked safely into his sleep sack. His incredibly fluffy blond hair splayed all over the mattress, and he looked up at us with the same piercing blue eyes as his sisters.
“Every time I look at him, I just see a copy-and-paste version of you.” I looked over at Christian, who just couldn’t stop staring at the little boy, his favorite pastime.
“What did you guys bring me?” I asked the girls, and they shoved the tray in my direction.
“Poppy Christian helped make the pancakes,” they both excitedly burst out. I know the nickname they called Christian sounded utterly ridiculous, but over the past year, it had really grown on me. There was such symbolism and meaning in that little flower, and the growth of our family that I had grown to love it.
“That is so nice of him.” I gave each of them a thank-you hug, and we all headed downstairs. I watched as Christian held Greyson, and Kelcie’s hand, as Kinsley went ahead of them. This was the family I always hoped for. The partner that I could only have conjured in my dreams.
Christian was still doing the same thing that he always did, and Alex looked like he would win the presidential race this fall, so it was likely he and Julian would be able to delegate their more “gritty” tasks so they could focus on more of the legit side of the business.
As we got downstairs, I heard the doorbell ring and quickly went to answer it.
“I’ll get the stuff ready for brunch in the yard,” Christian shouted from the back. We had borrowed Julian’s chef today in honor of Mother’s Day to have a big brunch celebration for all of us.
I opened the door, and Gianna and her almost one-year-old daughter, Aria, came into the house. Elio was in tow with the playpen, diaper bag, breast pump, and everything from their entire house, it seemed.
“You guys know we have this stuff here, too?” Gianna gave me two kisses on each side of the face.
“You know how particular El is.” She rolled her eyes and dropped the baby, who crawled all the way to the back.
“Hi, beautiful. Happy Mother’s Day,” Elio offered and gave me the same kiss-greeting.
Tatum and Julian walked up with their six-month-old, Jax.
“Guess what?” Tatum screeched from the end of the sidewalk.
“What?” I walked out to greet her and grabbed the baby from her hand, giving him a little kiss on the cheek.
“Jax learned how to sit up on his own today,” she exclaimed, and we both squealed in joy. Oh, the things moms got excited about around their other mom friends.
Last, Chels rounded the corner, sporting her very pregnant belly.
“I don't know how you guys did all of this,” she complained. “It is too freaking hot. My feet are swollen.” Tatum and I both looked at each other and laughed. “This isn’t funny. My tits are so fucking big.”
“They always have been, though, bunny,” Alex told her and turned toward us. “I keep telling her they’ve always been massive.”
“Not helping, Alex,” I offered and gave him a little kiss on his cheek in greeting as well.
We all gathered around the back. The two older babies played happily in the yard with Kinsley and Kelcie, while Greyson sat watching everyone in his little bouncer.
“Is this how you expected our life to be one year ago?” I looked at everyone who offered the same grateful expression on their face. “I knew we would all be here, but Alex, you’re going to be our president, with Julian and Christian as your right-hand men.” They both gave each other a hug proudly.
“Elio, you have this amazing chance at this life with your wife and baby.” He looked over at Gianna, who wore a soft green dress today with her long black hair flowing down her back.
“I guess I just never imagined this is where I would be.” I shot Christian a look of gratitude.
“I hear big news is in line for you, too,” Chelsea chimed in.
“Yeah, Maeve finally decided, after bugging her that she wasn't going to go back to the restaurant after her maternity leave,” Christian said proudly and then turned to me as I leaned back on the wooden chair. “Tell them, firecracker.”
“I think I want to look into finishing my schooling to be a teacher. I think going back to school is the first step, though,” I sheepishly offered.
“Wow,” Tatum exclaimed. “That’s amazing news.”
“Thank you, guys.” Suddenly, I realized the smile permanently etched on my face was here to stay because this was my life. This was my family. These were my people.
After the ordeal of our day, which included spending hours in the pool with all the babies, everyone was tucked safely in their own bed and very tuckered out from the sun.
Christian was in the shower, and I stood in our bedroom just staring at him like the creep that I was. Even after all this time, he was even more handsome than when I met him. He had cut his hair slightly, but it was still pretty long, and he’d shaved somewhat recently, but the stubble was already growing back in.
“Are you coming in?” I shook my head when he asked.
He opened the shower door and stared straight at me.
“I told you about this already,” he encouraged.
“No.” It was a simple response, but ever since having Greyson, I had become a little more self-conscious of the way my body looked. It was a little fluffier in parts that I wasn't used to.
“It’s obviously your choice, firecracker, but you need to know how fucking sexy I find you.” He jumped out of the shower and was stalking me as water dripped down onto the floor mat. His cock was hard, and I could see him throbbing from here.
“I love the way your hips look.” One step.
“I love the way your titties bounce when I take you from behind.” Two steps.
“I love the way your pussy tastes.” Three steps.
“I love every single curve you have.” He now stood right in front of me at the frame of the door. He leaned up, holding the top of the frame with his arms as his upper body came crashing toward me. “I need you to know how fucking hard you make me just by existing.”
He dropped a kiss on my mouth, and I pulled his neck down, listening to him groan into me. Fuck, this man was perfect. It had been a long road for him to understand how I expected him to allow me to put myself first before he could come in and save the day. At the end of the day, I didn't need a savior. I just wanted a partner.
But because of his encouragement, I gained confidence as his hands circled me. I wore a loose cotton maxi dress with spaghetti straps. I opted out of wearing a bra because it was easier for breastfeeding, and I preferred a lace bralette instead.
As his hands folded around the fabric, I pushed in closer to him and started to moan into his mouth.
“Make those noises, firecracker, and you know exactly how Daddy is going to punish my dirty little whore,” he warned, and I loved his dirty little mouth. It was an automatic turn-on. I was a fiend.
As I grabbed his neck with my arms, he lifted me, letting the loose fabric pool around my waist. He guided me over to the countertop, where our mouths continued fucking each other with our tongues.
“Can I taste your pussy?” he asked. We loved a good man who respected our boundaries and consent.
“Please,” I demanded, and he pushed my dress up and pulled the lace thong down.
He had to bend down slightly to get to me, but his head leaned down as he pressed his mouth against my clit.
He sucked. He licked. He flicked. He fucked my pussy with his mouth, and I loved every moment of it. The wetness increased as his mouth violently continued its assault on me.
“God, Christian,” I moaned.
“Take a shower with me?” He pulled out from under me, but watching that man looking up at me, my own wetness dripping from the corners of his lips, was fucking erotic.
I simply nodded.
He lifted me off the counter, and I gently stepped out of my dress.
“I’m so lucky you’re mine,” he murmured as he glanced up and down, taking in every bit of my new body.
“Always yours,” I whispered back before his mouth was immediately on mine.
“You taste your sweetness on my lips?” I wailed as he shoved two fingers into my pussy, stretching my thighs apart.
“Yes, Christian. Oh god.” I was starved for him as he finger fucked me.
“Get in the shower, firecracker,” he demanded, and I quickly hopped into the enclosed glass shower. There was a little seat in the corner, so I took my place as he shoved my hands onto the glass. I tried to hold on to keep leverage, but the wetness of the glass made it difficult for me to.
“I’m slipping,” I wailed as he bent my back so my ass was up in the air.
SLAP .
I let out a resounding yelp as his hand slapped my ass again.
“You’re going to regret that, Daddy,” I murmured raspily. I knew my ass was in his face, so for effect, I gave it a little wiggle, and I could hear his groan echo in the shower.
“You are Daddy’s bad little girl who likes to get punished?” I nodded excitedly, glistening as he spread my legs. I was slipping, but his free hand helped secure me as he shoved his hard, thick cock inside me.
“You are my dirty little slut,” he echoed and pushed his cock deeper inside me. I groaned, letting his thick length push even deeper. It had been a while since I felt like we properly fucked. We’d had sex since the baby, but this was something else. This was what I had missed.
“Open that wet little cunt for Daddy to stick his slick cock into,” he growled.
He pushed into me as much as he could, and I matched his rhythm, and then we were fucking—straight, dirty, and animalistic.
“What a beautiful pretty pussy you have,” he praised as he continued to hold me up. My hands found their way to the edge of the seat to give me some leverage as he impaled me with his dick.
In an instant, the warm water of the shower stopped, and Christian pulled out of me.
“What the fuck?” I exclaimed, snapping up and looking back at him. His eyes were dark with a deep desire, and I knew we were far from over.
“Come here.” He lifted me before I even could respond, throwing me over his shoulder and giving my ass a little jiggle before tossing me onto the bed.
“Show me what you do when I’m not here during the day.”
“You dirty little bastard,” I responded. Christian had added even more cameras in the house since Greyson was born, so I knew what he implied. When the girls were in school and the baby was in bed, I oftentimes liked to touch myself while screaming his name.
“Come on, show me.” He dropped into the oversized leather chair in the corner as he pumped his cock. I sat a few feet away on the bed, so instead of fighting him on this, I gave him a slight smile.
“Okay, big boy,” I mused.
I lifted my legs so he had a front-row seat to my dripping cunt. I circled the outside of my clit before I shoved two fingers into me.
“Christian,” I moaned desperately, arching my lower back so I was stretched out on the bed. I turned my head and watched as his hands worked furiously on his own cock.
“Tell me what you’re thinking about,” he demanded.
“I’m imagining your big, thick cock,” I replied as he emitted a low chuckle, but I could see him white-knuckling his cock as he continued to pump it.
“Firecracker, I’m not going to last much longer,” he groaned.
I shoved my thighs shut so fast and immediately stalked over toward where he was. He met my gaze with the same hungered need.
“You’re beautiful.” I looked down, and for the first time, I had totally forgotten that I was naked. But standing in front of this fucking god of a husband that I had, and the way he praised and encouraged me, I did feel fucking beautiful. I felt like a goddess.
“I want you to come inside me,” I moaned as I hopped onto his cock.
Sliding right onto him, I could feel his girth spreading me open. I held his neck for support as I bounced up and down on him. I knew it wasn't going to last long for each other. Our bodies were slick from the shower and a combination of sweat from our heated fervor.
“I’m going to fucking explode,” I screamed callously. Immediately, I could feel his warmth inside me as I sank into a deep oblivion.
“Oh, Daddy.” I let out one more breath. “I love you.” I collapsed onto his chest as he held me tightly for a moment.
He lifted me and pulled me off him before gently laying me on the bed. He grabbed a towel from the bathroom and cleaned me up before tucking in next to me.
“That was your Mother's Day gift.” He chuckled and dropped a kiss onto my forehead.
“Accepted and appreciated.” I giggled before he jumped up to get me one of his shirts like he always did.
He came over, and I lifted into a sitting position so my legs were over the bed. He handed me one of his black shirts.
I slipped it over my head, and he was kneeling in front of me when my head popped back up.
“What are you doing?” I asked, and he handed me a little envelope.
“Open it,” he demanded
I gently opened the envelope and pulled out five plane tickets…to Italy.
“Holy shit.” I was breathless.
“You really think having sex with me is a gift? No. That is MY gift.” His eyes gleamed with excitement. “This is your Mother’s Day gift. I already cleared it with Tyler and Stephen, and they are okay with us bringing the girls for a week.”
“This is amazing. I don't have words, Christian.”
“We’re going as a big group to Elio and Gianna’s villa.”
I stared at him. It was such a thoughtful gift. I hadn't traveled in a long time, and the girls had never been abroad.
I leaned down to give him a kiss.
He lifted up and then came into bed, tucking himself right behind me like he had for the past year.
I looked over at my nightstand, where Christian had placed the tickets to Italy, and it hit me with a rush of emotions—I couldn't believe this was my life. Trying to find the words to describe the past year seemed futile because it had been an indescribable roller coaster of ups and downs.
If there was one crucial lesson I'd learned, it was that life's journey was far from a walk in the park. It was a winding and bumpy road, often testing our resolve and pushing us to our limits. Sometimes I questioned my decisions, faced self-doubt, and wondered if I'd ever make it to the other side. Yet through every setback and moment of despair, I pushed forward with unwavering determination.
Now, lying here, with my partner holding me every single night, I could finally see the beauty of reaching the horizon.
This life was my finish line.