Epilogue
Three months later
“How about Noah for a girl?”
I frown. “Noah? Isn’t that a boy’s name?”
We’re sat on my bike, parked up at a clearing beside the lake, the roar of the waterfall cascading over the rocks providing the soundtrack to our discussion.
One of my boots is planted on the ground to ease the strain on the kickstand as I straddle the bike.
Kaia is sitting on my lap facing me, her legs draped over mine as she fiddles with the zipper on my kutte.
“Yeah, but it can be a girl’s name, too. I think it’s cute. Don’t you?”
“Yeah, sure…” I reply, the tone of my voice tells her exactly how I feel about the name.
“Did you not hear? It’s my birthday today, that means you have to agree with everything I say.”
She’s really gonna milk the whole birthday thing, I can feel it. She’s already roped me into watching some cheesy-as-fuck romance movie with her tonight because apparently telling her no on her birthday doesn’t mean shit, but Noah? For a girl? Absolutely fucking not.
“That’s not a rule and Noah’s still a boy’s name.”
With a roll of her eyes, she sighs. “Ugh, fine. What do you suggest?”
I think on it for a minute. “Daisy.”
She shoots me an unamused look. “We’re not calling our daughter Daisy after the actress you fancy in that Twisters movie we watched the other day.”
“It’s a pretty name.”
“Yeah, so is Glen, if we’re choosing hot actor’s names,” she shoots back, referencing the actor who’s that Daisy chick’s co-star.
We find out in a couple of weeks at our next ultrasound if we’re having a boy or a girl.
I’m not ashamed to admit I cried during the first scan I went to a couple of months ago.
Hearing that rapid heartbeat through the speaker, seeing our tiny baby on the screen…
I’ve never felt such a rush of emotion hit me like a tidal wave and I couldn’t contain it.
Despite the tears streaming down my face, right there, holding Kaia’s hand while we looked at our baby, I was the happiest fucking guy on the planet.
Ever since, we’ve been brainstorming name ideas for a while, neither of us managing to agree with the other on what that name should be.
The last few months we’ve rarely been apart and I’ve never been happier. It’s a strange feeling to be filled with such joy and excitement for the future, it’s something I’ve never felt before.
Kaia lives with me now, and waking up next to her every morning and falling asleep with her in my arms is a blessing I never imagined I’d ever have. And the baby growing inside her? The excitement to meet our son or daughter in a matter of months is unmatched.
I’ve spent countless nights wondering what they’ll look like and if they’ll be more like me or like Kaia.
Either way, they’ll be a part of her. This woman who took me completely by surprise when she reached inside my chest and took my heart for herself.
She’s the love of my life. The mother of my child.
My future wife, because aside from welcoming our child into the world, there’s nothing I want more than to make Kaia my wife.
“Fi suggested Ezekiel,” she says.
“Please tell me you’re joking.”
Whatever horrified expression I’m wearing makes her laugh. “That was my reaction too.”
The breeze ruffles her chestnut hair and her eyes lift to the trees, the leaves rustling as the wind sweeps through.
Fuck…
She’s so beautiful.
Sometimes I look at her when she doesn’t realise and I have to catch myself. I still can’t believe I get to call her mine. How did I get so damn lucky?
I count my lucky stars she took me back after what I did. Even though the memory still makes me physically sick, we’ve moved past it and I’ve spent every day since making sure she never regrets giving me her forgiveness.
“How about Willow, for a girl?” she asks, her gaze returning to me.
“Willow…” I try the name out on my lips, her suggestion makes me smile. “I like that. It’s beautiful.”
“I was also thinking, maybe, Jack if we have a boy.”
The thought of naming our son after one of my best friends has a lump clogging up my throat, the loss of him still so raw all these months later.
“I think it’s perfect, butterfly.” I take her hands in mine, leaning forward and resting my forehead against hers.
“Do you think we’ll be good parents?” she asks, the question catching me off guard.
I pull back. “Why do you ask that?”
She shrugs. “I don’t know, I… I guess neither of us have had great examples at how to do this parenting thing. I just worry sometimes we’ll be like them.”
“Not a chance, butterfly.”
She chews on her lip. “How can you be so sure?”
I reach up to stroke her cheek, guiding her eyes to mine.
“You have the kindest, purest heart. You’re incredible with Jasmine, I’ve seen the two of you.
You dote on her. You have so much love to give and I don’t doubt for a second you’re gonna be an amazing mom.
Our parents might not have set a good example on what it means to be a parent, but you know what?
One thing we can thank them for, is for showing us how not to do it. ”
Kaia’s father made a full recovery and so far, he’s stayed true to his word and held up his side of our bargain.
Allie got her job back at the station. Collins was given the boot and ordered to hand back his badge after it was found there had been ‘errors’ during the election and after a recount, it was found Walker had in fact won the vote and was reinstated with immediate effect.
He and Kaia’s mom check in with her every week or two, never pushing too hard and respecting the boundaries she’s set.
“There will never be another kid on this planet who’s loved more than ours. I’m gonna be the best father to our baby. Starting with this…” I pull out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter from my pocket and toss them into the trash can a few feet away.
Her brows raise. “You’re quitting? Just like that?”
“Don’t need them. If I wanna live to see our grand kids, I don’t wanna be shaving years off my life by puffing on those little cancer sticks as you call them.”
She leans forward and presses her mouth to mine.
I cup her cheek. “And one day, I’m gonna be the best husband to you.”
Tears shimmer in her eyes, a smile tugging at her lips. “Is that your way of proposing to me?”
“Baby, there is no fucking way on Earth I’m proposing to you sat on my bike without dropping to one knee. When I do propose to you, I’m gonna do it right and it’s gonna be the proposal you deserve.”
She rolls her eyes. “There you go again, pretending you’re not the romantic type when really you’re secretly Mark Darcy in disguise.”
I take two handfuls of her ass and give it a squeeze. “Pregnant or not, I’ll still spank this perky little ass of yours if you call me romantic one more time.”
She giggles. “You keep threatening me with that idea but you never seem to deliver.”
“Oh, I plan to deliver, baby,” I grumble, my cock twitching.
“Don’t tease me with a good time. You know how horny pregnancy has made me.” It’s true. She’s insatiable, but you’ll never hear me complaining.
I never expected to find watching her belly swell as our baby grows inside her to turn me on as much as it does, but every time I catch a glimpse of her beautiful body, her baby bump just starting to show, my cock’s hard as a rock in a second.
“I know you said you didn’t want anything for your birthday but…” I pull out a little black box from my pocket and place it in her hand. “It’s not an engagement ring. Not yet.”
She flips open the box, peering down at the ring inside. Two thin pieces of metal shaped into two twigs entwined and twisted together all the way around, half a dozen gemstones the colour of both her eyes and the butterfly tattoo I inked onto her rib cage set into the metal.
It’s simple, elegant and beautiful. Made from the same spokes from the same wheel still in my garage I used to make her bracelet.
“It’s gorgeous.”
“It’s a promise to love and protect you for the rest of our lives, to take care of you and our baby, and that I’ll be here to support you and fight for you. Always.”
“Did you make it?”
I nod, taking it from the box and sliding it onto her ring finger before clasping her hands. “One day, you’ll open a box and there will be an engagement ring inside.”
“We’ve never even discussed getting married. I didn’t think it would be something you’d want.”
“I want nothing more than you wearing my ring and bearing my last name, butterfly. We don’t have to rush into anything, we’ve got all the time in the world, but it’d be an honour to be worthy of being your husband.”
Her eyes are glassy as her hand reaches for my cheek.
“You’re more than worthy, Killian. Don’t ever think you’re not.
I love you so much and every day you make me love you more.
” She takes my hands and places them on her belly.
“I can’t wait for our future. To grow our family and if one day you decide to propose, just know that I’ll say yes. A million times, yes.”
“All that I am belongs to you. Every beat of my heart. Every ounce of breath in my lungs. It’s all for you. I’m yours, butterfly. And you’re mine.”
“And he says he’s not the romantic type…” she trails off.
“Turn around and grab hold of the handlebars,” I grumble.
Her eyes sparkle with mischief. “Why?”
“‘Cause you just earned yourself a spanking, butterfly.”
Her mouth spreads into a grin. “Happy birthday to me.”
The End