Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
CARSON
Although her eyes were closed, and her breathing even, I knew she was awake.
I could always tell. She looked so damn beautiful underneath the soft duvet, her eyelashes pillowed on her cheeks, her hair flowing over her shoulders.
I knew she usually slept with a bonnet, but we had been up late the night before, enjoying ourselves a little too much.
In fact, we’d stayed up far too late and had barely gotten any sleep.
I was loath to wake her up this morning, but we had to. We had an important day ahead of us.
I knelt by the edge of the bed and leaned forward, staring at the woman I loved.
I couldn’t quite believe that this was our life now.
Sophia sleeping in our bed, with the girls making noise in their room, giggling at one another.
They were still young enough that the twins wanted to stay in one room, and I knew one day it would probably break Sophia’s heart to have them separate, and frankly, it would probably break mine as well.
I was never meant to be a father—not with the father that I had growing up—and yet here I was, becoming the man I never knew I could be.
Because of this woman.
I was now a girl dad, and I loved it. And anybody who ever came near those little girls of mine would have to deal with my wrath.
“I can hear you growling. Who are you thinking about maiming?” Sophia hadn’t opened her eyes, though a small smile played on her face as she spoke. I leaned forward and traced my fingers along her jaw.
“I’m just wondering what I’m going to have to do one day when Hazel and Violet are old enough to date.”
Sophia’s eyes fluttered open as she laughed softly. “Oh yes. I can see you being that growly man. But you have to let them open their wings. If you cage them, they’ll just rebel. You know your sister.”
“My sister is in a loving relationship with an amazing woman. Maybe we’ll be lucky and our daughters will be lesbians, that way I don’t have to deal with boys.”
Sophia’s entire body shook as she laughed, and I leaned down and kissed her softly on the mouth.
“That sounds quite bigoted, mister.”
“You know I’ll love whoever they love. But they will have to run the gauntlet.”
“And not just your gauntlet. Have you met the Cages?”
“You know, that’s true. I bet Aston and I could start an entire interview process for the next generation.” Actual plans began to take form in my mind, but then Sophia was leaning forward, her lips on mine.
“Stop. We will raise them to be smart, caring, and careful. We will not have an actual lie detector and interview process.”
I grinned. “I didn’t say anything about a lie detector, but I like the idea of one.”
“You are ridiculous.”
“But that’s why you love me,” I said honestly.
Her entire body softened, and she sat up. I couldn’t help but notice the way the sheet pooled at her waist. Her pink tipped breasts were so damn beautiful, so I leaned forward and sucked one into my mouth.
She groaned, leaning forward.
“Carson,” she whispered.
“You always taste so beautiful.”
“And I just looked at the clock, so I know we’ll be late if we’re not careful. We need to get the girls ready. And that means you need to get your mouth off my breasts.”
“I’m sure we can find some time.”
And with a growl, I was on her, the sheet torn away, and my sweats tugged beneath my ass. I was in her in a blink, her legs wrapped around me, and as she arched, I groaned into her neck.
“Carson,” she whispered.
“That’s it. Mine.” And then we rolled so I was sitting, and she was on my lap with my hands on her waist, lifting her up and down smoothly, her pussy fluttering around my cock.
I took her breasts into my mouth again, ignoring her phone alarm going off. We would be late, but I didn’t care. This was the love of my life, and I wasn’t letting any moment go to waste.
When I slid my hand between us, flicking my thumb over her clit, she met my gaze, eyes wide, her mouth parted, and then she was coming.
Her wet, hot cunt gripped my cock as I slid in and out of her.
She continued to come, her hair flowing down her back as she arched for me, and I moved at a rapid pace, unable to hold back.
My balls tightened, and then I was filling her, body shaking, cum leaking between us.
There was no condom, there was no need. Not anymore.
Body shuddering, I held her close, my face buried in her neck.
“That’s one way to wake up,” she teased.
I kissed her neck, her jaw, and then her lips. “I love you,” I rasped, my voice breaking.
“I love you so much,” she said softly, her eyes filling. “But I hate the fact that we’re going to have to wash the sheets again.”
I threw my head back and laughed, my still hard cock pulsating deep within her as I did.
She giggled, her head resting on my shoulder, and I knew this was how I wanted to wake up every morning until the end of our days.
By the time the phone buzzed again, I knew we would truly be late and I didn’t care. We cleaned up the bed, and then each other, and I was very good and didn’t pin her against the shower wall like I wanted to.
Instead, I used my fingers to make her come one more time, just because I could, and let her lick her sweetness off my fingers.
Since Sophia needed to blow dry her hair, I was the one who got the girls ready for the day, loving the way they explained about their dreams, and what they wanted to do for the day.
I was not their father, not in blood, but I would be. I would take care of these girls until the end of my days.
Because Sophia wanted me to be their father. And I was never going to let them go.
“Uppies?” Hazel asked, that wicked gleam in her gaze. She was so like her uncles it wasn’t even funny, so I picked her up, knowing she could speak in full sentences at this point, she just liked the word.
I rubbed my beard against her soft cheek, and she giggled as Violet twirled around me, showing me her new ballet moves.
“Well, look at you three, you got ready so quickly,” Sophia said as she moved into the kitchen, wearing a soft dress and a bright smile.
Her cheeks were also glowing, and I knew once we made it to Aston’s house, they would all know why we were late.
Brunch would just have to wait, and I did not care.
“Are you ready to see all of the Cages?”
“We’re Cages,” Violet said before she curtsied.
Hazel and I clapped, as Sophia went to her knees and hugged her daughter close.
“You are Cages.”
“But Carson isn’t,” she whispered.
My heart clutched, and I swallowed hard.
“No, but I love you Cages.”
“Will you be one?” Hazel asked, playing with my beard.
I looked over at Sophia, at that blush, and knew she would have to be the one to answer this.
“He can be ours, and you know, our family loves to make people honorary Cages. Even if they have different last names.”
In that moment, I knew I would change my last name if they wanted me to. I wasn’t going to make the girls do it again when I made them mine. Because I would adopt them, Sophia had already agreed. We were just waiting to lean into this new moment of our lives.
Cora had taken Juliet’s name, and I had been grateful for that. We hadn’t wanted another connection to the family that had tried to take so much from us.
Maybe I could add Cage to my last name. It would surely confuse some of the older people I worked with and piss off my father.
I grinned at that, the smile probably wicked, and Sophia gave me a look.
“I’m a little afraid of what you’re thinking right now.”
“Oh, just thinking how I can be a little wicked.”
“Carson,” she whispered.
“I’ll tell you later.” I leaned forward, and kissed her jaw, before running my beard along Violet’s cheek to make her giggle just like her sister.
“Scratchy!” Violet giggled.
“Okay, I guess I need to shave.”
“No, I like it,” Sophia said, and I swallowed hard, knowing that for her to say something like that was a big step.
She had spent so long hiding who she was, never expression her wants or desires. That she felt free to do so with me meant the world.
Because she never had to deal with ramifications when it came to me. I would always be there for her. And if she wanted to tell me her preferences, or asked me to change or not to change, I would.
Because she trusted me, and I would do all in my power to make sure she knew that she could trust me.
That these girls could trust me.
“Okay, let’s get ready to head to Uncle Aston’s,” Sophia said after a moment, and I smiled, knowing that I would find a way to make a dating triathlon of some sorts in order to keep the kids safe.
From the look on Sophia’s face, she knew exactly where my mind had gone.
It didn’t take long for us to get everything ready. I lived closer than Sophia had, so that was a plus. After the kidnapping and attack, Sophia hadn’t wanted to go back to that house. It was the second home of hers that had been broken because of Cale, but that man wouldn’t hurt her anymore.
He was dead.
I would never regret not reaching out to save him.
Part of me probably should, but I had been there to make sure Sophia had survived, and moving would have meant possibly risking her life and mine in order to protect the man who had threatened his children and nearly killed Sophia more than once.
I would not feel guilt over that man’s death.
Sophia would though. And that was why we talked, why she and her family went to therapy, and why I went with her.
Whatever Sophia needed, I would be there. Because she was the strength within us, and her being able to shine that light meant the world.
We got to Aston’s place, and he gave us a knowing look as to why we were late for brunch.
But I ignored him. He wouldn’t tease his sister, not for a little while yet, and I was grateful for that.
One day he would see how far she had come and would tease her like he once did.
But then again, they hadn’t grown up together.
Everything felt new when it came to this family, and I was the one joining in now.
I was the one learning how to be part of this family.
But they had welcomed me with open arms. Even Cora and Juliet were invited to most meals that we were, though today they were out of town on a second belated honeymoon.
Cora had been so damn scared about what had happened, but had opened her arms for Sophia, welcoming her as a sister. And Juliet had done the same.
Our parents didn’t matter. If I never heard from them again other than through their lawyers, I would be fine. And I knew Cora and Juliet would be too. They had been adopted by the Cages just like I had. And just like Sophia had said at the wedding, Cora would never be alone.
We were all family for a reason, and we were figuring out exactly who we were together.
Not all the Cages were here, with Flynn being late from what I could tell, and Kyler out of town.
Those who lived farther away from Aston weren’t here today, but there were enough of us.
The entire Cage family could take over our conference hall at this point, and I knew that once people started having more kids, it would just get louder.
I was excited that one day I would be in this home, with Sophia as my wife, and the girls as my legal kids. And that day would come soon. The ring was already wearing a hole in my pocket. But I would wait.
I would wait until Sophia was ready.
When she wouldn’t wake up in a sweat because she could hear that man scream.
But we had time.
All of us.
The man who had shattered her once was gone. And wouldn’t be coming back.
And the girls would one day ask where their father had gone, and we would find a way to tell them.
And I would find a way to be the man that they needed.
And that wasn’t daunting at all.
“Are you okay?” Sophia asked, pulling away from Isabella and Blakely to come towards me.
“I am. Have I said I love you recently?” I asked, brushing her hair back from her face.
“Only twice or so this morning. I love you too, you know.”
I leaned down and took her lips with mine.
“Get your mouth off my sister,” Dorian snarled, even as he laughed, with Harper glaring at him.
I ignored them all and just looked at Sophia.
“When can we leave again?” I asked.
“You’re ridiculous. We are here for family brunch, and you’re going to help with the dishes.”
“Big bad Carson, Mr. Former MMA fighter, and the CEO to end all CEOs, doing dishes? I can’t wait,” James said with a laugh. I leaned back and let them tease me, knowing that I would have to get used to this.
I hadn’t grown up with a family that pushed one another like this, that wanted to be with one another.
Then again, everyone in this room hadn’t grown up in a way that would lead to this either. We’d all begun with secrets that would hopefully end with us.
I had found my forever in a woman who tempted me, teased me, and found strength within me I hadn’t known was there. She challenged me every day, and I could not wait to see where she would take me.
Because I knew, no matter the gauntlet the world put her through, and no matter what her family spoke of, I would be her pillar, her strength.
Because she had enough spine for every person in this room.
And now I would be the one she could lean on.
Because I had accidentally fallen in love.
And this fling, the single night that should never have happened, would be our future.
And I supposed being a Cage couldn’t be all that bad in the end.