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  She felt despair and sadness fill her over that. “Rory, you shouldn’t have left. I’m okay, would have been okay.”

  He shook his head. “I couldn’t let you do this alone, Lena. I would have walked through fire to come back to you.” He smoothed her hair off her forehead and smiled down at her, sadness in his eyes. “You’ll go to college, do so damn well because you’re smart as hell. I’ll find work wherever you’re at and provide for us so you can focus on school.”

  She was going to cry. God, was she going to cry. How in the hell had she gotten a man so loving and compassionate? Her heart swelled with so much emotion it felt like it would burst.

  “You’re feeling okay, medically I mean?”

  She nodded and rested her head on his chest. “I’m much better now.”

  “What did the doctor say? You’ll be okay?” he asked again, and she smiled at the fact he sounded so worried and loved her so much.

  “I’ll be fine.” She’d had to go back to the doctor for a follow-up and to make sure things were still okay, but she was good now, more than good because she had Rory here with her.

  Pulling back and sitting on the edge of the bed, Rory stared down at her. She breathed in slowly and exhaled just as slowly.

  “You’re not just some guy, but the guy I love, the one I want to be with forever.”

  He smiled and cupped her cheek. “I love you, too, baby.”

  She looked out the window again, knowing that as time passed this would be a little bump in the road of life, and that with time, she’d heal. As it was it felt like she lost something so big, lost something she didn’t really know she’d wanted so badly until it had been there, right there for her. She had so many things she still wanted to do, so many things she had planned.

  The saying “things happen for a reason” had never felt truer than it did in the past few days, but she was glad she had the support of her parents and Rory here. Having them meant more than she’d ever be able to express in words, and she was so thankful she didn’t have to go through this alone.

  Rory pulled her into his arms, onto his lap, and just held her. “I love you, baby. I want you to know I’m here for you. Always.”

  “I love you.”

  “And I’ll always love you, Lena. I will always be there for you.” He pulled back and stared down at her face. “I love you, more than anything in this world, and we’ll get through this together, baby.”

  She smiled, and a tear slid down her cheek. He ran his thumb under her eye, collected the droplet, and wiped it away.

  “God, I love you, Lena. Always.”

  “I love you, too, Rory.”

  He held her tightly again, kissed the top of her head, and stared out the bedroom window. He didn’t know what their future held, and this might be one of the hardest things they’d ever go through, but if they could get through this, then they could get through anything as long as they were together. And Rory wasn’t going to leave Lena, not ever. She was it for him.

  Lena was the woman he’d die for, kill for. She was the reason he breathed, and he’d make sure they got through this because if he couldn’t comfort and be there for the woman he loved, then what was he good for?

  15

  Six months later

  Whether Lena knew it or not, she held Rory’s heart in the palm of her hand. She was his world. His everything. And the baby she carried—his baby—was going to change things for them in only the best of ways.

  Life really had no meaning for him without the love of this woman in his arms and the future they were building together.

  He was the luckiest fucking guy in the world.

  Rory pulled Lena closer to his body, buried his face in her hair, and closed his eyes as he inhaled. She smelled incredible and felt so damn good in his arms—a living, breathing dream come true. He slipped his hand down to her belly and growled in possessiveness as he felt the swollen roundness of it. She was big and round with their baby—his baby. He closed his eyes and felt nothing but happiness.

  She carried a little girl, the ultrasound a couple of months ago confirming that he was going to be a father to a daughter.

  He started rubbing her belly and felt the baby kick. The smile that formed couldn’t be helped. God, he loved this. He loved both of them so much.

  And then she placed her hand over his. He hadn’t realized she’d woken up, but when she snuggled back closer to him and sighed in contentment, he knew this was what “being home” felt like.

  “I didn’t wake you, did I?”

  She hummed softly and turned her face to look at him. “I was drifting in and out.” She shifted so she was facing him now, chest-to-chest. Her sleepy smile had his cock getting hard instantly. Fuck, who was he kidding? Just being in the same room with her, hell, thinking about her, got him harder than marble.

  He moved his hand back to her belly and started rubbing the roundness, smiling at how much he loved doing this.

  And then his little girl kicked again.

  “Are you scared?” she asked hesitantly.

  He shook his head right away. “Never.” He stared into Lena’s eyes. “We got this.” A couple more slow circles. “I got you. Always.” She smiled wider at this as if she were hoping it would be his answer.

  “Only thing I’m scared about is how I’m going to beat down the little bastards who come sniffing around her when she’s older.” This had Lena laughing. “No dating for her until after I’m good and dead. Until then, I need to buy a fucking closetful of guns and bullets as soon as she’s born.” He leaned in for a kiss, and at the same time, he slid his hand along her neck to cup the side of her. He tilted her head back to really delve inside, stroking her, making love to her mouth. Lena tasted sweet. So fucking sweet. And mine.

  “You’re going to be one of those overprotective dads?” She was teasing. He could hear it in her voice.

  Rory grunted. “You bet I am. Fuck those little assholes who come knocking.”

  She started laughing, but he drowned out the sound by kissing her again, and as the seconds passed, all he thought about was this moment.

  When he pulled back it was to see her looking up at him with hooded eyes and a sleepy smile.

  What he saw in her reflection was no doubt what he gave her back tenfold.

  Love. So much love.

  “What?” she whispered as he kept staring at her.

  “I love you so fucking much.”

  “I love you, too,” she whispered, her breath hitching a little as if she were overcome with emotions.

  “I’m never leaving you again. I’m never leaving you two.”

  Pushing down the blanket, she rolled fully onto her back and he got a good look at her exposed belly. Mine. He leaned down, ran his lips along her flesh, and framed her roundness. She ran her fingers over his hair, and he shivered at her touch, knowing she would forever be his weakness but also his strength.

  Mine, he thought again and again and again

  After one more lingering kiss to her rounded bely, he lifted and pulled her closer, just holding her. Nothing was more important than the woman in his arms and the baby she grew in her belly.

  “It’s always been you.” The words were low, meant for his mind, but they spilled out. “You were always meant to be mine.” He leaned down to kiss the soft skin on her shoulder. “And I’ll always be yours.”

  Epilogue

  Two years later

  Lena was in her second year at college, doing well with her grades and trying not to get distracted at the fact every time she came home it was to see Rory waiting for her. Even that thought had her smiling.

  After all the shit they went through, him going to Colorado, and then coming back, then the birth of their little girl, they’d become closer than ever.

  She smiled as she looked down at her wedding ring, the band simple, the diamond in the center catching the light. God, even all these years later and she was deliriously happy.

  Life was hard, specially being
young parents, but they had each other, and they had the help of family, and so far things had been going just about as perfect as anyone in their situation could expect.

  They’d gotten married in a simple, small, and intimate ceremony shortly after their daughter was born. It hadn’t been a fancy wedding, not extravagant or spewed about with wealth.

  But it had been perfect. For them. Always.

  Rory was it for her. He was Lena’s world, her other half, and not having him in her life was too unbearable to even think about. But she knew she’d never have to worry about that. He was with her for life. He loved her wholly, completely… possessively.

  She was his, and he was hers.

  Lena grabbed the shopping bags out of the back of her car, shut the door with her foot, and headed up the slightly cracked driveway of the small two-bedroom home she lived in with Rory. This house wasn’t their first, or even their second one they’d lived together in. But the difference was it was theirs. They’d saved, scrapped, and went without so they could have something they owned for the three of them.

  It was also only twenty minutes from the university and less than that at the garage Rory worked at full-time. He might have left Colorado only months into the project, losing the chance to have a secured job with that company, but he’d left for her, and she would have done the same for him. And in the end, everything had worked out. Now he made more at the garage as the lead mechanic than what he would have ever made in Colorado. And there was even talk of him taking over the place after the current owner retired.

  So yeah… things were working out.

  And here they were now, two years later, living together, loving each other even more with each passing day, and raising their little girl Lyric. And she wouldn’t have it any other way.

  She juggled the keys and the two plastic bags of groceries as she tried to unlock the front door. Cursing loud enough she was sure the neighbors, a young couple expecting their first baby, heard, she finally managed to open the door and push it open with her foot.

  When she stepped inside, she saw Rory coming out from the hallway holding little Lyric in his arms. He was smiling down at their daughter as he fixed the pink bow in her dark hair.

  “The most beautiful girl in the whole world,” he murmured and gave Lyric a kiss on the crown of her head. “Well, you and Mommy are the most beautiful girls in the world.”

  Lyric started babbling, some words coherent, others that would never be deciphered. He wore a pair of running shoes and track shorts, the white T-shirt stretched across his muscular chest instantly having her warm with desire. A sigh left her on its own at the power he displayed in that very male body, and the strength that made her feel very feminine.

  She thought she’d known everything there was to know about Rory being with him for three years, but since then, with all the ups and downs, trials and tribulations, she’d realized there had been so much that she’d been blind to.

  He hated coffee. He preferred water over soda. He liked sour treats, often forgoing chocolate when she brought it home. He also left the toilet seat up constantly, didn’t like to put his clothes in the hamper, and instead usually tossed them right beside it on the floor.

  She smiled at the annoying things he did, things she only found out after they started living together, but she’d grown to love those things about him.

  And the best part of all that?

  He was the most incredible husband and father. The best.

  A part of her ached that her gentle giant of a husband didn’t have the kind of parents she did, the ones who supported him no matter what. But he had her and Lyric, and he told her that was all he’d ever needed. All he’d ever need.

  They didn’t need his

  He set Lyric down and her baby girl ran over to her, gave her a monster hug, but then she saw her toys in the corner of the living room. Lena laughed as her little girl made a beeline to the goods, forgetting about Mom or Dad.

  And then she looked at the man she loved. He had his focus already on her. The longer they stared at each other, the more the room grew heated, the chemistry that was always between them moving back and forth, always strong, continuously growing, the more she just wanted to be with Rory.

  He walked toward her with this intense look on his face. “I missed you,” he breathed, this devilish smile on his face.

  She set the two bags on the floor and smiled, allowing him to pull her into the strength of his big arms and just hold her. “Lena?” He spoke right up against her ear.

  “Yeah,” she said softly, closing her eyes and listening to the sound of his hear beating right by her ear. He pulled her back so she could look into his eyes. His expression was so serious.

  “There isn’t anything in this world I wouldn’t do for you and Lyric, you know that, right?” He smoothed a stray piece of hair off her forehead. “That’s how much I love you two.” Rory leaned down and kissed her softly. “I’d do anything for you two. You’re my girls. I only want to make you guys happy. Always.”

  She curled into him even more, wrapped her arms around his hard body, and closed her eyes again. “I love you, too, and you make us so very happy.”

  They were silent for a moment, the sound of Lyric gabbing to herself and her toys making them both laugh.

  “This is utterly … perfect.”

  Yes. Yes, it was.

  The end.

  About the Author

  Find Jenika at:

  www.JenikaSnow.com

  [email protected]