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  “Well, I’m happy for you,” Emmy offers and wraps her small arms around me.

  “I am too. I promise. I was a little upset about it, but I understand.” Izzy smiles and her green eyes twinkle with moisture. “You’re kind of like my sister now.” She steps forward and gives me a hug. I haven’t thought about it that way, but she’s right. I think, and not for the first time in the last few months, how truly blessed I am.

  “What’s your problem?” I hear Emmy ask Dee. “You’re this disappointed that she isn’t knocked up?”

  She looks at us for a while, taking her time to look us all in the eye. Crazy chick really is disappointed and is doing a shit job at hiding it.

  “What? So what if I’m a little upset. I was looking forward to having another baby around here now that Nate is all ‘alpha baby’.”

  “What the hell is an alpha baby?” Izzy asks on a laugh.

  “Uh, really? He is constantly saying ‘mine’. But does he say it about normal things a one year old would claim? Noooo, not Axel Reid’s baby. His baby claims boobs, Izzy. I took him with me to the mall the other day, and when we ran into Victoria’s Secret to get some new boyshorts, because hey, they were on sale so why not? Anyway, we walk in and he starts pointing to every mannequin, every sales lady’s chest. Then when I’m checking out, he pulls my top down and screams ‘mine’. You have issues with that boy if he is already chasing tits at one.”

  Before she is even halfway through her story, we’re all wiping the tears away and laughing like loons. Jesus, sometimes the things that come out of her mouth are just unbelievable.

  “Did you ever think that maybe he was just hungry?” Izzy asks. Like just the thought of her breast fed child being hungry might not even be on Dee’s radar.

  “No. I didn’t, because it’s just weird you are still breastfeeding and your child has teeth. What if he bites off your nipple?”

  “You’re serious?” Emmy says in shock.

  “Hell yes, I am. When I have kids, there is no way they are coming anywhere near my girls with teeth. No way.”

  “You’re ridiculous, it’s good for him. And seriously, Dee, I had them pierced. Do you really think a nip here and there is going to bother these milk machines?” I can tell that Izzy is starting to get upset. This is a debate we have constantly, ‘we’ being Dee against us. There is just no turning her around on that whole teeth and nipples thing.

  “Gah! Can you not call them milk machines?” Dee shrieks.

  “You know Dee, I don’t know what you’re so freaked out about. I love it when Greg uses his teeth.” I laugh when her jaw drops. It really is just too easy to shock her these days. I’m pretty sure the last time she got some, Bush Sr. was president.

  “I do not need to know that about Greg.” She looks over at Izzy who is still laughing. “Why are you laughing? That’s just gross?”

  Izzy calms herself down, and looks at Dee with mirth dancing in her bright eyes. “Then I guess you don’t want to hear her tell you about when she first discovered he has not one, not two, but three piercings on his junk!” She starts laughing all over again when Dee starts gagging and leaves the bathroom.

  “Cruel, but fucking hilarious.” I laugh right along with Izzy for a few seconds. When we both are able to stop, I look at her and offer a small smile. “Are you really okay? I know you wanted to be there with us, but this really was just something that we needed to do, just the three of us.”

  “My feelings were hurt for a second, but then Axel explained it to me. I understand, really I do.” We hug for a second before she pulls back and grabs my hand. “At least he did something right.”

  She’s not wrong there either. While he and Emmy take turns complimenting the ring he picked out for me, I take a second to take it all in again.

  My heart swells when I think about what wearing these rings mean. My husband. It’s so new, and honestly hasn’t sunk in yet. Not sure that it even will for a while, but the thought that the man I was so determined to avoid and evade is now my husband and soon the adoptive father of Cohen, makes my heart expand.

  When we make it back to the table, Greg stands and pulls the chair out for me. Right as I’m getting ready to say hey to Beck sitting at my right, Greg leans over and whispers in my ear. “Do you know why Dee came out before you three spouting some nonsense about me being disgusting?” I look across the table at Dee. She is still looking at Greg as if he’s the carrier of every incurable disease out there, and it has me in fits all over again.

  “Knock it off, Dee!” I yell across the table.

  She shakes her head a few times and looks back at Greg, “There are just some things that I do not want to know about you. Three? Really?”

  Greg wraps his arm around my shoulder and pulls me closer to his side. I can feel his laughter vibrating through his shaking body as he laughs at Dee. With my husband’s strong arms wrapped around me, Cohen in his lap, and all of our friends surrounding us, I thank my sister for the millionth time for always reminding me to live.

  We decide to leave dinner a little early. When Izzy asks if Cohen can spend the night at their house, a very excited three-year-old yelps ‘yes’ across the table, and Greg doesn’t waste any time paying the tab, and dragging me out of the restaurant.

  “You’re acting like a beast, Greg.” I laugh, struggling to keep up with his long legged strides.

  “Told you, every Beauty needs her Beast, and your beast was just guaranteed a whole night of uninterrupted sex with his wife. So let’s move, woman.” When I still can’t keep up with his stomping strides towards the truck, he spins, and before I have a chance to protest, he puts his shoulder in my gut and I am hanging over his back.

  “Greg!” I can’t even fake outrage at this point. This is my man and I fucking love it.

  When we reach the truck, he all but throws me in the seat. He does take the time to lean into my body and devour my lips in a soul-consuming kiss full of promise off what is to come. When he pulls away, I whimper and he laughs.

  “Yeah, you feel me now.”

  “Beast.”

  The car ride home is full of thick heat. Not because of the temperature, but because we both know we may make it two steps into the house, if lucky, before coming together.

  Ever since Cohen has come to live with us full time, we have had to become creative with our sex life. The time he pushed me into the pantry and gave me the hottest five minutes between our can goods is one of my favorites. Almost getting busted by Cohen was not. I am convinced that that kid came with a built-in cockblocker. If anything, having the little guy around just makes us hotter for each other when we are able to steal time away together.

  Then again, with Greg Cage, every time feels like the first time.

  When we pull into the neighborhood, offering Stan a wave, and make our way to the house, I unbuckle my belt and prepare for what will come next. Predictable as always, he pulls right up to the front door, climbs out, and stalks over to my door. At least this time he cradles me in his arms bridal style as he storms to the door. I reach out and take care of the locks, and in two seconds, we are in the door with it shut, and locked, and my back flat against the cold steel.

  “Can’t wait, Beauty,” he said against my lips. “Need to feel you. Need to love you.”

  “Don’t want to wait,” I reply and start to help him pull clothes off. We trip, crashing to the floor. Before we hit, he rolls so his body takes the brunt of impact.

  We’re a blur of clothing and limbs as we rush to connect. Sometimes I feel that moments like this are our way of reminding each other that we are both alive, that we have both have overcome and are still here, living our lives and loving hard.

  “Love you,” I tell him, leaning forward, and looking down our bodies to watch him guide his dick into my pussy. I grab both his thick pecs and start moving against him. My favorite piercing adds the perfect friction against my clit.

  I feel his hands start gliding up my stomach before he cups my breast
s, and starts rolling and pinching my nipples. My head rolls back on my shoulders and I start to move faster, enjoying one of the rare times he allows me to stay on top.

  After I start to falter in my movement some, he grabs my hips and starts lifting me up, and slamming my body down, meeting me thrust for thrust, and glide for glide. Our moans dance together, and when I feel myself start to unravel, I lean forward slightly, waiting for him to curl up and meet my lips.

  And right there, a tangle of limbs and our lips locked together, we both reach our release at the same time. Completely connected. Mind, body, and soul.

  Living the life we are blessed to have.

  Beauty and her Beast.

  “I haven’t been here for months. I could blame the weather but winter ended weeks ago. I could blame work, but you would both know that I would be lying through my teeth. I could blame a number of things, but the only truth is I have been afraid. It’s one thing to come with the boys. With them around, I can’t breakdown and I can pretend that you’re both still here.” I sigh deeply and lay down on the cool grass. “I had to come this time. I wanted to be the one to tell you both. I wanted you two to be the first people I told. I haven’t even told Greg or Cohen yet, although I have a feeling when I do, they will celebrate so loudly you will still hear them.”

  I look up into the cloudless sky with a smile and continue with my reason for coming, “It only took six months, but the adoption paperwork came today. Greg and I are officially Cohen’s legal parents. Cohen thinks it’s cool that he’s getting a new name. Cohen Cage. He says it is a better superhero name.” I laugh a few times before sobering.

  “I wish you were both still here. I always thought of this moment and each time, I would have you both here with me. But just like we tell Cohen, I know you’re still up there and happy for me.”

  It takes me a few minutes before I can speak past the lump in my throat. “I went to the doctor today,” I whisper, “I hope it’s a girl, Fia. Remember all those times we would talk about how amazing it would be to have a son first and then a daughter so they would always have protection? I can’t wait to watch Cohen become a brother.” I lay there for a few more moments with a smile on my face and think back to all the times we planned our future. It gets easier, missing my family, but never stops hurting.

  “I miss you guys. I just wanted to let you know, let you be the first to know, that Cohen is okay and that pretty soon, our family will grow. Wish so hard you were here to share this with me. I love you, mom. I love you, Fia.”

  I climb to my feet and take one more look at the two gravestones that mark my family.

  I love you two, so, so much.

  When I drive home from the cemetery, I feel that pressure of grief ease off my heart and soar into the sky for the first time since I lost Fia.

  When I pull into the driveway and see my husband and our son rolling around in the grass, I know that even through the heartache and pain, we have both learned to fly.

  We have lived.

  And now we can teach our children how to do the same thing.

  ~ THE END ~

  The Corps Security series continues with Beck and Dee.

  To order: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HHBU5JG

  Cage - Bonus Chapter - Wedding

  “Hey, Beauty?” I ask, propping my head up on my hand and looking down at her. Her face is still flushed and her eyes still have that faraway look that I love putting there.

  “Yeah?” She shifts, turning her body so that she’s facing me.

  “Let’s go up to Tennessee this weekend. Take Cohen up there and visit Gatlinburg. There’s a bunch of tourist-type stuff we could find to do.”

  She looks at me, slightly confused at how I can go from taking her hard on the living room floor to chatting away about vacation plans.

  Real smooth, Greg. Real fucking smooth.

  “You just want to take off to the mountains? That’s a little last-minute, don’t you think, stud?” She laughs but quickly stops when she notices the lack of humor on my face.

  Jesus, I never thought I would be so nervous for this.

  “Be right back.” I jump up from the floor and walk over to where I threw my jacket when we got home earlier, snagging the box out of the inside pocket before walking back over to her.

  “So, I took Cohen to the store last week. Remember, it was when you were out with the girls and I told you not to worry about us? Right… The point. I had a talk with Cohen. We went down to that god-awful kid bouncy place that he likes and had a man-to-man over pizza and apple juice. I get that our situation is different. It’s not just you and me but you, me, and our son. We’ve been through some heavy stuff that most couples could never imagine. Bottom line, we’re forever. I want to be the kind of man Cohen can look up to. Be proud of. The kind of man who deserves this happiness. So I asked the other man in your life if I could marry you. Asked his permission to make this ‘the Cage’ family. It’s not easy to explain to a three-year-old why you love his aunt, but baby, I do. I love you more than you could ever imagine and I love our boy just as much. I want more than anything to make you mine. Officially. Melissa Larson, what do you say? Run away with us—me and Cohen—and let’s get married.”

  I pull her left hand from her lap and place the ring on her finger, admiring the way the large diamond looks on her hand. I didn’t even notice that she has gone completely silent until her breath hitches.

  “Beauty?” Holy shit, maybe she isn’t ready for this.

  I’m getting ready to open my mouth, but before I can speak, she pushes herself into my arms, burying her face in my neck. Her tears roll silently down my naked back.

  “Melissa, babe, I might be reading the signals wrong here, but is this a yes?”

  She pulls back, a beautiful scowl on her face, and laughs, “Seriously? Of course it’s a yes!”

  That night, lying in our bed with her asleep across my chest, I finally fall asleep with one big cheesy-ass grin on my face.

  “Melwee! Melwee! Why can’t I wear my cape? What if someone comes and tries to hurt you?” Cohen is in rare form today.

  Greg made quick work of the hotel reservations, and before I knew what was happening, we were packed up and on the way to Tennessee. Cohen has been going nonstop since we pulled onto the interstate about all the things we planned on doing. And Greg… Greg hasn’t stopped smiling since he asked me to marry him. The only nagging thought in the back of my mind is that he isn’t including the others. Hell, there hasn’t even really been time to let everyone know what we have planned. We just said that we were taking some time off and would be back in a few days. With everything that’s happened the last few months, I know they didn’t question it.

  “C-Man, we already talked about this, remember?” Greg says with a smile, looking over at me and taking my hand in his. The same tingles I get every time this man touches me shoot up my arm and cause me to shiver.

  “What if someone hurts my Melwee?” he asks, his little chin wobbling slightly.

  “Hey, baby, no one is going to hurt me. I’ve got the two strongest men in the world to protect me. You know those bad guys would be silly to try and take you on.” I reach back, give his small hand a squeeze, and smile at his adorable face. He looks so much like Fia when he is pouting that I can’t help but laugh a little at his expression. She would be so proud of the little man he is becoming.

  “Hey, what about me?” Greg jokes. “Wouldn’t the bad guys be scared of me too?”

  I give Cohen a wink before returning my attention to Greg’s strong profile. “Oh, well… I guess they might be a little scared of you, but Cohen is just so strong, Greg. Not only that, but look at him. Hate to break it to you, babe, but there is just no competition between you and my hero, C-Man.”

  Cohen starts laughing hysterically in the back seat, and even though Greg knows it’s all good fun, we both laugh even harder at his expression. Seems like the pouting went from the little guy in the back seat to the grown one in the fr
ont.

  The rest of the trip up to the mountains is full of laughter. When Cohen finally falls asleep about an hour outside of town, Greg looks over at me with a huge smile and says, “You do know they would be more scared of me, right? I mean, come on, Beauty… Look at all this.”

  I burst out laughing immediately.

  Men and their egos.

  That weekend with my new husband and Cohen is one of the best weekends of my life. We had a small wedding at a beautiful chapel on the side of the mountain and spent the night in one of their cabins. It wasn’t the honeymoon many would dream of, but that night, with Cohen snuggled between us and Greg’s arms wrapped tightly around us, I was in heaven. The last thing I saw when I fell asleep as the new Mrs. Gregory Cage was his handsome face and bright blue eyes sparkling with love.

  We spent the next day wandering around town, playing miniature golf, and just enjoying each other. We had just sat down for dinner at one of the local mom-and-pop restaurants when Cohen dropped his first bomb.

  “Melwee?” he asked with an adorable crooked smile.

  “Yeah, baby?”

  “Since you and Daddy are married, does that mean I can be a big brother? Daddy told me that you have to be married to have babies, so can I have a baby now?”

  Who knows how long I looked at him in shock. How had my little guy become so grown? I vaguely remembered hearing Greg tell Cohen that we would talk about it later but that it would be a little while before he would be a big brother.

  He looked over at my shocked face with a smile before continuing his dinner. My mind was still stuck back at the thought of having children. Of course it’s something I wanted, but now?

  “Breathe, Beauty,” he whispered in my ear. “Little man is smarter than you think, and babe, I will be putting a baby in there as soon as possible.”

  I got a quick kiss on my temple before he started eating again.

  “Melwee!” Cohen all but screamed across the table.