Page 24 of Hold Me Closer

Nadia

T wo Months Later

"Jesus, butterfly," Teo groans, staring at me like he's ready to snap as I splay myself across my childhood bed, wearing nothing but the old jersey of his I found hidden in the back of my closet.

Back then, it swallowed me. Now, it's stretched obscenely across my breasts, my bare ass peeking out from the bottom. Judging by the look on his face, it looks better on me now than it did then.

Then again, I don't think that look has left his face once in the last two months.

They have been some of the best months of my life.

There have been a lot of tears and a lot of laughter.

We've done a lot of healing and forgiving.

We're slowly making peace with the past and finding out who we are together now.

So much of who we were together then is still there, shining bright.

But there are new facets to us, too, brand new things we discover about one another every day.

Like the fact that Teo is obsessed with watching streamers on YouTube.

Or the fact that I knit when I watch television now.

Or the way we can just stare at each other for hours, perfectly content without saying a word.

Or how, if we spend any length of time apart, as soon as we're together again, we're in each other's arms like magnets.

Or the fact that we can't make it through an entire night without one of us waking the other up to fuck at least once.

I love it so much. I love who we are together. I love every new discovery. The future feels so damn bright for once. I know he feels it, too. He's always smiling, always so fucking happy. Even after a day at therapy, he's…just fucking happy.

The world wasn't surprised by his announcement. They didn't destroy him over it, either. I think most people were relieved to see him reaching for a lifeline. They want to root for him. I think they always have.

The reporter who has my story hasn't released it. There have been whispers about me and Teo and our past, but no one is talking about what I went through back then. If they know, they aren't sharing it.

I know that it may still come out one day. It'd be foolish to assume it just went away because Teo decided to shift the target to his back. I'm still a target because I'm in the media. I'll always be a target. But…I don't think I care anymore. I've hid long enough. We've hid long enough.

If the truth ever comes out, it comes out. They can say what they want and give me whatever treatment they want. I'm strong enough to stand on my own now. I can handle whatever they throw at me.

Besides, I'm not ashamed of what I went through. It's never been about that. I survived what almost killed me. I lived when I was supposed to die. I got help when I needed it. And I learned to cope with something unimaginable. That's powerful. The world needs more of that.

I've just never been ready to give it to them because I've always felt like I was still in the thick of it.

How could I tell my story when I was still going through it?

How could I be a poster child for anything when I was one step away from ending up right back there?

I couldn't talk about healing and my journey when I wasn't healed.

I don't feel that way anymore. For once, I finally feel like I've come out the other side. Some of my pieces may be glued together, but they're holding. I found forgiveness in my own strength and in his arms. I'll never be cured, but the past isn't breaking me anymore, either.

And that's pretty powerful, too.

I'm at peace with my story. One day, I'll tell it my way. If someone wants to leak their version of it in the meantime, so be it. I can't stop them. I'm not going to drive myself crazy worrying about it, and I'm not going to let Teo, either. We have more important things to focus on now.

We leave for tour next week…and we won't be coming home alone by the end of it. I'm pregnant. I haven't told him yet. I plan to do it at dinner tomorrow. I'm excited. And nervous. I always wanted so many babies.

People are going to think we're crazy for starting a family so quickly, but I don't really care what they think. We endured hell and found our way back to one another. We're ready for this challenge, too.

"You aren't playing fair," he says.

"That's kind of the point, Teo. I don't want to play fair. I want you in this bed with me." I crook a finger at him, smirking. "Don't pretend you haven't been thinking about it since we were teenagers."

"Obviously, I've been thinking about it since we were teenagers," he mutters, eyeing me warily from across the room.

"I just didn't want to get fucking murdered as a teenager.

" He flicks his gaze at the bedroom door.

"Not liking the thought of being killed now any either, butterfly. There's no lock."

"I'll be quiet," I promise. "He'll never even know."

Teo snorts. "Your dad knows everything, Nadia."

"So…you don't want this?" I pout, spreading my legs so he can see how wet I am for him. "You're going to leave me like this all night?"

"Fucking hell," he breathes, his gaze dropping to my pussy. His piercing eyes darken as he takes an involuntary step toward me. "So pretty, baby."

"It's all yours, Teo."

"Touch it."

He doesn't have to tell me twice. I immediately slip my hand between my legs, rolling my fingers over my clit while he watches. A soft growl rumbles in his throat, his hand drifting toward his cock.

"Yeah, just like that," he growls.

"Teo," I moan, playing with myself while he rips through the button and zipper of his jeans, dragging his cock out.

I whimper when I see it. He's always so damn hard for me, so eager. And it doesn't matter how many times he fucks me, it's like the man never goes soft. We've spent the last two months lost in one another. Every single minute we're alone, we're naked.

I'm not complaining. We have years of lost time to make up for.

I fully intend to make up for a little more right now.

I always imagined him in this room when I was a teenager.

We used to spend hours hanging out in here.

I'd have so many fantasies about him crawling onto the bed with me.

We're six years late in making them a reality, but we're getting there.

"I want you," I moan, bucking my hips into my hand. "Please."

"Not until you come for me."

I bite my lip, watching him jerk himself off while I frantically try to get myself there, desperate to get him inside me.

I freaking need it. God, I need him every damn minute of the day.

The more I have him, the more I need him.

The man is a drug, potent and addicting.

The way he touches me, kisses me, and fucks me like I'm the center of his world, is so damn perfect.

"Teo," I gasp. "Oh, god, Teo. I'm going to…"

I shatter with a whimper, rocking into my hand, writhing in ecstasy beneath his heated gaze.

He growls as he watches, storming across the room toward me. My full bed dips as he crawls over me, running his lips up my leg. "Spread them, butterfly. Let me see the mess you made for me to lick up."

I shiver, spreading them wide to give him room to work.

He lifts me toward his mouth with a groan of surrender.

My head lolls on the bed, ecstasy shooting through my veins at the first touch of his tongue to my sensitive clit.

I grip the sheets, clinging, trying desperately to be quiet so we don't get caught.

I give up when he thrusts his tongue inside me and shove a pillow over my face, muffling my cries as he eats me wild and messy, snarling against my pussy.

"Fuck," he grunts. "I love this pretty little thing so fucking much.

" He pulls one lip into his mouth, sucking on it.

"Love eating it." He does the same to the other lip.

"Love fucking it." His tongue runs in circles around my clit.

"Love how goddamn wet it gets for me." He circles my hole before shoving his tongue inside me again.

"I love every fucking thing about it, Nadia. "

"Teo," I whimper into the pillow, rocking against his face. "Please, please."

He seams his lips around my clit, sending me catapulting over the edge into another orgasm. I gasp his name, holding the pillow over my face to stifle my cries.

It doesn't help at all when he throws my legs over his shoulders, slamming into me in one deep thrust.

I shout his name.

"Quiet, butterfly," he growls, ripping the pillow away from my face. "If your dad hears us, I won't be able to make you come again. He'll make me stop fucking this perfect little pussy, baby. You don't want me to stop, do you?"

"Oh god," I whimper, clawing at his arms. "Please."

"Please, what?"

"Don't stop. Please, don't fucking stop!"

He chuckles wickedly, leaning down to claim my lips in a deep kiss. "As if anyone could stop me, butterfly," he growls against my lips. "Not until you're dripping my come like a good girl."

My inner muscles clamp around his cock.

"You're mine now." He nips my bottom lip. "I get to decide when and where to fuck you. No one else." He drives into me again and again, his balls slapping against my ass hard enough to sting. "Say it, butterfly."

"I'm yours. God, Teo. I'm yours!"

"Fuck, yeah, you are," he growls, kissing me hard and deep again as he slips his hand between our bodies, seeking out my clit.

I bow beneath him, biting my tongue to keep from screaming in pleasure as an orgasm ignites in my core, sending me spiraling. It rips through my veins like a tsunami, crashing over me in a wave of euphoria. It steals my breath, my vision, my freaking soul .

"Nadia," he groans, pumping into me without rhythm as he follows me over the edge, his cock jerking deep inside me. "Ah, fuck, Nadia." His seed splashes deep in my womb, spilling out to run down the crevice of my ass. "I love you."

"I love you, Teo. So damn much," I whisper back, tears stinging my eyes as he seams his body to mine, holding me tightly through the aftermath. I cling to him, too, reveling in the way his heart pounds against my chest as his body trembles against mine. In the way we're here, together.

" W hat did my dad say to you today?" I hiss at Teo at dinner the next night, furtively glancing at my dad, who has been staring at Teo all day. I think he heard us having sex last night. Actually, I'm almost positive he did. Early this morning, he told Teo they were going for a run.

Teo was quiet when they got back hours later. He's been quiet all damn day. It's making me nervous. But we've barely had a moment alone together all day. Between his family and mine, it's been a madhouse.

"Nothing much," he says nonchalantly, running his hand over my bare shoulder. "He was just checking in."

Now, I know my dad heard us having sex.

"Did he threaten you?" I whisper, glaring at my father.

Teo chuckles, pressing his lips to my cheek. "Your dad will never stop threatening me, butterfly. He loves you. It's what he's supposed to do."

"Well, he needs to stop," I growl.

"Baby." Teo laughs quietly. "That ship sailed about the time he realized I was going to marry you one day. He'll spend the rest of his life making sure that I spend the rest of mine making you happy the way a husband should."

I stare at him with wide eyes. Did he just…?

"Yeah, butterfly," he whispers, his voice a soft rumble as he strokes my cheek.

"That's me asking. Marry me." He slips his hand into his pocket, pulling out a ring.

"I already asked your dad. That's why we were gone so long today.

We were picking this up." His lips twitch.

"He said we can't be doing what we were doing last night until it's on your finger.

He isn't having grandbabies until we're married. "

"Too late," I blurt.

Teo's gaze flies to mine, shock painting his expression. "What?"

"I'm pregnant."

He stares at me, hope and awe welling in his eyes. "You're serious, butterfly? You're pregnant?"

I bite my lip, nodding as a tear slips down my cheek.

"Fuck," he breathes, leaning forward to crush his mouth to mine. He chokes on a soft sob, his body shaking. And then he curses again. "You have to agree to marry me now. If you don't, your dad is going to fucking kill me."

"I'll marry you," I whisper. "But not because of my dad, Teo Kirby. I'll marry you because you're my future. You're my dream. You always were."

He slips the ring onto my finger, pulling me out of my chair onto his lap. For long moments, we're the only two people in the world. And then my dad clears his throat, pulling us apart.

I look up into his eyes, his arm wrapped around my mom's shoulders, and see nothing but pride. Nothing but love. "This is good, zaika ," he says. "It is forever."

"It's always been forever," I murmur, pressing my face against Teo's throat. "We just took a little detour along the way."

My dad nods, smiling. "A very long detour, zaika . Perhaps you take no more, hmm? I am old man now."

"Old? Motherfucker, you're ancient," Teo's dad, Jason says, grinning at him.

"Then what does that make you?" Aunt Miranda asks her husband. "You're a year older than he is."

My mom laughs quietly.

"Shit. Forgot about that," Jason mutters. "Never mind. We aren't old."

"I am old man," my dad argues, looking at me with humor in his eyes. "Very old man, Nadia."

"Okay… grandpa ," I whisper, meeting his gaze.

His brows furrow before his eyes light with understanding.

His expression softens, pure happiness rolling through them.

And then he glances at Teo. "You are not good boy, Mateo Kirby," he says, his voice somber.

"You are good man. You will be best husband for my Nadia.

And best father. This is good. I am proud of you.

I have always been proud to call you son. "

"Fuck," Teo whispers, swallowing hard. The sheen of tears in his eyes and the smile on his lips is utter perfection.

He's been trying to make my dad proud and prove he could be good enough for me since we were kids.

And now, he knows he's always been good enough in his eyes. He's always been good enough, period.

"Thank you," I mouth to my dad, grateful as hell.

He winks at me, smiling.

I cling to Teo's hand, tears in my eyes as our families—no, our family—surges to their feet, swarming us with congratulations.

I just take it all in, reveling in their warmth and love.

In home . It's been so long. So damn long.

I feel like we've been trying to find our way back here forever.

But we never really needed to go back, after all.

We just needed to let go and go forward.

That was the way all along—back to one another. And back to the people who love us.