Page 48 of Marked
I’ve never been happier.
Taking a bite of my pizza, I lean back against the cushions of the outdoor sectional, joining Lo in watching the kids play.
“I’m hedging my bets that it’s a boy,” Javi comments, eyeing me as I demolish my fourth slice of pizza. “You couldn’t hold anything down when you were pregnant with Lily.”
“Maybe,” I mumble after swallowing the last bite, brushing the crumbs from my hands. “But I was tired all the time when I was pregnant with Jaxon, and I barely take naps with this one.”
“But is that because you’re just too busy chasing those two to get a nap in?” Lo challenges.
I snort a laugh, glancing toward the kids again. “Fair point.”
It’s apt that Iver and I named our son after his father since the little guy looks so much like him. Everyone says our daughter Lily takes after me. Both are blonde, while our niece and nephew favor Javi with their dark hair and dimpled cheeks.
“Uh oh,” Iver murmurs, nudging me with an elbow as our son breaks away from the other kids to run in our direction. “Here comes trouble.”
“Uncle Javi!” Jaxon exclaims breathlessly, bypassing us and rushing up to his favorite person.
Javi grins as he reaches out to ruffle his hair. “Yeah, buddy?”
“Will you come play with us?”
“Of course,” he answers, setting aside his plate and pushing up his feet. “What are we playing?”
I don’t think the word ‘no’ exists in Javi’s vocabulary when it comes to the kids.Probably why he’s the favorite.
“Ghost in the graveyard,” Jaxon replies excitedly, reaching for his hand and leading him across the lawn, launching into an explanation of the rules.
I smile to myself as I watch them join up with the other kids, idly running my fingertips over the mark at the junction of my neck and shoulder. Iver catches me doing it, slinging an arm over my shoulders and dropping his head to nuzzle into my neck.
“I love you,” he murmurs against my skin, kissing his mark.
“I love you, too,” I whisper, shifting my hand up to run my fingers through his hair.
Before Iver, I spent years hating my own reflection because of a mark. Now, I havehismark, and seeing it in the mirror makes me smile every time. Some scars hurt, but others heal.
I loved my cover-up tattoo on my neck so much that I went back to Cal for another soon after. The phoenix he inked on my left bicep is exquisitely detailed, the feathers seamlessly masking the scars beneath. It took me a while to decide what to do with the scar on my wrist, but I ultimately chose to embrace it rather than covering it up. I ditched my cuff bracelet, and there’s now a winding vine tattooed around that scar, withered and thorny at the base and turning more vibrant as it travels up my forearmand blossoms into a vibrant flower. Death to life, because there’s so much worth living for.
Iver pulls me onto his lap, wrapping his arms around my waist and resting his hands on my rounded belly. There’s a new life blooming inside me right now; a little piece of both of us. I can’t wait to meet our newest addition.
Nowadays, it’s hard to remember the time when things seemed so bleak that I wanted to give up. If I had, I would’ve missed out on all of this– mymate, myfamily, myhappiness.I never imagined life could be this good. It used to feel like I was cursed by fate, but it’s blessed me in immeasurable ways. It brought me Iver, and we’ve built a life together that I’m endlessly proud of.
He lifts his head, his lips landing on mine, and I smile against them.
The journey to get here was worth it.
I wouldn’t change this for anything.
THE END