Page 24 of My Ex’s Brothers (Hockey Harems #2)

24

AMELIA

I’ve never felt both so exhausted and well rested at the same time. Truthfully, it’s an odd phenomenon. I’m sore in all the places that count, and I know that should make me feel something other than blissed-out. But I can’t stop smiling or thinking about what happened last night. Or the night before that.

Or the night before that…

Yesterday was truly a perfect day. I woke up to breakfast being cooked by Dane while Tripp did his best to entertain and feed my daughter, who was not having anything to do with his attempts. And when I watched Richie swoop in and grab her, hip checking Tripp softly, I can honestly say I’d never felt so full of love.

After several showers of kisses, Richie and I left so I could put some more applications in at the shops in town. We spent the afternoon together before he and Dane had to go to practice, which I attended after dropping off Lyla over at her grandparents again.

When Dex and I lived in Florida, I didn’t really have anyone to help me with Lyla. I was fine with that, telling myself I’d feel guilty if I were to need help from others. I was happy to shoulder the responsibility, because she’s my baby. But now that I have people here who are willing to help—and who love her just as much as I do—it feels wrong not to let them spend the time they want with her.

And maybe it is nice to get out once in a while without my sweet daughter and feel like an adult. Although, there is still one niggling issue in my brain that refuses to die.

I have had sex with not one, not two, but all three of my ex’s brothers in the span of one night, and while things have cooled down a little bit, I still can’t keep my hands to myself.

I find myself stealing kisses, getting whisked away into corners… The other day, Dane and I spent the entire afternoon during Lyla’s lap making out with our hands in each other’s pants like we were damn teenagers.

And the nights? After dinner? I’m barely into my pajamas before someone’s found me and is hell-bent on satisfying me. I’ve never had this much sex in my life but I can’t say it isn’t…enjoyable.

Though I am starting to feel a little sore in certain places.

But the stupid thought that persists, that will not relent, is that I have not been as careful as I should. I have yet to get my pill situation sorted out, and the other night, while it may have been the hottest night of my life by far, I got too swept up. I should have been better, should have been more careful. I know very well at this point, with the amount of sex I’ve had with my—boyfriends? Is that what they are?—I could very well be on my way to baby number two.

I said I didn’t want another baby. Not this soon, but…

My sane brain takes a siesta when Dane starts begging, or when Tripp wants to play “How many times can I make Mia come during the span of this movie?”

The answer is four, by the way.

A record he’s been more than vocal about. I heard about it and then some that night when I visited Richie to watch him work on the Jeep. In the panty-melting way that Daddy reminded me he loves a good challenge.

I run my hands through my hair, wondering how Richie would feel about the possibility of me…being pregnant. We’ve talked about his breeding kink, so I know the idea turns him on, but what would he do, how would he react if I was ? I know it wouldn’t be his.

Which adds a whole other level of uncharted territory.

I have the startling suspicion that Dane would be thrilled. Tripp is eager to learn, but I also don’t exactly want to detract from his promising career as a Badger.

These are the things I should be thinking about, talking about, but every time one of the Rose brothers or Tripp get near me, my baby fever skyrockets. Which is why today, I must remember to pick up my pills. And a few tests, just to be safe.

When I’m done and out of the shower, I find my way to the kitchen where Dane is once again cooking, while his brothers devour their stacks of pancakes.

“Morning, Mamma Mia,” Tripp says as I approach them, sliding his hand around my waist.

“Good morning, Tripp,” I say, giving him a hug.

Richie pulls me close, between his legs, gently resting his hand on my ass as he smiles up at me. “Morning, beautiful,” he says before Dane pushes through with a plate.

“Hands off, she needs to eat before you heathens get any ideas.” I cast a grin to Dane who smirks at me, his tone softer when he looks at me. “Morning, baby.” He leans in and kisses me quickly before setting my plate down.

This could work, right? I find myself wondering that more than I ever thought I would…

Richie pulls me to sit in his lap as he holds me tight with his arm. “Eat up, baby girl.”

Tripp rolls his eyes as he shoots me a “really?” expression. I can’t help but laugh.

This feels…good. Right.

“I figured we could head over, pick up Lyla, and then grab some coffee and go for a stroll in the park, if you’re up for it,” Dane says, leaning across the counter as he drinks from his mug.

“I think that sounds lovely,” I say honestly. “Can Richie come too?”

Richie grunts. “I have a podcast this morning, so I’m out.”

“Oh, okay then…” I can’t help the disappointment in my voice, which he must hear.

Because he squeezes me a little tighter. “We can go for a walk later, after dinner maybe?” The strange softness in his voice makes both my pussy clench and my heart flutter.

These moments—the slivers of sweetness forcing through the cracks—are so endearing. Richie’s quite…prickly…most of the time, with everyone except me. He isn’t the type to go for long walks or showy fancy dates. He’s much more subtle than that.

Richie is the kind of man who listens. He hears what you say, even the things you dismiss as unimportant. He’s the man who hears you say how much you loved that shirt or that movie, and months later shows up with tickets or a box with the shirt.

And I like that he listens. I like that he tries .

I know this situation isn’t easy for any of us, but I also know enough of Richie to know that relationships, no matter what their dynamic, make him a bit skittish. I would feel the same way if I was divorced, probably.

But he makes an effort, and that means more to me than I think he’ll ever know.

“I’d like that,” I say, stabbing a pancake piece and shoveling it into my mouth.

“I wish I could go,” Tripp pouts. “But I’ve got practice, and then class until nine.”

“Maybe we could do something tomorrow morning? You still owe me a breakfast for the other day.”

He grins and it lights up his bright eyes, making the freckles on his face dance. “Mmm, yes I do.”

I bite my lip, remembering just how I made him lose. It’s not a competition, but knowing he’s capable of multiple orgasms has been something I’ve found quite a turn-on for me. I never thought I’d be into something like that. Tripp told me his record was eight orgasms in the span of twenty-four hours. I’m trying to beat that number.

The boys aren’t the only ones who like a little competition.

“I gotta run, though.” He leans over to kiss my syrup-laden lips. “See you later, Mamma Mia,” he says, before nodding to his brothers. “Later bros.” He waves, heading out the door.

“I should probably head out too,” Richie grumbles, his fingers sliding over my stomach. He squeezes me lightly. “Eat all your pancakes,” he grunts.

“Or what?” I shoot him a mischievous grin as I raise an eyebrow.

His gaze narrows at me and the smoldering look in his eyes makes me want to moan right here. I know that look. Or rather, I’m starting to.

“Bad girls don’t get rewards, Mia. Remember that.”

I pout and the hint of a smile pulls at the corner of his mouth.

“Noted,” I say as I bite another pancake.

He kisses the top of my head and whispers in my ear, “Be good for Daddy. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

I grin. “Okay.”

When he leaves, it’s just Dane and me at the counter with our pancakes.

“Can we uh…stop by the pharmacy so I can pick up my…pills?”

I watch as he stabs his stack of cakes, the way his hair falls in his face, the tightness in his forearms where his shirtsleeves are rolled up. He looks up at me for a moment, his expression shifting from happy to slightly melancholy.

And I know just with that one look, he wants this more than he’s willing to say.

He wants what Dex stole from him.

Me. A baby. A family.

“Sure,” he says solidly. “We can swing by after we pick up Lyla. Head to the café and then go for our walk.”

There are a hundred things I should say. I should tell him about my thoughts, the good and the terrifying. I should tell him I’m nervous the pills won’t matter because I might already be pregnant.

I should tell him that the thought of having another baby so soon gives me a lot of anxiety. But that the thought of having a baby with him makes my heart flutter.

I should tell him that the thought of having a baby while being in love with my ex’s brothers makes me want to have a heart attack.

Love .

Is that what this is? I’ve barely been home for two months at this point, and in the span of that time, I’ve gotten to know Dane, Tripp, and Richie in ways I never thought possible.

I’ve gotten to watch them open up to me. To my daughter.

Do I love them? The fact that I can’t say no makes my breath catch in my throat.

Maybe it’s just hormones.

Maybe it’s all the sex and my baby fever pitching to an all-time high.

But maybe it’s them. Maybe it’s Dane’s understated dominance or Richie’s open heart. Maybe it’s Tripp’s bright smile and childlike energy. Maybe it’s that here, in this house, with the three of them, I feel happier than I’ve ever felt in my life.

But I don’t say any of that. I only blink, nodding in agreement.

“Sounds good,” I say.

When we get to the Rose residence, I notice the black BMW almost immediately. I tense before reminding myself that Dexter Rose was not the first person and won’t be the last to drive a black BMW.

“You okay?” Dane asks, his eyebrows furrowed.

“Yeah,” I say. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“No reason, I guess,” he says, biting his lip. He shuts the car off. “Hey, uh…the game’s next week. You plan on coming?” The way he asks feels like he might be asking me something else, but I’m not sure what.

“I hadn’t really thought about it,” I say honestly.

He nods. “Well, its a couple days away, so if you need my parents to watch Lyla, we should probably ask?—”

Of course. I close my eyes and nod. When I open them I see the hope in his eyes.

Suddenly I realize it’s not just a game to him. He wants me there to watch him. To cheer for him. Dane wants his girlfriend at his home game. My heart aches, realizing how much this actually means to him.

After all he’s given me, all he’s done…how could I tell him no?

I offer him a small smile as I lean across the center console and kiss him. He doesn’t expect it, and he startles, but only for a moment. Soon enough, he relaxes and kisses me back in that slow, deep, sweet way I’ve grown to love.

Dane is so different than Tripp or Richie, or even Dex.

He’s deep and warm and intense. It’s hard not to get swept away by him once he shows you his true colors. Once he shows you his confidence.

“Yes,” I say against his lips. “Yes, Dane, I’ll go to the home game. For you.”

He smiles against my lips. “And Richie,” he adds, humor in his voice. “He needs all the cheering he can get on the bench.”

I laugh, shoving him lightly in the chest. “You are a menace, Dane Rose,” I tell him.

He opens the door, jumping out as I open mine. When we meet one another on the lawn, he pulls me close, wrapping his arms around me.

“Aren’t you worried your parents are going to see us?” I ask, my cheeks blushing as he kisses me.

“You embarrassed to be seen with me, Amelia?” he asks, but it’s teasing. Taunting. There’s no venom or jealousy or animosity at all.

“No,” I say and it’s the truth.

“Good. Because I want people to see us. Together.” His words are soft. “I want everyone to know how much I love you.”

Those words shouldn’t hit me as hard as they do. It’s as if somehow he’s pulled the words right out of my throat.

“You don’t have to say it,” he says. “I just…wanted you to know. I know things have been complicated.” He laughs and I can’t help but feel like I’m going to cry. My eyes prickle with the beginning of tears. “But if I’m being honest, Amelia, I’ve loved you for a long time. So I just want you to know that, okay?”

I nod as he kisses me once again, and I grab his face. Suddenly, I don’t care about anything else. Not if people will talk or gossip, or if our relationship is appropriate or makes sense. The reality that Dane Rose loves me, loves my daughter…

It’s enough.

It’s more than enough.

“Okay,” I say, worried that if I try to speak, I’ll just start crying. It’s not the word I want to say. Far from it. But right now, I can barely breathe let alone speak, so I’ll have to tell him when I’m not falling apart at the seams. He smiles, grabbing my hand, and I’ve never felt so understood.

“Come on,” he says as we walk through the door. Lyla’s giggles and coos echo in the Rose’s large estate, and I can hear voices carrying. They aren’t yelling, but they are elevated enough it makes me worried.

“Mom? Gary, who’s here?” Dane asks, tugging me by the hand around the corner. His stunned voice echoes my surprise. “What the?—”

And then I see him. As we round the corner to the kitchen, I look into the eyes of the man who ruined my life.

He’s holding our daughter in his arms, his dark gaze focused on me.

“Amelia.” Dex’s smooth voice cuts through the air.

“What the fuck is he doing here?” Dane says, his hand still holding mine tightly.

“I’m not here to fight, Dane,” Dex says, twisting his lips. Lyla squirms in his arms, reaching for his neck, and it’s just the slightest movement. He doesn’t lean into her. He leans away. “I’m here to talk to Amelia,” he says.

“Over my dead body, Dexter,” Dane says, pushing me behind him.

Dex chuckles. “Oh, that’s cute. You think you have some sort of claim on my?—”

“Dex, don’t,” I say, holding up my hand.

“There’s my girl.” He grins. I see Betsy and Gary, tense behind Dex. Dane looks like he’s about ready to explode. “We need to talk, baby,” he says, and the tears come forth of their own volition.

“There’s nothing to talk about, Dex.” I step forward, reaching for Lyla. He shifts away from me. “Do not keep her from me!” I hiss as he regards me an angry look. “I am her mother. ”

“Talk to me, Amelia,” he says. “Alone.” He points his gaze at Dane.

“Dexter…” Betsy’s voice cuts through.

“This is between me and Amelia, Mom.”

I’ve seen him like this before. He gets an idea in his head and everything else pales in comparison. No one can talk him out of whatever it is he’s decided he’s right about.

I used to ignore it. Smile and tell him okay just so I wouldn’t have to have the argument.

Suddenly it feels like we’re right back in Florida, only so much has changed. Lyla lays her head down on his shoulder.

He stares at me with those dark, soulless eyes I used to think were beautiful.

They’re the same ones Dane has, but Dane’s are warm. They house a heart, and Dexter Rose has no heart. That’s never been more clear.

“Fine,” I say, as Dane calls out my name. I sigh, closing my eyes before turning around and meeting his watery gaze. “Can you grab the car seat, please?” I ask, my heart in my throat.

Our gazes meet and the pain between us can be felt like a thick, suffocating fog.

“Yes, Dane, please grab the car seat for my daughter. ” Dex’s voice is harsh, bitter. “Her mother and I have much to discuss,” he says as he heads for the door.

Betsy and Gary move forward as Dane all but runs out of the door.

“Dane…” I call after him, but he ignores me. I don’t miss the tension in his shoulders or the tears in his eyes.

He grabs the car seat from the back of his SUV as I meet up with Dex. Dex casts me a judgmental glare as he passes Lyla off to me and all but grabs the car seat from Dane.

“Thanks Dane,” he says, but there is no warmth or appreciation in his voice whatsoever.

I settle Lyla in her car seat because it’s all I can do.

“Get in the car, Amelia,” Dex says smoothly, and I do as he asks without question.

“Where are we going?” I ask, my voice shaky as he drives.

“Home, baby. Where else?”

When we get to Dex’s condo, my heart sinks. I feel like I’m in a daze. I can’t move from my seat.

“Come on,” he says.

But all I can say is “No.”

“What?” The bitterness in his voice is obvious.

“No. You’re going to say what you have to say to me right here, Dex.” I look up at him. It’s uncanny. Looking at him is like looking in a mirror and an alternate reality all at once.

It brings back so much. So many memories. So many moments of pain, weakness.

“Is that how you want to play it, Mia? Fine,” he says as he gets back into his driver’s seat. The birds chirp outside, the sun is shining. But the darkness clouding me right now is not missed.

“What do you want?” I ask, my voice stronger. I glare at him.

“I thought it would be pretty obvious, baby. I want you back.”

I shake my head. “Does your wife know you want me back?” I ask. “Or your other girlfriends?”

“Amelia…things between Riley and I are?—”

“Complicated?” I ask, the venom in my voice most evident.

“Yes. We’re getting a divorce.”

“You are unbelievable,” I say. Lyla squeals in the back seat, oblivious to the truth. As she should be. I keep my voice low, my gaze pointed. “You were with her when I had Lyla. I had your fucking child, and you were what? With her? With them? You lied to me!”

“I told you, it was complicated. Riley and I?—”

“No. You don’t get to do that, Dex. You don’t get to have your cake and eat it too.”

“Don’t act like you’re innocent, Mia. I saw you with my brother. Holding hands. Really? He’s not me. He’ll never be able to satisfy you. He’s a fucking coward. Couldn’t pick you up from a fucking floor, baby. You know you’re only playing games with Dane because he looks like me. And we both know how much you fucking love me.”

“I do not love you,” I say, the words loud and clear, with so much conviction my bones shake.

He scoffs. “You loved me enough to have my fucking baby. Or did you forget that?”

“What we had was not love,” I say. “Yes, you gave me my daughter and I will always love her. But you? You left us, Dex. You left us at that hospital, you left us after every game to go to her. You left us when you chose her.”

He reaches out for me and I move away.

“Do not touch me,” I bite out.

“Lyla needs her father, Amelia. You can play pretend with Dane all you want, but he will never be her father. I am.”

“Lyla has more than enough fathers to love her the way you can’t.”

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” he asks.

I shove open the door. “It means this conversation is over, Dexter. I am done. We are done.”

I grab Lyla in her car seat as he follows me.

“You can’t do this, Mia. I have rights,” he says. “You can’t keep my kid from me.”

I glare at him. “You should have thought about that before you crawled into bed with your wife while I gave birth to your daughter.”

I give him my back and do the only thing I can do. I start walking.

“Where the fuck you going to go, Mia? Huh? You going to walk to Timbuktu, baby?”

“Away from you,” I say. “And I swear to God, Dexter, if you follow me, I will call the fucking cops.”

“You want to play those games, Mia, fine. I’ll play. I’ll see you in fucking court.”

The revving of his engine shakes the ground. Or is that me shaking?

He speeds off, leaving me where I stand. I walk with Lyla in her carrier until I hit the Hot To Trot Coffee Shop, and only when I sit down do I breathe.

I pull out my phone with a shaking hand and dial one number.

“Mia, where are you?” Dane’s panicked voice asks, and I have to bite my lip. Lyla sweetly coos and squeals as I suck in a deep breath.

“Hot To Trot,” I say, my voice shaking. “He’s gone.”

The silence that befalls us is thick. Heavy. Full of unspoken words. But I hear them, all the same.

“I’m coming, baby. I’ll be there soon, okay?” Dane says, and I hear his voice crack. I nod, even though I know he can’t see me.

“Okay,” I say, holding back tears as I hang up. The first tear escapes without warning.

Lyla cries too.

I pull her out of her carrier, holding her to my chest. I bounce her, stroke her back. Nothing seems to work. I close my eyes, fighting back tears as she wails. I get annoyed looks, some sympathetic ones too. But either way, they do nothing to help me. They only make me feel worse. I don’t know how long I sit there, trying to quell her tears or my own.

Everything feels like it’s falling apart around me.

How did things get so complicated?

“Hey.” Dane’s voice pulls me from my thoughts. I look up through tearstained eyes, meeting his warm gaze.

And it all hits me at once.

I let out a heavy sob as Dane pulls me and Lyla close.

“It’s okay, baby,” he says, holding us both. I lean my head on his chest, Lyla squirming between us. “It’s okay, I got you. I’m here.” The warmth and love in his voice spreads like wildfire.

He rubs Lyla’s back, and she settles.

I settle too.

“I told him it was over. It was done,” I say weakly.

“Guessing he didn’t take that well?” Dane asks.

I shake my head. “Said he’ll see me in court.”

Dane sighs. “We’ll get through this, Mia.” He kisses my forehead. “I promise.”

The rest of my day is a daze. I go through the motions. I let Dane guide me into the car. I stay home while he and Richie practice. I busy myself with Lyla, with cleaning, with cooking. Anything to get my mind off of Dex and his threats.

But I can’t stop thinking about how I didn’t see it. How I didn’t see what an asshole he really was. How I wrote off all his indiscretions, all his absences.

He never loved me, and I suppose I never loved him either.

But I can never be completely regretful of what happened because I have Lyla. And for that I will always be thankful.

“Hey.” Tripp’s voice pulls me from my daze, and I look up from where I sit, Lyla asleep on my chest as I curl up on the couch. Richie and Dane aren’t home yet. It’s early.

“What are you doing home so early?” I ask.

Tripp shakes a small white bag in front of me. “Dane said he forgot to get these for you,” he says, his eyes soft and his smile sweet. “Said things were a bit crazy today with Dex showing up out of the blue.”

His words are soft, like his gaze. He doesn’t look upset or angry. If anything, it’s a welcome warmth. He sets the bag down on the coffee table before sitting next to me. I lean into him without thinking and he wraps his arm around me.

“Crazy is an understatement,” I say. His fingertips graze my shoulder, Lyla breathes softly against my chest, asleep like a log. But I feel anything but calm.

“We won’t let him hurt you,” he says solidly. “Any of us. Dex might be family but…you’re not the only bridge he burned.”

Tripp’s voice is solid, unwavering. Stronger than it should be for someone his age.

“Betsy was pissed. Dad too. What he did, it didn’t just affect you. It affected all of us. And if he thinks he can come waltzing back in here like nothing’s happened, with a sorry and that cocky attitude, he can fuck right off.”

Tripp laughs, covering his mouth with one hand. I meet his gaze, seeing the mischief there, and it only makes me smile. “Oops. Sorry.” He gently covers one of Lyla’s tiny ears. “He can go fuck right off,” he whispers, and I can’t help but laugh. The laugh starts small, but it builds until I’m crying and Tripp is laughing too.

“Thank you, Tripp,” I say through a choked sob slash laugh.

But the air turns tense as silence falls. He traces his finger down Lyla’s cheek, gazing down at her with a softness that only elevates his youth, but at the same time, makes him look older.

“I mean, that’s what you do when you love someone, right?” he says. “You fight.”

The simplicity in his voice is not lost on me. I know he’s talking about my love for my daughter. Understanding the best way he can.

But I can’t help but feel like he’s saying it to me too.

“Right,” I say, just as he looks up. His crystal gaze meets mine, and his eyes dip to my mouth as his expression shifts to something softer.

Sweeter.

“I think I love you, you know,” he says quietly.

My lips turn up in the corner just the slightest. “I know,” I whisper, because it’s true. I think I’ve known Tripp’s loved me since that day at the grocery store. At the zoo. I felt it then, and it’s never changed. This feeling I have when I’m with him. When I look at him.

“I think I might love you too,” I whisper.

Tripp reaches his free hand out and pulls me and Lyla closer.

“You think so?” he teases me. “I know you do.” The dark tinge to his voice makes my blood rush, my insides heat. He kisses me, and it’s different than the way he usually does. Tripp is always fun, always bright. His kisses are like sunshine.

But right now he doesn’t taste like sunshine and dreams. He tastes like dark chocolate, like rainy days and thunder and lightning.

His kiss is unrelenting and strong.

And I know from that one kiss that he would do anything for me. For us. For Lyla and me. His heart, his loyalty, his strength is more than he shows to the world. I feel blessed to know it.

“Thank you,” I whisper against his warm lips.

“Anytime, Mamma Mia,” he says. “Do you want me to put her down, or?—”

I shake my head, leaning it on his shoulder. I curl into him with my sleeping baby and close my eyes. “No. Just…stay here. Like this. With us. Okay?”

I flash my gaze up at him and note the smile on his face.

“Okay,” he says, squeezing my shoulder just a bit. “Anything for my girls.” He grabs the remote, flipping through the channels as I close my eyes.

When I wake, Lyla is gone and I’m in bed. But it isn’t my bed. I know without looking where I am even though I haven’t spent much time in anyone else’s bedroom.

The metal and dark colors scream Richard Rose.

Plus, the smell of car grease and metal is unmistakable.

“Where—” I rub my eyes and then I see him, across from me, sitting on the edge of his bed, legs kicked out, one arm behind his head. He looks at me with a softness that is uncharacteristically beautiful on a man like him.

“Tripp put her down,” he says.

“Where’s Dane?” I ask, not missing the hurt in Richie’s eyes. I hadn’t meant it like that, I just?—

“In the library slash nursery.” I don’t miss the way he looks to the door, almost as if he expects me to go. To get up out of this bed and leave to get Dane.

But I’m too tired, my body exhausted, my mind as well. So I scoot closer to him.

His eyebrows furrow.

“How much did he tell you?” I ask. I know Dane had to have told them, if only because Tripp knew. I can’t imagine he’d keep this from Richie.

“Enough,” Richard says. I curl closer to him and he nearly picks me up with one hand, plopping me into his lap. “Come here, baby girl,” he whispers.

I pull my knees to my chest and he holds me in his lap like a baby. I don’t have any more tears to cry. My eyes are itchy, my skin warm and flushed, my heart heavy.

“If that motherfucker tries to hurt you again in any way, I will fucking kill him.” His words are not minced. They are solid as an oak, and the venom can be heard tenfold.

I fully believe Richie would end Dexter if it came down to it, and he wouldn’t even blink.

Something about that makes me feel warm and fuzzy, makes me feel a little safer.

Better.

“Thanks,” I say. “But he is right about one thing.”

“Hmmm?”

“She is his daughter. I can’t keep her from him.”

Richie lets out a breath. “No, you can’t. But you can make it damn hard.”

I smile at that. Not because I want to be vindictive. But because the way Richie says it makes me feel like I can accomplish anything.

“I’ll talk to my lawyer in the morning,” he says, his fingers stroking my hair. “Daddy will take care of you, baby girl.” He kisses my hair.

It’s the softest gesture from such an unruly man. I sigh in contentment, wrapping my arms around his neck.

“I love you,” I say. The words fall out of my mouth without warning. It feels right to say them. I do love him. I love all of them, for so many different reasons.

He’s quiet, and for a moment, I think he’s going to change the subject. I know how hard it must be to hear those words, given what he’s been through. But I need him to know the truth.

Our relationship is so different than anything I’ve ever felt. Tripp and Dane are…easy to read. They wear their hearts on their sleeves. They are loud, they are up-front.

But Richie is not as loud as they are. His words are subtler. His actions louder.

“I love you too, Amelia.” He says the words as if he’s afraid I’ll break.

Or perhaps he’s worried he will.

“I know I shouldn’t,” he adds, his voice a deep rumble against me. “I really fucking shouldn’t, because love is a bitch.”

I have to smile at that, because he’s not wrong. Love is a bitch.

But it’s also beautiful and strong. It’s surprising and sweet.

It’s an enigma and a mystery.

“But you do,” I say. “Because you have a heart, Richie. You think you don’t but…you do.”

“Maybe. But if I do, it’s only because of you,” he says.

“And Lyla,” I say with a smirk. “Don’t act like she’s not growing on you.”

He chuckles. “She’s cute, but?—”

The tension thickens as I hear his unsaid words. And then, because I have had the worst day imaginable and nothing else could ever be worse, I decide to ask what I should not ask.

“What would happen to us if I got pregnant?”

Richie’s body stiffens. “What do you mean?”

“I mean…it’s a possibility. I only got my pills today, and?—”

Silence falls between us, and I think I’ve ruined everything. Why am I like this?

But then he shifts me in his lap, breathing out a heavy sigh. “I don’t know,” he says honestly. “I can’t say the idea of seeing you pregnant would be a turnoff. I mean, not that I saw much of you other than in pictures on the internet, but—” He smirks, looking down at me. “You were pretty hot.”

I smirk as he laughs, pushing some hair out of the way. He gazes down at me. “I’ve never been in a situation like this before, so I don’t know,” he says softly. “But I think we could figure it out, don’t you?” The vulnerability in his voice is not lost on me.

I nod. “Maybe.”

He licks his lips, closing his eyes, and I can tell the question he wants to ask is difficult, but he asks it anyway.

Because he loves me.

“Do you want more kids?”

“I don’t know,” I say. “I’m not opposed to the idea, but…Lyla’s still so young, I just—” I bury my head in his chest. “I’d need a lot of support.”

He chuckles. “You have three boyfriends. The ratio of kids to boyfriends would still be off by one, so I think you’re good.”

It’s my turn to laugh, and shake my head.

“Dane tells me you’re coming to the home game next week.”

I smile. “Well, now I have to go if he told you.”

Richie squeezes my hip. “No backing out now, baby girl.” He lifts my chin and kisses me. It’s the faintest, softest kiss I’ve ever felt from him. I don’t startle, only settle my hands on his jaw and kiss him back, meeting his warmth with my own.

Our kiss doesn’t stay soft for long. It turns heated in a matter of moments, and before I know it our hands are pulling and tugging at our clothes. I can barely breathe, but it feels good. So good, I don’t want to stop.

“Let Daddy make you feel better,” he says.

I don’t argue with him, knowing I need this as much as he does.

It doesn’t take him long to find his home between my thighs. I expect to hear his dirty words, his biting commands. I expect to feel his grip I’ve come to love and look forward to.

And make no mistake, those things are present, but beneath them is something else.

His harsh thrusts slow to a steady, pulsing beat. His words are replaced with soft kisses and whispers in my ear that have nothing to do with being filled or shoving his cum back inside of me. Instead his words are softer, deeper.

I love you.

I got you.

You’re mine.

I’ve never heard sweeter words from his mouth.

“I’m going to come,” he whispers, and the words are so reverent, so sweet I can’t help but feel tears prickle the edge of my eyes.

“Come for me,” I say through a choked sob. His thumb brushes my tears and he kisses me until it feels like I can’t breathe. When he comes, I do too.

Together we kiss, we touch, we hold one another until our hearts beat in time together. And only then does Richard Rose tear his heavy cock from me and I realize I feel more than better.

I feel amazing, and tired as hell.

When I wake in the morning, Richie’s still beside me, snoring away.

A knock on the door alerts me, and I look up to see Dane, who looks equally as tired and drained. “Breakfast is ready,” he says.

Richard stirs, and I get up.

When I come to the door, I stop for a moment, staring up at the man who I realize has always had my heart. Since day one.

I lean forward, kissing him with all that I am. I can feel Richard’s gaze on me from where he lies, but he doesn’t move or say anything. Dane’s hands come up to circle my waist and he kisses me back. His kiss is all-encompassing. It’s an earthquake that ransacks my entire being, a pledge to all that is loving and true.

Dane Rose loves me. He’s always loved me, and I will always be thankful to Dexter that he pushed me out. Had he not, I would have never known how deeply in love with Dane Rose I am.

When I pull away, Richard pushes past us. “Come on, breakfast is going to get cold,” he gripes.

When I get to the kitchen, Tripp’s already got Lyla in his arms and it looks like she’s sucked half her bottle down already. My insides warm at the sight. Not that I’d admit it to him yet, but…

He looks damn good with a baby.

I clear my throat, trying to dispel my baby fever. Now is not the time!

We eat our breakfast in companionable silence. There are kisses and coos from Lyla. Richard excuses himself to call his lawyer, while Tripp cleans up the kitchen and Dane plays with Lyla. When my phone goes off, I nearly jump out of my seat.

It’s the university.

“Hello…” I say, and Tripp looks up from his dishes.

“Is this Amelia Corbett?” some woman asks. I tell her yes, and when she tells me that the university would like me to come in and discuss my employment, I nearly scream with delight.

“Yes! Of course!” I say. “I can be there…”

Dane looks up. “An hour?”

“In an hour?” I ask on the phone. They agree, and suddenly I feel like maybe just maybe…everything is going to work out.

When I get off the phone, Tripp kisses me excitedly. “You got the job!”

“I got the job!” I squeal.

We jump up and down like kids as Dane smiles. “Mommy got the job,” he says as he brings Lyla over to us. She blows raspberries out of her mouth as I take her, hugging her close. I kiss her head.

When I look up, Richard is in the doorway. Smiling. “Harry called. Guess what, baby girl?” I open my mouth to ask, but he continues right on. “Catalytic converter is in. I’m headed to pick it up now.”

“Now? I thought you said?—”

He comes over to our circle, reaches down and brings my lips to his. Dane mutters something and Tripp sighs, but I hear the humor in it.

“Told you what my baby wants, she gets.”

I grin. “Baby got everything she ever wanted.”

“Damn right,” Dane says with a grin.

“I gotta go. See you tonight,” Tripp says, kissing me one last time before he runs out the door.

“I’ll be back,” Richard says, leaving me once more to run off and do what he needs to do.

When it’s just Dane and me, I look at him with a smile.

“Thank you,” he says.

“What did I do?” I ask. “I should be the one thanking you. I wouldn’t be here without you.”

Dane pulls me and Lyla close. “For everything, sweetheart. I know this isn’t easy, and things are going to get?—”

“Complicated?” I ask with a raised eyebrow.

He smirks. “Yeah. But we’ll figure it out. We can handle anything. Because we have each other.”

I smile. “We can, can’t we?”

He kisses me softly, and I relish in the taste of his answer.

For the first time in my life, I feel like things are only going to get better.