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EMMA

I t’s Christmas Day.

Soft morning sunlight filters through the glass windows, casting a gentle glow over the entire house. The rest of the house is asleep, but I walk to the kitchen to find Klaus making breakfast.

He looks up as I approach him.

“Merry Christmas, Klaus,” I say, wrapping my arms around his neck.

He places his hand on the small of my back and pulls me close, holding me against his hard body.

“Merry Christmas, babe,” he says.

I breathe in the scent of his musk, letting it comfort me. His face is buried against my neck,making me feel warm and tingly everywhere.

I twist around in his hold to see what he’s making.

“It smells heavenly,” I say, looking at the cinnamon French toast sizzling on the pan.

He grabs my ass before turning off the stove. He piles three pieces of toast on a plate.

“Eat,” he says, pulling up a stool for me and depositing me on it.

I’ve always had a sweet tooth, but lately, the cravings have been stronger than ever. Klaus didn’t need me to say a thing—he just knew, and now he makes sure I always have something to nibble on.

“It’s divine ,” I say. “Here, have a bite.”

He accepts a bite but makes sure that I eat the rest of it myself.

Since we learned that I was expecting, Klaus has turned into my dietitian. I’ve never seen the man cook, buthe’s a natural. He also makes these high-protein berry smoothies that are to die for.

“I have something for you,” he says when I finish eating. He brushes some of the cinnamon sugar from my lips and puts his thumb inside my mouth.

His gaze turns heavy when I suck on his thumb dutifully. Heat gathers between my thighs as I watch him.

“What do you have for me?” I ask.

He blinks, then steps away. He walks to the Christmas tree and picks up two of the wrapped presents.

The kids had helped decorate the tree—carefully hanging each ornament with beaming smiles.They were so proud when it was done.

“I wanted to give these to you early,” he says, handing me the two presents—one is large and rectangular, and the other is the size of a ring box.”Open the bigger one first.”

He watches as I tear the gift wrap.

The smile freezes on my lips when I see the velvet case. With my heart in my throat, I open it. Giant rubies and diamonds glitter up at me. It’s a gorgeous necklace with matching earrings.

“Klaus, this must have cost you a fortune,” I say.

“Do you like them?” he asks. “Rubies are your birthstone.”

“They are,” I say, looking up at my husband.

Not even in my wildest dreams did I think I would find a love like this.He’s a sweet, attentive man who goes above and beyond for the people he loves.

“Well?” he says.

“I love them, Klaus,” I say. “I just don’t know if I have anything to wear them with.”

“Alaric is throwing a New Year’s Eve party,” he says. “I also bought you a custom-made Vivienne Westwood gown that will match perfectly with this set.”

I throw my arms around him.

“Thank you,” I say. “They’re beautiful.”

“Open the other gift,” he says. There’s excitement in his voice.

“Okay,” I say, picking up the smaller gift.

I open it to see that it’s another velvet box. There’s a single key inside it.

“What is this for?” I ask, holding the key up.

“You’ll see,” he says, tugging on my hand and making me follow him.

We stop to pet the little Labrador puppy that’s a Christmas gift for Rosalie and James. Rosalie asked for a pony, but we figured she would be equally delighted with a little puppy.

Klaus helps me into my coat before we step outside into the crisp morning air. He borrowsone of Alaric’s cars, a sleek black Lamborghini, and buckles me in.

I love the way Klaus drives. He’s careful, but he’s also a little bit of a speed demon.

“Where are we going?” I ask.

Instead of giving me a reply, he lifts my hand to his lips and kisses it.

I pick a song on his phone. As we drive down the quiet tree-lined street while the rest of the world is asleep, I’m hit by a feeling of déjà vu.

Only a few months ago, I was driving to the hospital to see my grandmother.

I was scared out of my mind because I felt like my stalker was following me.

I felt like I was all alone in the world.

But now, my life is rich with love.

I wipe my tears away with the back of my hand.

“Babe, what’s wrong?” Klaus asks, catching me crying.

“Happy tears,” I tell him. “I’m so happy we met when we did.”

He looks concerned, but he’s used to my mood swings by now. The smallest things bring tears to my eyes. It’s not really sadness, but more like a release of emotions when everything gets too much for me.

“We’re here,” he says, stopping in front of a building that’s under construction.

“What is this place?” I ask him.

He glances down at my hand, where I’m still holding the key. My eyes widen as I look back at the building.

“You’re looking at your future bakery, babe,” he says. “It’s going to be ready by the summer.”

I thought that the diamond and ruby set blew my mind, but I’m completely speechless now.

“Klaus, I can’t believe you did this for me,” I say.

“It’s in a good neighborhood, and it’s only a ten-minute drive from our home,” he says. “Come on, let’s go have a look inside.”

I pull the lapels of my coat tighter around my body as I step out of the car. The sun is a little higher in the sky now, but the chill of the night hasn’t faded yet.

A giant red bow hangs on the front door.

Klaus looks at me.

With trembling hands, I fit the key into the lock. I twist it open to reveal one of the most beautiful cafés I’ve ever seen.

It’s still under construction, but I can see the vision.

There’s a large, open area in the center of the café. The circular glass panel on the ceiling bathes the entire space in natural light.At the front, a long counter is taking shape, their shelves ready to be filled with pastries.

Even though it’s only the skeleton, I’m in awe.

Klaus shows me the spacious kitchen, then points out where everything will be once the construction is complete.

“We’ll have lots of indoor plants brought in,” he says. “And there’s also an outdoor area that will be open in the warmer months. That should be a hit, too.”

I can imagine this place bustling with people. People hanging out with their friends, couples going on first dates, others just coming in to read a book in peace. It’ll be a home away from home. A sanctuary.

“This is the most thoughtful gift anyone’s ever given me, Klaus,” I say, looking up at him. “I don’t know what to say.”

“You deserve the world, baby,” he says. “You deserve to have every one of your dreams come true.”

“I kind of feel bad about your Christmas gift now,” I say. “I got you a sweater. A really nice cashmere one, but it’s just a sweater.”

“You’re growing my child inside you,” he says, holding my head in both of his hands. “How can I ever ask for more?”

He doesn’t let me overthink it.

He pulls me toward him, pressing his lips against mine.

“You made my heart come back to life, Emma,” he says against my mouth. “You can’t put a price on something like that.”

“I love you,” I say, pressing my lips harder against his.

“I love you, too,” he says, tugging the hairband out of my hair so he can fist my curls in the way that he likes.

I slip my tongue into his mouth. A thrill travels down my spine when I feel him hard and ready against my belly.

“Maybe I can show my appreciation in other ways,” I say, sliding down to my knees.

He groans at the sight of me on my knees. I remove my coat, letting it drop to the floor. I undo the first couple of buttons of my blouse before unzipping his pants.

His cock is thick and heavy in my hand, pulsing with need.

“You look so pretty on your knees for me,” he says, brushing his thumb over my bottom lip. He makes me suck on his thumb, just like he did this morning. And then he replaces it with the head of his cock.

I was inexperienced when I first met him, but I’m starting to learn what my husband likes.

My husband likes looking at my tits when I’m sucking him off. He likes it when I lock eyes with him while taking him deeper into my mouth. He also likes it when I gently wrap my lips around his heavy balls.

“Fuck, Emma,” he growls, thrusting into my mouth like he just can’t help himself. “You may be my wife now, but I’m still fucking you like I’m paying for it.”

His fist tightens in my hair as he uses that grip on me to thrust harder and deeper inside me. When I swallow around his length, he pulls out with a curse.

He lifts me to my feet and spins me around, pushing me against a counter as he enters me roughly.

I’m wet and ready for him, but he’s so big that it feels like an invasion every time.

“If someone passed by that window, they’d think I’m taking you against your will,” he says, making me rise to my tiptoes with every rough thrust of his hips. “They’d think I brought you all the way here just to have my way with you. The older brute with the beautiful girl.”

One of his arms is banded around my breasts. His other hand covers my baby bump. For all his roughness, he’s still protective of me.

It’s one of the reasons I fell in love with him the way I did.

Underneath the cold exterior, Klaus Sinclair is an honest man with a good heart. My life was in shambles when I met him, but he helped me pick myself back up. He told me that he believed in me when nobody else did.

He showed me that loving another person is the most beautiful feeling in the world.

His broad chest is against my back now. His muscles strain against his navy button-down. He’s a powerful man taking what he needs from his girl.

“Come for me, sweetheart,” he says, tugging on one of my nipples.

He must have my body on a string because I come undone for him. Euphoria floods my veins as I’m swept away by the force of my relief. My walls clamp down harder over him, enticing him to empty inside me.

“My perfect girl,” he says, bottoming out inside me as he fills me to the brim with his come. “My princess. My wife. My love.”

He showers me with adoration before he turns me around.

There’s dark hunger in his eyes as he watches his come trickle down my thighs. He says that it’s one of his favorite sights in the world.

I’m lost in the haze of bliss as I trace the scar over his face.

He told me that he got it in the war.It used to remind him of everything he lost, but it’s just a scar now.

Both of us were guilty of living in the past. We’ve been going to therapy now, and it’s helped us immensely to get past all the things that were holding us back.

He presses a soft kiss against my lips.

“Let’s go home,” he says.

We drive in silence, the world quiet around us.

By the time we pull into the driveway, snow has begun to fall—soft and slow, like the sky itself is exhaling.

Alaric’s house is made of large panes of glass, so we can see everyone inside.

Helena and my grandmother are whipping up breakfast for the kids. Alaric and Sera are seated in front of the Christmas tree, talking to each other.

Clara is there, too. She’s curled up in her own corner, knitting.

She’s become a part of the family now. Alaric offered her a job at his company, and since then, the spark has slowly returned to her eyes.

She’s not isolating herself anymore, and it’s nice to have her around. She’s a really sweet girl.

My friends are coming over for dinner tonight. The entire staff was given a two-week vacation, so we’ll all be cooking together. I’m in charge of dessert, of course.

“Come on, let’s go inside,” Klaus says, tugging on my hand. “You’re going to catch a cold.”

“Klaus, can you just hold me for a moment?” I ask.

Without asking why, he wraps his strong arms around me and anchors me to the warmth of his chest. We fit together so perfectly, like the two of us were designed to hold each other.

He’s my other half.

My home.

And I’m finally where I belong.

THE END.