Page 109 of Ruthless Commander

I pulled away, staring into her eyes through the tears. “Of course I want this.” I lifted the image in my hand. “I’ve always wanted this. I’ve always wanted us.”

“Your father.” She whispered.

“He’s the reason I want this. I want our son…or daughter…daughters to have what I never had.”

“You wanted a project.”

“I wantedthis.”I leaned down and kissed her. “I wanted this.”

“I wanted this, too,” she murmured against my lips.

I held her, kissing her, barely hearing thebeep…beep…beep…of the monitor, until the doctor cleared his throat. “Maybe what she needs is some food, some fluids, and lots and lots of rest.”

I nodded, gently laid her back down, and pulled away.

I’d brought her here to follow me into a goddamn battle.

She would’ve followed me, too.

All the while carrying my child…

No.

My children.

I leaned backwards. “Finish your tests, doc. I’m ready to take my wife home.”

42

Xael

“Eat, drink, rest.” The doctor murmured, carefully removing the leads to the monitor. “In that order, are we clear?”

But it wasn’t me he looked at when he spoke. It was Mateo.

Through the thick tears, I watched as my husband nodded, then looked my way. My throat was throbbing, still thick with the lump I tried hard to swallow. One I couldn’t seem to get down.

So many emotions flooded me.

Anger.

Relief.

Desperation.

Most important…love.

Mateo grabbed my hand as I slid my feet from the hospital bed and stood, my knees wobbling a little before I sat in the wheelchair waiting for me.

“Easy.” He slid his arm around my waist, pulling me against him.

This time I let him, leaning on him instead as we were wheeled out of the Emergency Room with Mateo clutching an image of our babies…babies…I was still trying to wrap my head around that as Mateo walked me to the front desk and proceeded to hand over the details of our insurance.

His brother and his father waited, standing as Mateo finished and turned around. My gaze went to the frail old man that looked so much like the two, dangerous men standing in front of me.

“Mateo,” Edon murmured, glancing my way. “Is everything…”

“Twins,” Mateo muttered, his voice still unsteady. “It’s twins.”