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FORTY-TWO

Inaya

It’s been a couple of months and Marius Felipe Angel Orejón is still trying to get the groove of sleeping. His name is a mouthful, but it is all of our deceased parents’ names together sans the asshole who killed all of them. We thought Mari could be unisex but opted to use a masculine name containing my mother’s name, with hers being reserved as a nickname. It wasn’t a name I’ve heard in passing and I like the link to the God of War because everything that got him here was a battle.

I’ve just finished feeding and burping him, so I’m now taking him around the house to calm his latest fit. It doesn’t help that he looks like a tanned version of his dad. Speaking of Dante, I start humming the song I was singing when I sewed his leg wound shut.

Marius stops fussing to look up at me while I hum. I fix him in my arms so we’re looking at each other as I start to sing Fix you by Coldplay to him. He smiles a little, content with being entertained by me. I get through the first verse as I disappear into one of Andrea’s many rooms without paying attention to my surroundings.

I jump a little once I hear a male’s voice harmonizing with mine during the chorus. Looking around, I find that Andrea is also sitting in a room that has many instruments on display. It must be his music room. He picks up the guitar next to him and starts strumming and singing the second verse. Playing instruments and singing are two things I didn’t know he could do.

My shock dissipates in time to join him for the chorus. Plus, my favorite part is coming when the music becomes faster. He stands without missing a note, probably to dance it out as well. We both start rocking around the time the drums would have kicked in if it were a full band, singing the breakdown together.

When the song gets quiet again, I nod at him to let him know I want him to sing the last part that closes out the song. I sit down as he finishes the song, completely impressed by his talent. I position little Marius in my lap so I can make his little hands clap for Andrea. He smirks and puts down the guitar.

“I’m officially a fan, Andrea,” I praise him.

“Me too,” I hear Delaney say, as she enters the room.

Our spouses must have heard us, because they’ve both made their way into the room without my notice. I’m not all that surprised by Dante. He’s a professional at watching people, undetected.

Delaney moves into Andrea’s space and the way she cups his cheek and kisses him seems to linger on the possessive side. I smile on the inside because they’re a cute couple, but I also don’t think she realizes that she’s done the female equivalent of pissing on her territory. It seems more like a habit than anything actually directed at me, but it’s still funny. I don’t think she fully understands the level of crazy in which my husband operates. There is no way I’d put another man’s life in danger by being too friendly.

Still, our impromptu sing-along was a lot of fun.

“Come, wife. This is Andrea’s private music room,” my husband informs me from the door.

“Ah, that makes sense,” I say as I stand. “I’m sorry for intruding, Andrea. I wasn’t paying attention.”

“I noticed,” he admits with a laugh. “It’s okay. When I want to be left alone, I close the door. It’s fun having a fellow singer in the house.”

“I am by no means on your level.” I’m not being humble, it's the truth. I can carry a tune, but Andrea is rock star worthy. “Marius enjoyed it,” I point out since he hasn’t cried since.

Andrea moves forward. “May I?” He asks, looking between Dante and me.

Dante nods, and I hand my little man over. I’m not too worried; I’ve seen Andrea with Tatum. I know he has a soft spot for babies. Andrea snuggles my son and sniffs the top of his head like his scent is soothing. It’s one of my favorite things to do as well. He extends his pinky and his face lights up when Marius grabs it. His eyes crinkle in the corners as he laughs when Marius tries to turn his pinkie into a pacifier.

“It’s nice having babies in the house. You two can stay as long as you need.”

Andrea is talking more to Dante than to me as they exchange a look that only they understand. I think he’s trying to refer to my last relative who’s in hiding.

“I appreciate that Dante has found friends that he can count on,” I tell him.

Andrea laughs as he nods his head. I know why he’s laughing; I can only imagine the look Dante is shooting my way, but I have to call it what it is. Andrea and Theodore are his friends, whether he likes it or not.

I join Andrea in his laughter once Dante collects our son from his arms and leaves the room without another word.

“I think you shocked your husband's system,” he jokes with a soft smile.

“It seems that way,” I tell him with a conspiratorial wink. Delaney’s contemplative silence doesn’t go unnoticed, so I start backing away to join my family. “Love that dress, Delaney,” I tell her because it’s true. “We’ll see you next week.”

She drops out of her thoughts enough to give me a friendly smile as I leave. “Can’t wait,” she says, since we’re discussing my baby’s checkup.

Delaney and I are in similar situations, married to men who abducted us, but our stories are different enough to where we can't fully put ourselves in the other’s shoes. But like I told her, at least it was Andrea’s goal to marry her from the beginning. My outlook was very dismal in the beginning. It’s amazing how far we’ve come. My baby coos from behind me. It's the only reason I know that he’s there.

“You’re always in stealth mode, hubby,” I point out as I turn.

He shrugs. “It’s a habit.”

His sudden kiss steals my breath, but I’m not surprised at the intensity since I know he has a super brain that remembers everything .

“Let’s put the baby down for a nap.”

Never has that sentence ever been so seductive. It’s his way of saying that he knows I’ve been cleared for activities. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss making love to my husband. I’m glad that he misses it as well.

“Let’s,” I agree, walking backwards to the room we’re using.

Once inside, I take the baby from him to see if he wants more milk before I lay him down. Dante watches everything I do like a hunter locked in on his next trophy.

The sleepier our baby gets, the less clothes my husband has on his body. I swear I could get high just looking at him.

After I place our baby in his sleeper, Dante attacks me with a hungry kiss that instantly pulls a moan out of me. He's wearing nothing but his underwear, so my hands have plenty of skin to roam.

There is a nervous energy flowing through him that gets my attention. I cup his cheek to break the kiss because I must know if he's okay.

“What's wrong, babe? You seem anxious.”

He drops his head until his forehead rests against mine. His eyes are full of longing when he reaches up to mimic my move and cup my cheek. Dante steals another kiss before he speaks.

“I feel…” he pauses like he's searching for the right words to express eagerness. “Like I need you.”

Damn, that sounds damn romantic.

My desire to be with my husband increases tenfold as we shed everything stopping him from getting inside of me. A moan long and loud once he enters me.

Dante covers my mouth with his hand.

“Quietly, amor. I don't want to be interrupted.”