Page 8 of Mason

An image of an older version of Angelica bringing a boy home and all her uncles and cousins meeting him came to mind and I couldn’t help but laugh. Oh, he was right, the poor girl.

Mason’s thumb brushed my cheek and a shiver ran through me at his touch. “I’m glad you’re getting a laugh at the thought. No girls. Boys for us.”

I stopped laughing and threw myself at him, jumping up and wrapping my arms around his neck and hugging him tight. “Yes. Yes, yes. I want kids.” I loved that he wanted children. I squeezed him as tight as I could, not caring about any of my lingering injuries. “I don’t care as long as all our children are happy.”

His arms came around me and I felt him kiss my head and mumble, “You’re incredible and all mine.”

“Mason, put the poor girl down,” Gillian, Mason’s mother, snapped at him and I giggled into his chest as he slid me down his body on a groan. “Carl and Annabelle just arrived. I know you loved the babies, Alexa, so I said you’d help. Annabelle is pregnant again and Carl won’t let her lift even the kids if he can help it.”

I eased out of Mason’s embrace and practically ran to the front of the house where I heard Annabelle arguing with Carl. “I’m only just two months pregnant you dolt, I can carry my daughter who I barely hold because she’s a girl in the Silverman family of boys. It’s bad enough she has your parents moving to Australia from America because your mother doesn’t want to miss out on her first granddaughter.”

“Oh honey. My nephews are all searching for their mates. They’re not chancing getting a girl and having the stress I will in a little less than twelve years when she turns thirteen.”

“If you weren’t holding our children I swear I’d slap you, you arse. Girls aren’t as bad as you and your brothers are making out.” I laughed as Annabelle put her hands on her waist and glared at her husband. I came up and held my hands out so I could have my first cuddle of Angelica. Annabelle spotted me and pointed. “Alexa, tell him that us females aren’t as bad as they’re all fretting over.”

Darting my gaze from the baby I really wanted, back to her mother, and then her father, who raised his brow at me, I sighed and knew I couldn’t get out of answering. “Truthfully Annabelle, I’m not sure what they’re scared of. Sure we’re more of a target, but that’s men’s fault. Trust me, I learned real quick how to avoid me—”

“Oh sweetie, I’m sorry to have brought this up. I didn’t think that it would have you thinking of the bad that—”

“No, it’s okay.” I cut Annabelle off as Carl handed over his little girl. Angelica was so adorable with big brown eyes, dark little ringlets and light olive skin. She wore a pink tutu dress, which, if possible, made her cuter. I hugged Angelica close to me and she grabbed and yanked on my hair, giggling. My heart felt like it was going to explode at the sound, it was just so darn cute.

“Angelica, stop. We don’t pull hair. That’s naughty.” Annabelle came up to me and used her stern mum voice but Angelica totally ignored her mum and continued yanking on my hair.

“I don’t mind.” I kissed each side of her chubby little cheeks.

Jake yelled out, “No. No. No.” I laughed and looked over at him in his father’s arms, but caught an eye roll from Annabelle.

“It’s his new word. But the little terror only says it when Angelica is getting attention and he isn’t.” She walked to her son and kissed his forehead.

Watching this, I realized I wanted what Annabelle, Carl and the babies had, and I wanted it bad. I knew as I snuggled Angelica and walked with her to the family room where everyone was gathering that I didn’t want to wait years for this either. I wanted children now. I wanted a husband. No, not just a husband, I wanted Mason.

Mason came and wrapped his arm around my waist and I relaxed against him. He leaned down and tickled and kissed each side of Angelica’s cheeks before pressing his lips to my forehead.

I had a goal. I had things I wanted. I hadn’t had a goal or wanted anything other than to stay alive until I was eighteen since my parents had died. Now as I gazed around at the new family I had, I wanted more.

I USED TO LOVE GOING shopping, but I hadn’t done much of that in the last couple of years. The massive building before me had me on edge. I didn’t have money to shop and I hated people staring, because that was all they did to me now.

Ah, well, they had before, when I’d been hungry, dirty, cold, scared, and alone.

Closing my eyes, I tried to calm my heart as it raced at just the thought of walking through the busy shopping center.

“My mum can do this, you know. She loves having daughters. She’s always buying Bailey stuff.”

Opening my eyes, I shook my head. I knew Gillian would do it. She’d already bought me a lot of clothes, and I wore them though they weren’t really my style. My underwear though, I wasn’t letting her get me. I had been wearing men’s boxers, I was sure they were Mason’s, but as comfortable as they were I was ready for some of my own panties and I was dying to get a couple of bras that fit. I had two bras and they were dead and needed to be thrown out. My goal today was to get new ones so I could do that.

“No. I want to do this. I need to do this.” I could do this. I wasn’t that dirty and alone person anymore. I had someone . . . Mason. “Your mum is busy getting everything ready for your father’s parents to come and live.”

“Argh, don’t remind me. Uncle Lewis has been bitching about us taking grandma and grandpa. I don’t know why he cares so much. All his kids are grown, and you’d think this might make him want to move here, too, and live with his brothers and nephews.” Wrapping my arms around him I hugged him tight. This was really working him up. It seemed to work up all the Silvermans, and I was eager to hear why his uncle hadn’t moved to Australia and why his parents had stayed with him in America instead of following their sons, but when one of the woman brought it up the men all got worked up like this.

“Thanks, bear, I’m good now.” He tilted my head up and leaned down, brushing his lips over mine. He moved out of my embrace and stood beside me staring at the huge mall. I reached for his hand and threaded his fingers through mine. At his touch any nerves I had calmed and I sighed in contentment. He brought my fingers up and kissed my knuckles.

I had fallen in love with this man. It had been so easy. He was attentive, caring, and had been supportive. With him I felt loved and safe again. I wasn’t sure I believed him about the gift he and his family had about knowing their soulmate, but it did explain my feelings for him and why I’d never been scared of him, especially when I hadn’t had great experiences with men. The kiss we’d shared the other night had been my first real kiss, I shivered as the other kisses I’d had that were forced on me came to mind. I squeezed his hand and gave myself a mental shake and focused my gaze on Mason. Turning into him I rose on my tip-toes, letting go of his hands and sliding my own up his chest and circling his neck before pulling him down and kissing him, needing another new memory to replace the ones I didn’t want in my head.

Mason pulled away from our kiss and I hated that he was the one who always put a stop to our intimate embraces. “Come on my cuddly bear, you make it so hard for me to be a gentleman.” He pressed a kiss to my forehead and took my hand back into his. “Let’s go get the things you wanted from the mall.”

Resisting the urge to giggle, I nodded. Mason had no idea I’d begged him to take me shopping today so I could buy underwear. I was sure if he knew he wouldn’t have come.

I COULDN’T HOLD BACK MY laughter as Mason groaned and looked around like he was ready to run.

---