Page 50 of To Love and Protect
“For what?” she asked with as much attitude as she could muster, though he saw a smile trying to dance across her face.
“For giving me another reason to live.”
Remedie playfully rolled her eyes, but that smile she’d been holding back finally appeared. “Five kids is crazy, Nico.”
“It ain’t that crazy.” He kissed her nose.
Her smile faded. “I’m scared.”
She always was. She always worried that this kid would be the one they messed up. Nico got over those fears long ago, but Remedie was a mama bear. Worrying was in her DNA.
“Hey, what I tell you when we first met?”
The corners of her lips tugged up. “Love and protect?”
He’d reminded her many times through the years, and it always seemed to calm her because he always followed through with his word. Whatever Remedie wanted, she got. She knew as long as he had breath in his body, she had nothing to worry about.
He grinned. “Let me do that, baby. You love me?”
“You know I do.” She threw her arms around him and melted into him.
“And you know I’m crazy about you.”
“Touched in the head about me.” She giggled.
“Damn right.” He kissed her lips. “You keep bein’ my pretty lil wife, and I’ll keep doin’ my job.”
“Oh yeah? What’s your job?” she teased as she tugged on his grown-out beard.
“To keep puttin’ babies in yo’ fine ass.”
“Hell nah.” She tried pulling away, but he locked her in place.
“To fuck you just like you like.”
He heard her breath catch in her throat. It had been over fifteen years, and he still seemed to have the same effect on her.
“Nico . . .”
He kissed her deeply, hoping to convey how happy he was at that moment. Another life would enter their family, and he couldn’t be happier. He only wished Gramps was still alive to see the life Nico now lived. The old man had died seven years ago, and Nico missed him dearly every single day.
“To always take care of you and those bigheaded babies,” he uttered before he leaned down and kissed her again.
When he pulled away, he brushed her curls out of the way, and she smiled.
“And?” she asked in a sing-song voice.
“And . . .” He mimicked her and smiled down at his lifeline so he could repeat the promise he’d made to her a million times before. “I promiseTo Love and Protect.”
The End
