“No,” I said, scooting back. “First we need to talk,” I repeated. I meant it this time. We were talking about his son.
“If we talk, can I eat your sweet cunt after?” he asked with hooded eyes, as I fought back a tremble. He knew that anytime he wanted to kiss me down there, I was willing and ready. I had proven that when I spread open for him on the bar in the kitchen two days ago.
“Kiro, I’m serious.”
He leaned up and licked a trail up my neck to my ear. “Angel, I’m always serious about licking your pussy.” God, this man!
“It’s about your son,” I blurted out before he made me forget.
Kiro froze.
“I talked to Mary Ann. She said we could come visit Mase. Or just you. Whichever you prefer. But she’s open to you seeing Mase and having a relationship with him.”
Kiro slowly leaned away from my neck and directed his gaze toward the window. He wasn’t looking at me. His jaw was clenched tightly. I knew there was a good chance that calling Mary Ann was pushing too hard. That he’d be furious. But I loved him, and I wanted him to look back one day and be proud of the life he lived. He was a star in the world’s eyes, but I wanted him to be a star in his own eyes.
“Why would you do that?” he asked, his voice tight.
“Because I love you, and I want you to know your son. I will be with you every step of the way. I will stand by you, but the man I know . . .” I reached out and put my hand over his heart. “This heart is a beautiful thing. And I know you want to know your son. You can’t tell me you don’t. I won’t believe you.”
Kiro closed his eyes tightly. “Fuck, Emily.”
I crawled over to him and wrapped my arms around his neck. “She’s really nice. I liked her a lot. She was nothing like Georgianna. I think in another time, she could have made you happy. But y’all have a child together now. Don’t miss out on that.”
His arms finally came around me. “No one but you could have made me happy. Your love is what makes life worth it, Emily. And if you want me to know the kid, I will. But I won’t be playing family with them. You’re gonna be the only family I have. You and the kids I have with you. I can love the boy, but his momma means nothing to me. You know that, right?”
He had said the kids I gave him would be our family. I wanted that, too. So much. But he did have other family. It was time he faced it and accepted it. “She is the mother of your son. Deep down, that means something, but I am OK with that. I know you love me. I don’t doubt it for a minute.”
“If you’ll go with me, I’ll go. I want my son to know you, too.”
I wanted that, and Mary Ann seemed like she was OK with it. She even liked the idea of me coming. “I want to know him. He’ll be a part of our life, Kiro. We can love him, too. There’s enough love in both of us for that.”
Kiro sighed and tucked me against him. “I think that I know all the beauty that’s inside you, and then you go and fucking show me more of it. How the hell did I get you to love me?”
“You watched Indiana Jones with me,” I said simply. Because that day, I saw the real Kiro underneath. He hadn’t kicked me out for being a virgin. He’d respected it. Then he’d made me feel welcome.
He chuckled. “Don’t be giving me any awards for that one, angel. I was too damn selfish to let you go. I would have watched every chick flick in the world if it meant I’d have gotten to keep you close a little longer. I just got lucky that you had good taste in movies.”
Kiro
Mase looked just like me. And Emily fell in love with him at first sight. Then Mary Ann fell in love with Emily the moment she watched my angel talk to Mase and play with him like it was the most natural thing in the world.
It’s weird seeing a one-night stand you hardly remember mother a child who is undoubtedly yours.
Then to see Emily with him put a seed of hunger in me. I wanted this with Emily. I wanted a family with her. I wanted to see her with our little boy playing on the floor and laughing with him.
She was right. I could love this kid. He was mine. I didn’t want to let him down. I wanted to be a part of his life. Dean was a part of Rush’s, and he hated Rush’s mom. At least I didn’t hate Mase’s mother. I just didn’t know her.
Emily could have a relationship with Mary Ann. I’d just get to know my boy. But more than anything, I wanted Emily’s stomach big with our child. I wanted to feel our baby inside her and know we made that kid. She’d be mine forever. They both would.
I had hired a private jet to take us to Texas, so when our visit was over and Mary Ann and Emily had set up some visitation times for us, I’d hugged Mase and told him I’d see him soon.
Emily had been smiling from ear to ear the entire car ride back. She kept babbling about how much he looked like me and how he had watched me with his serious eyes. She had talked about how he had clapped his hands and gotten excited over the horses outside. Everything Mase did amazed her.
And fuck if I didn’t fall even deeper in love with this woman. I didn’t think it was possible. But apparently, when it came to Emily, I could fall in love more every day. She had so much to fucking love.
I kept my hand on her back as we got on the plane. I liked touching her. Mary Ann had noticed that, too, and smiled at me. She seemed happy that I had found Emily. It was strange, but it also felt good. Maybe I could be friends with Mary Ann after all.
“I’m so glad we came,” Emily said for the tenth time, as she sank down onto one of the leather sofas in the jet.