The Healing Touch - Apryl Baker Page 0,94
the family, and now his woman was pregnant.
Pregnant.
“Sit down!” he bellowed, taking the food out of her hands.
“I’m not an invalid, Dimitri. I’m just pregnant.”
“Sit.” He gave his best no-nonsense look.
She stuck her tongue out at him.
“I swear, she gives me sass all damn day.”
“Congrats, sestra.” Kade hugged her. “I’m so happy for you.”
“Thank you.” She sniffed the bags again. “Is that Indian?”
“It is. I even brought Squirts over here a sandwich from his favorite deli. I can be nice sometimes.”
“What’s on it?” Dimitri asked suspiciously.
“Nothing that will cause a bathroom run,” Angel promised. “Why don’t you sit down, Dimitri? You look ready to pass out.”
“No.” He pointed at Becca. “Why are you still standing?”
“Because I want to, Neanderthal!” Her blue eyes flashed nothing but sass. She was going to pay for that later…
Fuck.
He needed to do some research. Some of the things they enjoyed couldn’t be at all good for a baby. He’d hate to give the little guy a complex seeing his daddy’s cock shoved up against his face on the daily.
Pregnant.
Kade caught him when his knees gave out.
His brother didn’t say a word, just gripped him tightly and led him to the kitchen where he sat him in a chair.
“We’re getting married. No more putting it off. My kid is not going to come into this world without his parents being married. Mama and Babby would never let us hear the end of it.”
“I’m not marrying you because I’m pregnant or because your family thinks children out of wedlock is wrong. I’m not Catholic, Kade.”
Fuck, he’d fucked it up. He saw it on her face.
“Hey, baby, let’s give them a minute.” Kade steered his wife out of the kitchen.
“That came out wrong, Rebecca. I’m sorry. No, I’m not marrying you for any of those reasons, even though they are valid ones.” He held up a hand when she went to argue. “I want to marry you today for the same reason I asked you a year ago. I love you. I can’t breathe without seeing you when I wake up and feeling myself inside you at night. I’m not whole without you, Krasivaya. I’m possessive. I’m dominant. I want my name and stamp all over you. I like my marks on your body the same way I like that engagement ring on your finger. I want my wedding ring to rest there. I want everyone to know you belong to me and only me. I want them to understand how much I love you and the depths I would go to make you happy and safe.”
He stood and went to her, placing his hand on her stomach. It had never really been flat, so he hadn’t noticed the slight rounding of it. He loved that she wasn’t flat as a board. He loved her curves.
“I want you because you’re my heart, my breath, my life. My soul, Rebecca Joyce Rhodes. You are the soul that gives me a reason for being. That’s why I want to marry you.”
Tears streamed down her face, and she brushed them away. She knew he’d had a reaction to her news, and she knew he’d go all alpha male on her, but hearing him now, hearing her best friend she fell in love with, she forgot his earlier comments.
He was her soul too.
“Please, Becca, marry me.”
“I can’t do a big Catholic wedding, Dimitri. The crowds…I can’t.”
He hugged her to him.
“Then we won’t have a big Catholic wedding. We’ll go to Vegas and get married late at night at an all-night chapel. No crowds. Just you and me.”
“Uh, I think your family might have something to say about that,” Kade interrupted. “Mama would cry for years if you got married without her being there.”
“She’s still mad that we didn’t renew our vows.” Angel came in and started taking out plates. “Sorry for cutting your moment short, but this little girl is demanding food.”
Dimitri grinned wide. Their family never had girls, and now Angel was about to give birth to the first daughter, niece, and granddaughter.
“How’s my little Ariel doing?”
“She’s a future soccer player. I swear she kicks like a pro athlete. Especially when she’s hungry.”
“Feed my daughter, woman.” Kade lightly slapped her on the ass, and Angel rolled her eyes, but she did start dishing out food.
“Maybe there’s a way for your parents and grandmother to see the wedding.” It was a thought that occurred and took root. One she felt she could handle. Being around Dimitri’s family didn’t cause her panic attacks.