double doors.
They opened on our approach, and I lost my tenuous hold on my tears.
The balcony was bursting with beautiful flowers and greenery. Like the night sky, twinkle lights arched in a canopy over us. With the sun setting in the backdrop, it was magical.
A fairy tale with a princess and her villain.
Maximo
Two Years Later
“Where are my pills?”
I fought to hide my smile as my frazzled wife rushed into my office. She had a soft measuring tape draped over her neck, pins stuck in her shirt, and multiple colored pencils jammed through her hair.
I’ll never get over how damn beautiful she is.
“Come here,” I ordered, evading her question. Not because I didn’t want to answer it, I just enjoyed playing with my little dove.
She didn’t move. “My pills?”
“Now, Juliet.”
At my tone, she rushed over and took her spot on my lap.
I started pulling the colored pencils from her hair. “How’s the dress?”
“Good. I finally found the perfect color combination to complement the design so it doesn’t look like a clown outfit or something out of an eighties club.”
“I knew you’d figure it out. You always do.”
Even if her outfits were ugly, I’d have secretly bought every last one if it meant she was happy. But that hadn’t been necessary. She’d made Dove Couture a success all on her own.
Ever since consigning her dresses with Hilda’s, she’d had more order requests than she could accept. We’d knocked down one of the walls to expand her workspace into a spare bedroom, and it wouldn’t be long before we’d have to expand again. People liked her designs and the approachableness in the style. It fit with Vegas life.
I’d told her she could put her own store in Black Moon once it opened, but she’d turned me down. She didn’t want to be so overloaded, she lost the availability to create for fun when inspiration hit.
I’d always support her, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t happy she’d declined her own store. It would’ve been an intensive time commitment, and I was a greedy fuck. I liked having her time and attention to myself.
But I was ready to share her.
“I threw them out,” I told her, pulling the sewing pins free and dropping them into the container I kept on my desk for that purpose.
“Threw what out?”
“Your pills.”
Her brows lowered as she leaned back to look at me. “Why?”
“Because it’d be hard for me to put my baby in you if you’re on them.”
Her lips parted as she sat in stunned silence for a moment. “You want to have a baby?”
“Two babies. Maybe three.” I removed the tape measure last but kept it close in case I wanted to tie her wrists with it. “We’ll see how it goes.”
“Babies? Plural?”
“Is that a problem, Juliet?”
Usually my tone would make her eyes go hooded, but instead they were filled with panic. “I… It’s just…”
Softening my expression, I cupped her head. “It’s what?”
A tear streaked down her cheek followed closely by another. And another. “What if I’m a bad mom? Neither of my parents were a shining example.” Her words were choked when she forced out, “What if I fuck up our kid?”
Christ, she broke my heart.
With each passing day, Juliet had managed to shake off more of the damage from her parents. For the most part, she lived free from their toxic memories.
Or, as she said, she lived carefree.
But every once in a while, their ghosts came to haunt her.
“Your parents were a good example of who you didn’t want to be, and you’ve already proven you’re not them. You’re selfless, loving, patient, and everything they never were.” There wasn’t a hint of doubt in my mind when I said, “You’ll be the best mom.”
She didn’t speak, but her tears slowed.
Opening the top drawer on my desk, I grabbed her birth control pack and handed it to her. “We’ll wait until you’re ready, little dove. And if you never are, that’s fine, too. But don’t let your shitty parents control you.”
She gave a sniffling laugh. “I know, that’s your job.”
“‘Til the day I die,” I shot back with no hint of humor.
She fell silent again, flipping the pack in her hand. “You really think I’d be a good mom?”
“The best.”
“Would we still have time together?”
“I’d make sure of it.”
“Would you still be my Daddy even after you’re a dada?”
I pulled her closer so her ass was firmly on my hard-on. “Try to stop me.”
She grinned and tossed the pack toward the wastebasket.
I didn’t watch