by Nikki Ash
Tears fill my lids, quickly spilling over. My hand goes to my mouth in excitement. I nod yes until I can make the words come out. “Yes. Yes, I will marry you.”
Marco takes my left hand and guides the ring up my finger then raises it to give it a kiss. He gets back onto his feet, lifts me into his arms, and takes me to bed, where he very carefully and gently makes love to me for the remainder of the night.
Epilogue
Marco
Roughly Five Years Later
I wake up and peek open my one eye to check the time. Six in the morning. That means I have about an hour until Micaela wakes up, maybe a little less because we’re in a hotel and she’s excited to celebrate her cousin’s birthday. Technically, they aren’t really cousins but try to tell them that and they might knock your ass out.
Bella is lying on her back sprawled out across the bed, her hair everywhere, legs spread open, leaving me barely any room, and of course, she has all the blankets. Fucking blanket hogger.
I scoot down the bed, and once I get to the bottom, pull the sheets off the bed and lay myself between my wife’s legs, staring up at the perfect view of her bare cunt. I love it when she falls asleep without panties on.
Starting at her ankle, I trail kisses up her calf, moving up her leg, and ending at the apex of her thighs. She visibly shivers, and when I look up, I see her blinking at me, barely awake. Spreading her pussy lips, I dive right in, my tongue swiping at her clit—not wasting any time, because let’s face it, when you’re a parent time is limited. I push two fingers in, and Bella’s hips buck in pleasure as she releases a soft moan.
“Shh… you have to be quiet. Our daughter is still asleep.” She moans out her acknowledgement and then I go back to eating her pussy like it’s my breakfast until she comes all over my tongue and fingers.
“Get up here and fuck me,” she whines.
At six months pregnant, my wife is even hornier than usual. Without needing to be told twice, I situate myself at her entrance and guide myself into her. With her legs hooked around my arms, I’m in the perfect position to fuck her slow and deep. I feel her orgasm building again, and when she screams in ecstasy, I drive in harder, my orgasm following right behind her.
“Let’s shower before Micaela wakes up.” I lean down and give her cute as hell pregnant belly a kiss.
“And you know she will be up soon,” Bella adds knowingly. “She’s been counting down the days until our trip to Los Angeles to celebrate Lexi’s birthday. Speaking of which, I should call Tristan and see if he needs any help setting up for the party.
BELLA
Marco, Micaela, and I walk into the bowling alley where we spot Tristan, Mason, and Lexi, along with Tristan’s family and a bunch of their friends. Micaela goes running straight for Lexi, who runs toward Micaela meeting her halfway. The two girls hug like they haven’t seen each other in years, when the truth is they video chat several times a week.
“Happy Birthday, Lexi!” Micaela hands her the wrapped gift with the big number five on the front.
“Thank you, Micaela! My daddy said you can spend the night tonight after the party! And my grandma is going to watch us!”
I give Tristan a pointed look, but he just shrugs and smirks. Every time we come out to visit him and Lexi, he always insists on taking us out to show us more of Los Angeles. I think he believes if he makes us fall in love with the city, we’ll make the move here. We’ve all begged him to move back home over the last several years, since Lexi was born, but he says he loves where he lives. He loves rooming with Mason, and he loves owning his own gym.
Tristan walks over and gives me a hug. “Thanks for flying out.”
“You know we wouldn’t miss her birthday. We’ve been to every single one.” Tristan hooks his arm around my neck as we join everyone. “Would be nice if you moved back to Vegas. Then we wouldn’t have to fly or drive five hours to get to you.” I elbow him playfully and he doubles over pretending I hurt him.
“I have to second that,” Ashley says.
“We’re not moving to Vegas,” Mason says. “The only hot available women in Vegas are prostitutes.”
He earns a slap to his gut courtesy of Tristan’s sister, Emma. “Don’t be a douche.”
Mason chuckles. “I said available. You’re unavailable until you’re thirty. Don’t make me and Tristan come to Vegas to whoop some guy’s ass.”
“You’re not going to Vegas to beat up any guys so give it a rest.”
“Hell yes, we will. It would be a lot easier if you would just make the move to L.A. like Morgan did. You can go to college here and room with her.”
“Can you stop trying to convince my only child who is still living near me to move?” Kaden growls. “If she moves, we’re going to have no choice but to move here. Ashley is already bringing it up more and more.”
Ignoring their continuing banter back and forth, Tristan quietly asks, “So, is it a boy or a girl?”
“You have to wait to find out like everybody else.” I laugh. Marco and I couldn’t agree on whether to find out the sex of the baby. I wanted to know, but he wanted to be surprised. So, we compromised and I found out but agreed not to tell anyone else. The nursery door stays closed so Marco won’t find out. Micaela knows the sex but hasn’t let it slip yet. It’s only been a few weeks, though.
“Give me back my wife and stop trying to find out the sex. There’s only a few surprises in life and this is one of them.”
“Are you hoping for a boy this time?” Tristan asks.
Marco pulls me out of Tristan’s arms, plops himself onto a chair, and pulls me onto his lap. He tilts my head back and gives me a hard, wet kiss on my lips. “It doesn’t matter what the sex is because we’ll be having at least three or four more.” He waggles his eyebrows at me and I roll my eyes because he’s lost his mind.
“I’m just kidding. All that matters, is that the baby is healthy… and comes out wanting to fight. Because lord knows, that pretty pink princess over there has no desire to fight.” We all laugh. Marco might be joking about the baby coming out wanting to fight, but he is dead serious about the pretty pink princess part.
As soon as Micaela was old enough to pick out anything for herself, it had to be pink. Pink dolls, pink babies, pink clothes, pink shoes, pink leotards. Yep, that’s right, our daughter, who is being raised in a family of fighters, does gymnastics and dance, and you better believe Marco is right there at every recital cheering her on like she’s going for a UFC championship, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
WANT TO READ Marco’s letters he wrote to Bella during his time in rehab? Continue reading.
CURIOUS TO KNOW Tristan’s story? Purchase Clinched on Amazon.
Marco’s Letters to Bella
October 18th
Dear Bella,
Shit, that sounds so formal, like you haven’t been my best friend since I was twelve years old. I’m sitting here in rehab and there’s so much I need to say to you. So, I decided to write you. First of all, I know you’re pregnant with my kid. I shouldn’t have told you to have an abortion when you came to see me that day, but maybe it’s for the best I did because it forced you to walk away from me. I spent years saying I would never end up like my mom, yet I ended up just like her. High on coke and heroin. Only, I know our stories won’t be the same, because you would never let me destroy our child the way my mom did. I know that’s why you decided to name Tristan as her dad, to protect her, and I need you to know I don’t fault you for that. You’re doing something my mom never knew how to do. You’re putting your baby first.
When I get out of here, I’ll sign whatever papers you need me to sign. I’ll sign over my rights. I don’t deserve you or that baby. If you would have listened to me, she would’ve been aborted. I’m glad you didn’t listen to me.
Marco
October 19th
Dear Bella,
Today has been rough. It’s been 11 days since I’ve had a single drug and while my 10 days of detox ended y
esterday and the drugs are technically out of my system, it feels like I’m drugged out. My body is craving the drugs. Do me a favor, please? Never tell your baby about me. Pretend like I don’t exist. Don’t tell him, he comes from druggie bloodlines. Keep him the fuck away from all temptation. I’m not saying he will go that way and I’m not using the excuse of my genetics as to why I turned to drugs. But just to be on the safe side, make sure he never goes near them. Don’t let him ever be a fuck up like me.
Marco
October 20th
Dear Bella,
I hope your pregnancy is going good. I noticed in my previous letters I referred to the baby as a “he”. Now that I’m thinking about it, I don’t want to know the sex. I think it will hurt too much to know. It must be how a woman feels when giving her baby up for adoption. The less she knows, the less it will hurt. Even though nothing will stop the pain.
Marco
October 21st
Dear Bella,
I want drugs. My back hurts and my head hurts and everything just fucking hurts. I want the fuck out of here. I came here to get better when I found out you were carrying my baby, but what for? It’s not like I’m ever going to see him. Maybe I did it so I can say my blood running through his veins isn’t tainted, but I was wrong. It is. It’s tainted. Just make sure whatever you do, you keep him away from me.
Marco
October 22nd
Dear Bella,
I got into a fight with the doctor today. I considered leaving. They can’t keep me here. But something in me is keeping me from leaving. Maybe it was the look of disappointment in your face when you saw me taking a bump of heroin. Or the sadness in your eyes when I told you to have an abortion, but it’s those looks that are keeping me here.
Marco
October 23rd
Dear Bella,
I miss you. That’s all.
Marco
October 24th
Dear Bella,
I met with my counselor today. Her name is Ingrid and she’s like a therapist. She asked me about my life, but I left you out. I told her about my mom, my life growing up, Caleb and Hayley, Chloe and Mackenzie. I even told her about fighting. But I didn’t mention you. Maybe I’m just not ready to share you with her… or maybe it’s time I let you go.
Marco
October 25th
Dear Bella,
I met a man name David today in group therapy. He confessed to hitting his wife while high and it made me think of how I treated you the last time I saw you. The fear in your eyes when I yelled at you and told you you were dead to me. I’m glad Tristan was there. I’m glad he’s there for you. Watching David talk about how he treated his wife before she filed for divorce, I’m glad you walked away. Fuck! That’s a lot of “glads”.
Marco
October 26th
Dear Bella,
I miss you. So damn much.
Marco
October 27th
Dear Bella,
Today sucked. I met with the doctor and we discussed treatment for my back. I told him I’m done fighting so it doesn’t matter but he insisted. I guess I’m going to see a chiropractor since drugs are not an option. It made me think about you fighting… or not. Don’t give up fighting, Bella. Once you have the baby, go back to it. Me, getting a championship and you not getting one isn’t right. You deserve it more than me. But when you win, don’t celebrate. Go home and be with your family. Celebrating cost me my best friend… hell, in a way it cost me a few. Logan, you, Tristan. Okay, this is getting depressing now.
Marco
October 28th
Dear Bella,
I take back what I said yesterday. Celebrate! You aren’t tainted like I am. When you win that championship, celebrate the fuck out of that win. You deserve to celebrate all of your hard work.
Marco
October 29th
Dear Bella,
I can’t stop thinking about you winning and celebrating and me not being there. I know it’s for the best, but fuck, I miss you. Damn, I sound like a baby right now. You haven’t even fought or won…
Marco
October 30th
Dear Bella,
I met a woman in group therapy today who is pregnant. She came in so she can get better for her baby. She cried and said she’s scared her baby will be affected by the drugs she already did. I wonder if my mom would’ve gone to rehab, if she would still be alive. Thank you for taking care of the baby. Thank you for not putting him in harm’s way.
Marco
October 31st
Dear Bella,
Happy Halloween! My mom called me today (My first call I accepted since being in here). Mackenzie and Chloe wanted to say hi and tell me about their Halloween party they’re having. When the hell did my sisters grow up? Chloe is a witch and Mackenzie is a bottle of ketchup. It reminded me of the year you wanted to fit in and decided to be a cheerleader for Halloween. Your mom must have yelled at you a hundred times to close your legs because you kept forgetting you had a skirt on. And of course, the costume was bright pink and white. By the end of the night, you were going through your gym bag and putting on your workout outfit and saying you were a fighter. Good times.
Marco
November 1st
Dear Bella,
I met with Ingrid again today. We were supposed to meet yesterday but she was off to take her son trick-or-treating. She showed me a picture of him. He was Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story. It made me think about what our your child will be for Halloween. Make sure you take lots of pictures. I don’t have any pictures from my childhood. What am I saying? Of course, you will. With you and Tristan as his parents, the kid will never lack for anything.
Marco
November 2nd
Dear Bella,
I hope wherever you are and whatever you are doing, you are happy.
Marco
November 3rd
Dear Bella,
Today was rough and it had me thinking about you a lot. Group therapy sucked. I didn’t feel like talking, but I did anyway because I’m lonely. I know I did this to myself, but it’s still hard. I’ll never take my family and friends for granted again.
Marco
November 4th
Dear Bella,
I miss you. Always.
Marco
November 5th
Deal Bella,
I’m pretty sure I miss you more today than I did yesterday and I have a feeling I will miss you even more tomorrow.
Marco
November 6th
Dear Bella,
I was right. I’m missing you more today. I think I’m going to tell Ingrid about you tomorrow at my appointment.
Marco
November 7th
Dear Bella,
I didn’t tell Ingrid about you. I wanted to, but then I would have had to tell her everything. The good. The bad. The fucking ugly. But if I don’t tell her, I can just pretend it was all good. Only, it doesn’t really work that way. Because even if the words aren’t spoken, I still know them to be true. I fucked us up. The bad and the ugly overpowered the good.
Marco
November 8th
Dear Bella,
I called the hospital today to check on Logan and he’s still in the same condition he’s been in. I hate that. I hate that he’s in a coma. I wish it were me in the coma. I would trade places with him in a heartbeat. I swear I would. If he wasn’t in a coma he wouldn’t be fucking up like I am. He deserves to be healthy. I deserve to be in the coma.
Marco
November 9th
Dear Bella,
It’s been 33 days since I’ve been in here. I’m 33 days drug free. I guess that’s a huge accomplishment. But it doesn’t feel like it. It feels like I fucked up and I’m only thirty-three days drug free. I have a long way to go.
Marco
November 10th
Dear Bella,
I spoke to my parents and they said they are coming to visit. They didn’t bri
ng you up and I didn’t want to ask. I often think about what will happen when I get out of here. How will we deal with family functions? I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable. Maybe I’ll leave. Move across the country and start over. You deserve to be free of me.
Marco
November 11th
Dear Bella,
My heart hurts when I think about never seeing you again. But I know it’s all my fault. I did this to myself. I hope one day you can forgive me.
Marco
November 12th