by Honor James
Frowning at her words, he eyed her. “Why do you say that, love, and in that tone?” he asked suspiciously. There had been a hint of something there that had his internal radar going off loud and clear in warning. Narrowing his eyes on her, he caught her hand and pulled her fingers to his lips where he nibbled on her skin lightly.
“I was just thinking that our daughter will never be able to do the things that even I missed out on as a girl child. She won’t be able to laugh and go out with her friends, make mistakes, and find male companionship.” Although that was a good part. “She will forever have her brother and father at her side, watching over and warning the young pups and scoundrels away.” Another good thing. “She will grumble and complain, but one day”—her fingers tightened on his—“one day she will thank you both because she will find her soul tie. She will find the man she is to be with for all time, and then she will be thankful that she would be able to go to them as innocent as I was to you.” Although there were times she wished she had more knowledge, more to draw upon.
“Are you trying, in your own wonderful way, to tell me that you think I will be too harsh with her? That I will stifle her?” he asked, slightly confused by her words and the counter of her face to the words. “I will protect her. If she wishes to have friends and wants time with them, I would not stop her. I will ensure she is happy, so if she wishes to try new things, I will step back and let her spread her wings. What I will not allow is any man or any person to take advantage of her.” That he would not ever compromise on.
And he had just confirmed everything. “No, I know that you won’t stifle her, Andries. I fully believe that you and Dalek”—she caressed her son’s cheek, who was watching the happenings intensely—“I believe that the both of you will do anything at all for Andria. You will both bend over backward to ensure she’s happy and safe all in the same token, and I fully believe she already has you both wrapped so tightly around one pinky finger that she will likely be able to do far more than what I was thinking she couldn’t, but she will not see that until she has found her soul tie, until she has found the man that will open her eyes.” She shrugged. “Don’t mind me. I don’t know half of what I am saying really.”
Squeezing her fingers lightly, he shook his head at her. “I would never do such a thing as overlooking you or your words, Xandra. You are important, as is anything that you have to say, love,” he said, kissing her fingers lightly. “You are my, wife. Anything that you say deserves all my attention, my full and loving attention.”
“How long do I need to recover before we can be together again, Andries?” She wouldn’t last long. They both knew that. “I miss you already and then you say things like that and it simply makes me need you all the more. Strange, don’t you think?”
“You will need a few days to recover, my love,” he told her softly as he stroked her fingers with his. “Depending on what the doctor says, you will likely have to wait at least three days. If there was more damage, you may be required to have bed rest for up to a week or more.” He shrugged slightly, feeling mildly depressed at the thought.
“It’s funny, the women of my world are confined after the birth for up to six weeks before they can come back together with their husbands, yet the thought of three days or a week is making me feel as if they are pressing an eternity in on us.”
“We will allow whatever time is necessary so that you are at your peak health, and then we will reinforce our commitment to one another at that time,” he told her. Shifting, he rolled Andria back onto her side so she wouldn’t snore so loudly. He did so with amusement. “She sounds just like you when you are over tired and sleep on your back,” he commented, glad the babies were between them.
She snorted and shook her head. “You are so silly.” But he was right. Their daughter did certainly snore, but she couldn’t take all the credit for it. “She’s sleeping soundly, and then you have our little boy, who is wide awake and checking everything out.” Much like the two of them. She could sleep soundly while she trusted Andries to keep her and their children safe. “Hopefully she won’t always have that little snore or she will never find a soul tie.”
Narrowing his eyes on her, Andries lifted a brow. “Of course she will,” he told her with utter confidence. “She will find the one male for her, and he will love her for the beauty she is, inside more than out. He will treasure her for all her unique traits and for all the little things she brings into his life. Just as I do you, my love,” he said softly.
“Ahh, but you see I was forced on you, Andries.” She moved her hand from their child to his face. “And I think that when I do finally meet your father, I will hug him for giving you no choice in the matter, my love.” Because if not for their fathers’ scheming and conniving, Andries and Xandra would never have been united.
Growling softly at her suggestion, he shook his head. “You keep your distance from him and I will be much happier,” he advised softly. “We will send him a gift basket instead,” he told her drolly, lifting a brow at her look. “Is this not a tradition amongst your people to express thanks?”
“You are something else, Andries.” Shaking her head, she smiled. “And yes, we express our thanks through a gift basket or something similar.” There was only a moment’s pause before she asked, “Why wouldn’t you want me around your father? He will want to see his grandchildren. You do realize that, don’t you?”
“He may want to. Whether he does or not will be something else entirely,” Andries said in a tight voice. “He was never in my life. He basically turned his back on me from the moment I came into this world. He had no contact with me until I graduated the Academy and even then it was with disapproval. I’ve seen him a handful of times and none of them ended well. If he wants to be a part of our children’s lives, he will have to make amends with me first.” His tone said that would likely be a cold day in hell.
Xandra couldn’t agree more. If his father didn’t want to have anything to do with Andries, then she certainly wasn’t going to allow him to have anything to do with their children. “Because if he wants to have a part in our children’s lives he must first prove that he is able to have a part in yours. It is only right.”
Startled, he looked to her. “You’re not going to fight me on that?” he asked in a cautious manner, unsure if this was one of her little feminine tricks, or if she meant it. “Because I will do anything and everything to keep him from them unless he changes his ways, Xandra. You need to understand that, love.”
“Of course I’m not fighting you on that, Andries. If he wants to be a part of our children’s lives, he first has to prove he can be a part of yours. I won’t have our children hurt by him, and you are the only one who can judge if he is truly ready to be a part of it or not.”
Looking at her, he reached over and then huffed out a breath. “Who had the bright idea to put our children between us?” he asked with a growl. “I can’t even reach you when I want to kiss you. This is not a good thing,” he said, softly stroking his thumb over her full lower lip.
“That would be you who put our babies between us.” She sucked his finger into her mouth and gave it a nibble and lick before releasing it. “You can kiss me once we have our babies in their bed, Andries. For now we are just taking in the family moment that we have, my love.”
Growling again at her, he tapped his finger to the end of her nose. “We will have words later, my love,” he told her softly. Pulling his hand back, he stroked his fingers lightly over Dalek’s hair and smiled faintly when the little boy looked his way. “Hello, my boy,” he murmured, gently stroking his soft hair.
Xandra smiled as she watched Andria move in closer to her brother and sighed happily. “He’s amazing, Andries. He’s completely perfect and his sister adores him as well.”
“We’ll see how long that lasts if he’s anything like I was as a child,” Andries said before he thought to censor his words. “Uh…” That wasn’t bright. “That didn’t quite come out as I meant, love.” He
felt his cheeks warm in embarrassment.
Grinning, she looked up at him. “Tell me, Andries. You can’t simply say something like that and then leave it off at that. Come on, darling, tell me what were you like as a child?”
Clearing his throat, he shook his head. “Not exactly the perfect child.” And that was all he was saying on the topic. “It’s nothing,” he murmured, shifting uncomfortably. “I’m sure these two will be wonderful and good children,” he said softly.
“You are so bad.” Her fingers moved to his hair where she lightly stroked him. “I love you, Andries. Take our babies and put them into bed, my love. They both need a bit more sleep, and I need to have you holding me.”
Doing as she asked, Andries moved first Andria, dropping a kiss to her little cheek, and then Dalek, smiling down into the too aware eyes. Covering them both as they curled into one another, Andries stood for a long moment watching them as they settled back into sleep. Shaking his head, he walked back to Xandra, turning off the lights but for the small globes of light at the ends of the room, and climbed into bed with her.
“It’s amazing, isn’t it?” she whispered as she was finally pulled into her husband’s arms where she belonged. “The way that they seem to turn into each other, hold each other as if in comfort and protection, even at their just-born age.” Their children were simply amazing and she knew it.
Kissing her hair, he rubbed his hands up and down her back. “They are perfect, love,” he said softly. Pulling the covers up higher, he shifted so he could hold her closer without harming her. “They will be very close for all their lives, I think.”
Laying her head more comfortably on his shoulder, she smiled as she closed her eyes. “I like that idea. That they will always be close.” Xandra yawned and snuggled closer, rubbing her cheek to his chest. “I need a nap though, my love. I’m sorry.”
“Do not apologize, my little wife. You have worked very hard today,” he said and shifted down further into the bed. “You have brought both of our children into the world, not an easy thing to do at all, so sleep, little wife, sleep and rest easy. I will watch over you and our babies until you wake.”
Adjusting herself, she smiled and rubbed her cheek to his chest. “I love you, Andries. You watch over and protect us while your wife naps.” She was so tired she couldn’t stop her eyes from drooping and sliding closed there in the warmth of his embrace.
Pressing a kiss to her hair, he held her close and safe in his arms.
Chapter Thirty-One
Picking up his girl, Andries frowned as the nappy slid off again. “Xandra, what the hell am I doing wrong?” he asked in frustration as he laid her down once more. He’d swear his baby girl was laughing at him. Her eyes had a little twinkle to them that made him nervous.
Xandra had their son all nice and warm in a new nappy and grinned at Andries. Looking back at Dalek, she said, “Let’s go and save Daddy, shall we?” She moved to her husband’s side and laid Dalek on the changing table beside Andria and watched as they clasped hands. “Amazing.” It still amazed her how the two of them constantly reached for each other. She loved it. “All right, Daddy.” She adjusted the nappy. “You aren’t making it tight enough, my love. You won’t hurt her, I promise, sweetheart.”
“Says you,” he muttered softly. “She’s too damned small, Xandra. I’m terrified to even pick her up let alone put on one of these things.” He flipped the end of the nappy. “She had better gain some weight,” he complained, not for the first time.
“And she will, Andries.” She watched as brother and sister shared a look and then kicked legs as they giggled. “They are laughing at you, Andries. She will never be as large as you or her brother. She will be lucky if she makes my height, love. She is just going to be a petite little thing.” She tweaked her daughter’s nose. “Aren’t you, Andria?”
Huffing out a breath as he wrapped an arm around her, Andries shook his head. “If that’s the case, she will be learning a few tricks to keep whatever man she ends up with in line.” At his lady wife’s look Andries lifted a brow. “You didn’t think I’d leave her defenseless, did you, love?” he asked, shaking his head with a look of his own. “She’ll know just how to take care of herself and, if she ends up as petite as you claim, it’ll come as a very large shock to whoever crosses her.”
“I think that you’re right. That would be the wisest course of action.” She leaned in and pressed kisses to both their children’s bellies. “But I have a feeling she won’t need it. She will do just fine as herself and the woman she will grow into.”
“Never hurts to know how to put a man on his knees if he gets fresh with her,” Andries said, quietly stroking his hand up and down Xandra’s back. “So, love,” he changed topics, “what are the plans for this day?” he asked.
Leaning into him, Xandra looked up and shrugged. “Andries, my love, I honestly don’t know. We have our children, they are clean and hap…” She trailed off as she heard a commotion. “Who in the world?” she asked even as the maid entered the nursery.
Breathing heavily, she said only, “Your father is here.” But she did not say which father before she left.
Xan felt ill and felt herself going weak but refused to fall. “Oh God.” She touched their children, needing to assure herself they were there. “Which father?”
“You can’t go in there, my lord,” a guard said from outside the nursery before there was very clearly the sound of a body hitting a wall, hard.
Shifting, Andries put his body between the doorway and his wife and children as the door opened. Growling low in his throat, he eyed the bastard that walked into the room. “You know, it’s common practice for one to wait for their presence to be announced before just storming through a home, Father,” he said in a cold, deadly tone.
“Andries,” Xandra grumbled and then looked through his arm toward the imposing figure that was her father-in-law. “Well, crap.” He was huge, and looked seriously angry. She didn’t do well with large, angry men. She had learned at too young an age to duck and hide, but she couldn’t hide from this man. She had to show she was worth having his son in her life.
“Where are my grandchildren, Andries?” he asked as he looked at his son. “You have given me grandchildren yet don’t invite me to come and see them? Is this true? There are two of them?”
Crossing his arms over his chest, he stood firm. “You have no right to enter this home. You have not earned that right nor the right to meet my lady wife or our children. Until you earn that right you should leave, Father,” Andries said quietly.
Suddenly, Andries’s father looked far older than he was. He sighed and nodded. “I’ve made many mistakes in my life.” He looked up through bushy eyebrows. “One was with my son. I raised you in the manner that my father had raised me. I never should have done that, son, and for that I’m sorry.” He finished. “I’m sorry, son. For everything.” He bowed to Xandra and then Andries. “My blessings to you and yours.” With that he turned to leave as his son wanted.
Andries remained still, a rock as he watched his father walk away, Xandra’s small hand at his back giving him a gentle push he ignored. He was too used to seeing his father walk away from him to be moved with the apparent show of emotions, ones that would have been better served to him as a child.
“You can’t let him leave, Andries.” Xandra said from behind him. “He’s trying.” She tugged on his shirt. “He doesn’t have someone to love him and show him the emotions needed day-to-day like you have in me.” She beamed proudly. “Go, Andries, see if you can find a common ground.”
“He shouldn’t have come here to begin with. He knew better.” Andries was not budging. There was too much pain in his past to just let it go, even if it was his only love telling him to do it. Looking down at her, he let out a sigh and turned. “I can’t, Xandra. You have no idea what that man put me through. I just…” He shook his head. “I can’t, love.”
“I’m sorry you feel that way, Andries, but I respect it
.” She touched his cheek and nodded. “I love you and I hate that you can’t see the man who’s hurting like I can. Two wrongs don’t make something right, and I hope that you will one day see that.”
Sighing, he leaned into her touch and, wrapping his arm around her, he pulled her close. “If you ever want to get into interrogation, love, I’ll support you all the way.” Kissing her, he shook his head. “Stay here with the children please. I need you to stay safe.”
“I will, Andries.” She grinned. “And I don’t want to be in interrogation, just our lives, our families. Go.”
Leaving her, he looked to the guards and got a direction as to where his father went. Jogging down the hall, he took the stairs two at a time. Even so, his father was on the lawn heading for his flyer by the time he caught up. “My lord,” he called as he came to a stop a few feet away from him, and now that he was there, he had no idea what to say.
His father turned and his age was clear and evident on his face when he looked to his son. “It’s no longer me who holds the title, but you, son. I am now simply Ebbert Mauricio.” He bowed his head respectfully. “Did you need me, my lord?”
Grinding his teeth, he watched the older man and knew this was a mistake. “Don’t pull that crap on me, Father. It won’t fly,” he said softly. “My lady wife has this idea that our children need to know at least one of their grandparents, and since I love her more than my own life and prefer to keep her eternally happy…” Andries shrugged, slightly unsure where to go with it.
Ebbert nodded. “She is a treasure. I met her once, before you were married. That’s the only reason I forced you into the marriage. Because she needed away from her father and you needed her. As for the title, you will find if you make a simple call that I am no longer in possession of the title. All it will take is a call.”