by Mason, V. F.
“Tom picked you up?” I glance at the small wooden boat with its paddles, and Micaden nods again, so I ask, “From the place you’ve been.” Another silent moment, so I finally get the courage to spill the words playing in my mind, because it seems he won’t be confessing anything if I don’t push him. “But you won’t tell me where you were.” His thumb stills for a second, but then he slides his hand to my nape and tugs my hair, arching me toward him so he can skim his lips over my neck. A small moan slips past my lips, and I press against him, needing to feel his rigid body closer. “You’re distracting me.”
“No, I’m loving you,” he answers, and then sucks on the skin, immediately soothing it with his tongue, while the light motion of his hips pushes his hard-on into me, and it’s painfully obvious a few weeks without my man has made me needy as hell. But then he raises his head and our gazes clash, and I read the truth in his eyes before his mouth even opens. “But if you really want to know, I’ll tell you.”
As I look at him, contemplating my answer, the last three years flash before my eyes.
Micaden woke up from the coma eight months after the accident, and it was the happiest day on earth for me. It took him even longer to get fully rehabilitated. He had to learn to walk and other basic stuff all over again. Throughout it all, I stayed by his side, but we never spoke about the future of our relationship.
Then once he got better, he showed up at my house—I bought it once I decided to live here—and brought me flowers. And then he asked me on a date. From that day on, he gave us all the experiences we should have had if we’d met in the right place and at the right time.
Our wedding happened five months ago, and we are blissfully in love. While nightmares have the tendency to still haunt us at night or come back and darken our day, most of the time we let it be.
We can’t change our past, but our future belongs to us. And it has no place for pain and darkness, only happiness and love.
Although he mostly focuses on his business, there are times when he travels somewhere, most likely to Kaden and his men when they have to deal with certain stuff. And while he doesn’t crave killing or go hunting at night much, he always tells me his loyalty to these men will always push him to help them.
“No. But you’re safe?”
He nods, and that’s all I need to know. Those men never turned their backs on us. What else can we do but pay them the same courtesy?
“I have news for you,” I say excitedly, deciding to change the subject and focus back on us.
His hand slides down to my little bump, and he smiles. “You do?”
“Guess what.”
“What?”
“We’re having twins.”
He blinks and then blinks again, before frowning. “Hopefully not girls,” he manages to say, right before he kisses me tenderly while the sunset beams on us.
This is what happiness feels like.
And everything that came before was worth it, because we ended up here.
Several Years Later
Micaden
I quietly go over the house, checking the locks in the system and closing all the open windows, because I still can’t sleep with them open.
Especially not when all my girls are inside.
I scratch Bax’s ear, and he whimpers, nudging my knee. But I give him a stern look, because no way in fuck is he going upstairs. I love this freaking dog that Emerald just had to adopt, but he wakes up the girls, tickling their hair, and then everyone cockblocks me night after night. “Sorry, fella, but sleep here.”
He sighs and trails to his bed in the kitchen, right under the heater, while barking a little before settling, his eyes on the door.
I have no fucking idea what the dog experienced in his life, but we have an understanding. Eyes on the danger always, because we have three precious people to protect, no matter the cost.
I quickly go upstairs and enter the twins’ room. The light pink lamp is the only light brightening it, and the stars on the ceiling create a magical feeling for the space.
A smile pulls at my lips when I remember a conversation from a month ago.
“We need to buy this, Mommy. Look!” Brianna points at the ceiling in the shop, clapping loudly while Diamond only nods, but I don’t miss the excitement shining in her eyes either.
“Oh, like outer space,” Emerald murmurs, and then turns to me. “Let’s buy it.”
Before I can even reply, Brianna stomps her foot and glares at us as if we have lost our minds. “Not space, Mommy. Ocean.”
“Ocean?” My brows furrow and Emerald shrugs, clearly as clueless about this statement as I am.
“Yeah, like when we go on a trip on a boat. Please, Daddy, can we?” She wraps her hands around my leg and looks at me with her pleading green eyes just like her mother’s, and who the fuck can resist that? They are both the spitting image of her. Even Diamond follows suit, tentatively smiling at me.
“Let’s get those stars.”
Major squeals fill the shop.
Turning off the lamps and adjusting the blankets on them better, I kiss each one on the head.
Brianna is out cold, which is a common occurrence. I sometimes wonder how such a tiny body can hold so much energy. Out of the two, she’s the restless one, always needing activities and attention, while Diamond is the quiet one, but stubborn. If she puts her mind to something, it’s impossible to change it.
In short, my princesses are the fucking best.
Brianna murmurs something softly and flips onto her stomach, but then I glance at Diamond and she smiles shyly, wide awake. “Hi, Daddy.” My heart contracts tightly in my chest, because I’ll never be tired of hearing that word on their lips.
Even though I’m a dangerous killer who continues to kill and have my hands permanently coated in blood, when I’m with my little angels, I understand that all this was worth it.
Because my past gave me my present.
“Hey, baby girl. Why aren’t you asleep?” She glares at Brianna, whispering, “She snores.” But then she asks, “Can you lie down with me for a little while?”
I sit on her bed, resting my back on the headboard, and open my arms so she can scoot closer. “Everything all right?” I remove her hair from her face, but she nuzzles deeper into my chest and murmurs something. “Didn’t catch that. Again?”
She exhales heavily and then raises her voice. “Can you tell me the story again?”
I freeze and then sigh, because for a minute there, she scared the shit out of me.
I know all ways to torture one’s body and mind, but the idea of any of my girls suffering causes a cold sweat to break out all over me. “Of course.” Clearing my throat, I begin. “Once upon a time, there lived…”
“A fisherman!” she adds herself, and I nod, tapping on her nose.
“Right. Each day, he would bring fresh fish to the people, completely happy with his life. Until one day—”
“He met a mermaid!” Brianna jumps on the bed, pressing herself to my other side, and I shift a little so she can sit comfortably. I should have known she’d wake up for it. The girls have a radar when it comes to this story.
“Not just a mermaid. A—”
“A beautiful mermaid.” They both squeal and then quiet down, waiting for the next part, and I hold back the chuckle threatening to escape. They’ve heard the story so many times they’ve memorized it, but for some odd reason ask me to tell it at least once a month, if not more often.
But it seems tonight, they are in a different mood, because they continue to talk, each one of them faster than the other. Competition between twins is a real thing, and I can’t count the headaches or cries over stupid shit like who got the doll first.
Life is bliss though.
“There was also a bad man. Who took the mermaid away.”
“In the deep ocean, hiding her from the fisherman.”
“For years, the fisherman stayed bitter and angry, wanting to get the mermaid back.”
; “And then, one day, she came back.” The soft voice from the doorway snags my attention, and my eyes travel to my wife, who leans on the wall, nothing but love in her eyes as she watches us three.
Her hair cascades down her back in heavy locks and her silky robe hides most of her curves from me, but by God and everything that’s holy, she’s fucking stunning.
And mine. Always fucking mine, no matter what.
Marks all over her body are proof of that.
I barely listen to the continuation of the story, while she mouths to me “I love you.”
But at the same time, Diamond says, “And they loved each other deeply and lived happily ever after.”
I’m not sure there’s a happily ever after for villains, but my life? The love, the girls, my woman.
They are everything.
And yeah, for a monster like me… happiness might not last long, but I’ll hold tight to it, never letting go no matter what. I mouth back “I love you too.” And enjoy this beautiful life we have both created.
The End
Acknowledgments
First, I want to thank God and my family for allowing me to write and make this dream possible. The support means so much to me, and I understand that sometimes it drives you crazy, especially when I try to meet my deadlines and seem unavailable to you. But I love you guys and appreciate everything you do for me.
Micaden’s Madness story popped in my head in the summer of 2016. Ironically the very first scene I wrote is not included in this book. Back then I knew two things about this book: they endured a lot of pain and Kaden’s story had to be told first. I thought about them for a while, but they weren’t ready. So finally after I finished Lachlan’s Protégé(Kaden Lachlan), the time had come for Micaden’s story to be told. I hope you enjoyed reading it.
Huge thank you to Hot Tree Editing team for helping me with my editing process. Especially Becky, Donna, Peggy, Kayla and Mandy. Plus beta readers and final eyes, who gave me valuable feedback and made sure I covered any plot holes I had.
Thank you to Hang Le, Lindee Robinson and Evan Cloyd for the fabulous cover.
Heather Roberts and Lauren Rosa, thank you for being with me during this release every step of the way.
L.Woods PR thank you for hosting my cover reveal and release blitz.
Thank you to Ena and Amanda from Enticing Journey Book Promotions for hosting my release blitz as well. It’s always a pleasure working with you, ladies!
Thank you to Give Me Books team as well for hosting my release blitz.
Thank you to my V’s Sapphires, ladies you are amazing!
Thank you to all the bloggers for spreading the word about Micaden’s Madness and leaving reviews.
And finally to all the readers who took a chance on this journey of love between Micaden and Emerald. Thank you to each one of you.
Also by V. F. Mason
Dark Romance
Sociopath’s Obsession
Sociopath’s Revenge
Psychopath’s Prey
Lachlan’s Protégé
Mafia Romance
Pakhan’s Rose
Pakhan’s Salvation
Sovietnik’s Fury
Brigadier’s Game
Kaznachei’s Pain
Coming Soon
Forbidden Jaxon
Contact
Website: http://vfmason.com
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