“Let’s just let them figure it out on their own. I’m sure it won’t take long because this ring is never leaving my finger.” I give him another lingering kiss.
“Should I text everyone now?” he asks when we break apart.
I nod knowing they’ll all be pissed that we had the baby and didn’t tell anyone but between his family and mine, it would have been a circus. He shoots off a text into our group chat and not three minutes later Levi, and Con are walking through the door to my room followed by Lilith and a heavily pregnant Ivy.
“How did you get here so fast?” I ask.
“Please.” Levi rolls his eyes. “As if we didn’t see this,” he points at us, “treachery coming from a mile away.”
“I’ve been watching your location the past few weeks so I’d know when it was baby time,” Con says nonchalantly.
“Boy or girl?” Lilith asks from beside me. “Sorry they’re so ridiculous but honestly, are you surprised?”
“Girl,” I tell her as the room quiets. “Her name is Alina. The nurses are going to take her down a for a few tests when she’s done feeding but said she looks great so far.”
“She’s perfect,” Levi says softly, his hand finding its way to Ivy’s protruding belly. “It’s crazy that we will all have had girls.”
“Karma,” Lilith deadpans.
“Oh my God!” Ivy exclaims. “Oh my God!” She charges over to Lilith’s side and points at my finger. “Is that an engagement ring or a very fancy push present?”
“An engagement ring,” I smile as I hand Alina to Griff. I hold my hand out for Lilith and Ivy to see.
“That’s gorgeous. I love that vintage setting.” Ivy looks up at Griff. “Well done.”
“Thank you.” He walks over to a nurse who just entered the room and puts Alina into the bassinet after quietly talking to the nurse.
“Congratulations.” Con wraps Griff in a hug. “You didn’t ask for permission.”
“Claire is the only person I need permission from.”
“Yes!” Ivy cheers. “We love a woke man.”
“That’s why you’re my favorite,” Lilith jokes as she comes around to hug him.
Griff sits back down next to me on the bed, glancing at his phone. “Your parents are giving mine a lift down in the helicopter. They’re about an hour out.” His eyes circle the room. “Claire should probably rest for awhile before they get here.”
“Kicking us out, I see how it is.” Levi comes over and gives me a kiss on the cheek. “Congratulations, on the gorgeous baby and the uptight ginger.”
“I love you,” Con leans down and hugs me. “Let me know if you need anything.”
Lilith and Ivy both embrace me and follow the guys out of the room. Griff brings me some fresh ice water and leans down to kiss me. “I love you so much. Why don’t you take a nap until our parents get here.”
I nod in agreement. The exhaustion from all the hormones and the physical act of giving birth is finally catching up to me. I fall asleep with him holding one of my hands.
GRIFF
ONE YEAR LATER
“Who would have thought this would be our lives ten years ago?” Levi asks as we walk the girls along the beach in front of the house Claire and I bought in Hamptons last fall. He’s wearing Sloan in a baby carrier on his chest. Her two blonde pigtails and chubby legs are the only thing you can see of her.
Alina is toddling along beside me in the sand, her hand grasped around my fingers. Every time a wave approaches she giggles and tries to jump. She surprised us all when her hair grew in a dark red color. She has Claire’s green eyes though they are flecked with gold.
Con is holding Nora’s hand while carrying a screaming Elle under the other arm. She keeps trying to escape into the surf. Nora just watches her sister with a look of bemusement, if a two year old can be bemused. They both have dark brown hair and the only physical difference between the two is that Nora has glacial blue eyes like Lilith. In keeping with her wild personality, Elle has one green eye and one turquoise eye.
All our girls are stunning little creatures and the relationships we see forming between them already make us all so happy. The twins are protective of Alina and Sloan. Even though they don’t play together yet they’re always happiest when they are in the same place together.
“I definitely didn’t see myself getting married and as a father.” I answer.
“But here you are, about to marry my baby sister in a matter of hours.” Con has swung Elle up onto his shoulders and Levi is now holding Nora’s hand.
“I know. The best things in life are the ones you never see coming.”
All three of our heads turn when Victor yells our name from the edge of the backyard. It’s time to get ready. Levi swings Nora onto his shoulders and pretends to let her steer by pulling his hair while he makes horse noises. Connor is still wrestling Elle, giving into bribery to get her to come willingly. Alina rests her head on my shoulder when I sweep her into my arms. We hand each of the girls off to the grandparents waiting in the yard.
The girls have taken over the master suite so the guys and I are getting ready together a guest suite. We wanted our wedding to be casual and beachy. We’re just wearing khaki pants with white button down shirts with the sleeves rolled up to our elbows. It takes us about fifteen minutes to get ready so Levi brings us each a couple fingers of whiskey while we sit on the balcony.
The wedding planner and her staff are running around, setting up chairs. The florist is setting out all the arrangements. A tent has already been erected on the side lawn with a dance floor and the tables for the reception.
We tap glasses and each take a drink, each of us kicked back in a chair. A quiet settles over us, just enjoying each other’s presence and thinking about life.
“You know,” Levi interrupts the peaceful moment, “this is the best outcome for us. Con and Hoodrat. Griff and Baby V. My lucky ass with Ives. All of us have daughters close in age. They’re going to grow up like we did.”
“Except with more supervision,” Con grumbles. “They sure as fuck won’t be partying the way we did.”
Levi and I share a glance. “I’m sure they’ll figure out ways around us.”
“Nope. They’re getting bodyguards or twenty-four seven surveillance. Maybe both.” Con tosses the rest of his whiskey back. “Our daughters will not be spending their teenage years drinking and fucking like we did.”
“Connor?” Victor pokes his head out. “We need your help with the girls. Elle is refusing to wear her dress.”
Connor grumbles as he stands up. “Of course she is.”
A short time later the photographer comes to grab me for the first look. She has me stand looking out over the ocean. I can hear the click of her shutter and know Claire must be close. I feel her hand on my back.
“Turn around,” Claire’s voice is like a song.
I turn and words fail me. She is the most exquisitely beautiful woman on the planet. Her raven hair is swept up on her head with pieces falling on either side of her face. Her dress hugs her slender body like a second skin until it flares out around her knees. Delicate lace covers the entirety of the dress aside from the thin straps that travel over her shoulders and cross in the back. The dress is completely open and dips dangerously low in the back.
I lean down and kiss her, completely ignoring the photographer. She lets out a surprised squeak when I drag her against me, possessively claiming her. Her sweet lips part for me and I sweep my tongue into her mouth, gliding against hers in a sensual dance until she moans and goes completely slack against me. Giving me the silent submission I have come to crave from her.
“Save some for the weddin y’all,” Friday hollers from the porch with everyone else.
I break away from her reluctantly. “Want to skip the wedding and get to the conjugating?” I joke.
“No,” she slaps my chest, “if I’m getting married I’m having a wedding with all the things. Flowers, cake, champagne, dancing. I want i
t all.”
“You’ll always get it all, Tsarina. I don’t care what I have to do to get it for you. I’d get you the moon if you asked.”
“I know you would. I love you so much for it.”
We look over just in time to see Alina toddling toward us, a few steps in front of my Mom. She has on a white dress that matches the other girls in style, although their dresses are light purple. Claire bends down and picks her up, kissing her cheek as the photographer continues to snap photos of us.
Gratitude and love rush through my veins as I look at the two human beings who complete my soul. I feel like the luckiest man in the world, looking at the two of them smiling identical smiles at each other. Claire looks up at me with her gorgeous olive eyes and I see all of my thoughts and feelings mirrored back at me.
An hour later I’m watching her walk down the aisle on Victor’s arm. We decided to go with a short and sweet ceremony. The officiant says a few words on love and commitment. I don’t pay attention because all my focus is on Claire. She says her vows first.
“Griff, I don’t know where I’d be the past few years without you. I came to you in my darkest, lowest time and you became my beacon of light.” Her voice breaks as a single tear rolls down her cheek. “You forced me to accept your help when I didn’t think I needed it. You forced me to accept your love when I didn’t think I deserved it. I’ll spend every single second I have left in this world showing you that love tenfold.”
Friday sniffles at Claire’s back, biting her lip to keep a sob in. I hear Levi sniffling too, the giant has only grown softer now that he’s a father. I squeeze Claire’s hands before beginning my own vows.
“Tsarina, our road to this moment was unexpected. It hasn’t always been smooth sailing for us and I know that going forward we’ll face even more challenges. The thing to remember is that we’re doing it together. I’ll be hand in hand with you for the rest of our lives. You said I was your beacon of light. You are my entire night sky full of stars, constantly dancing and shining so bright. I’m going to spend every single day loving, nurturing, protecting, and growing with you.”
LEVI
SEVEN YEARS LATER
“Okay, who’s ready to kick some booty?” I say to my family as we huddle up before the fifth annual Titan Family Games. Every summer each of our families comes down to the camp for a week of intense competition.
“Me!” Sloan puts her hand in the middle of the circle.
“I am!” Brady smacks his on top of hers.
“Me!” Jack drops his pudgy toddler hand on top of Brady’s.
“Always.” Ives says with her game face on.
“Okay,” I yell, “Marsh on three! Three! Two! One! Marsh!”
We break out of our huddle and head to the obstacle course I designed with the help of my Dad. Con and Lilith are there with Nora, Elle, who are both nine now, and Ryder, their son who was born a month after Brady, making him just shy of seven.
Griff is standing with a bored looking Alina while Claire sits in a chair at the finish line. She can’t physically participate so we’ve made her the permanent ref. She loves to pass judgment and argue so it’s a perfect fit. In her place are Zion and his partner, Eric.
“I still don’t know how feel about you two replacing one person,” I say jokingly.
“I bring nothing to table athletically,” Eric says with a grin. “I’m a five foot eight elementary art teacher. Unless we’re crafting clay thumb pots I’m more of a liability than anything else.”
“You’re always an asset, babe.” Zion grabs his hand and kisses it.
Those two had a rough go of it a few years back. All of us were ready to fly to Chicago and throw down on Z’s behalf. Luckily they were able to work through it and find their way back to each other. We’ve absorbed Eric into the group naturally. He brings a completely different energy and all the kids love him.
“The rules for the obstacle course are simple, the first entire family across the finish line wins. Children can be carried. Claire has the start gun and will hit it as soon as we’re all lined up.”
I pick up Jack because his three-year-old legs won’t be able to keep up and I’m not losing because of that. Plus it’ll keep Con from trying to play dirty again. Last year he tripped me in an act of desperation as Team Marsh killed the competition.
Claire hits the gun and we all take off. Team Alphabet Mafia gets off the line the fastest. Griff, still being an avid runner, and Zion, who is still playing in the NBA, easily take the lead, both of them pulling along Alina and Eric. Team Marsh and Team Volkov are in a tie for second as we come up on the first obstacle, an eight-foot wall.
Zion easily scales it first, barely breaking a sweat. Griff lifts Alina over to him and then cups his hands to boost Eric up and over. Griff then grabs the rope attached to the top and shimmies over. Meanwhile, I’ve sent Ives and Sloane over, Brady is climbing up the rope like a little champ. I’ve swung Jack around so he’s holding onto my neck as I follow Brady up. I look over and see I’m neck and neck with Con right as he notices. The gleam of competition in his eyes burns brighter as we hit the ground at the same time.
The next obstacle is monkey bars. Ives and Sloan have already caught up to Griff, they’re flying across the bars with Brady on their heels. Nora falls off the bars and has to start over. Con coaches her through from behind.
By the time we’re all to the third and final obstacle it’s a dead heat again. This one is an old fashioned three-legged race. Alina ties up with Zion and Griff and Eric team up. They start running across the meadow with Ives and Sloan again on their heels. Con puts Elle on his shoulders and ties up with Ryder. Hoodrat and Nora are gaining on Ives. I’m holding Jack and tied to Brady.
Team Alphabet Mafia wins the first competition in the final sprint. Claire takes special delight in informing everyone that Team Marsh comes away with second place. Team Volkov comes in last.
Eric starts rounding up the kids to take them to some artsy craft with Zion in tow, leaving the six of us to hang out for a couple hours. We take the trail down to the lake and the little beach I had put in a few years back. It runs along one side of the dock while the other side remains rocky and natural.
The girls lay towels out on the beach. Ives looks like a snack in her signature pink bikini. Her body has always been my happy place but with each baby she’s grown inside her she’s become even more beautiful. Her skin already has the beginning of a deep tan and she seems to have some sort of ethereal glow going on. The urge to drag her into the woods and rip that bikini off is strong.
I’m pulled out of my daydreams about my wife when a bucket of cold lake water is dumped on my head. I turn in time to see Con and Griff running toward the dock. They leap on top and start running to the end. I’m on their heels and cannonballing into the water right after they each break the surface.
“It looked like you needed to cool off.” Con pushes a wall of water at my face.
“If looks could impregnate,” Griff jokes, “she’d be due in nine months.”
“I wish. I want one more. Just one more.”
“Is she on board?” Griff asks.
“Sometimes. With Dad inching closer and closer to retirement things are getting intense at work. She’s brought a lot of really amazing changes to the bank though, and she’s generally well liked. Her take no shit attitude helps more than it hurts. I think she’s mostly concerned about leaving anytime during the year following Dad’s retirement.”
“Has he announced anything yet?” Con asks over his shoulder as we start swimming toward the beach.
“Not officially, just talking to us about possibilities.” I look over to the beach where Ives has rolled onto her stomach, her bikini bottoms showing just enough to get me hard, even in the cold lake water. “Fuck.”
IVY
I gasp as a splash of cold water droplets hit my back while I lie in the sun chatting with Claire and Lilith. “What-”
“With me.” Levi’s hands grip under
my arms as he lifts me from the ground. “We’ll be back in an hour.” He bends and throws me over his shoulder.
“Levi, what are you doing?” I grip the waistband of his dripping swim trunks.
“I’m about to be doing you.” He gives my ass a smack. “The most beautiful woman on the planet.”
“In our clearing?” The clearing where we were together for the first time. The clearing where we carved our initials into a tree that is still standing. Where we got married.
“Yes.” He’s basically running along the dirt path.
Little does he know I have news I was planning on giving him in this very clearing. One more special moment for us to share in the place that holds so much of our history. I realized yesterday that my period was late, like really late. I’ve been so busy I didn’t realize it’s been almost a month. This morning I took a test and two very pink lines showed up within seconds.
He reaches the clearing and sets me down in front of our tree. I barely have time to blink before his lips are over mine, seeking entrance to my mouth with a fervor that never fades for us. He palms my ass with one of his hands and squeezes it.
I’ve never had much in the way of curves before. My dedication to swimming kept me toned and slim all the way through college. Then he finally got his wish and got me pregnant on our honeymoon in Bora Bora. My ass grew along with my belly and never went back. Levi loves it. Any flaw I might see on my body, he makes sure to worship until I only see it in the brightest light.
His fingers start to pull on the tie to my bikini bottoms. I put my hand over his to stop his progress. His midnight eyes lift to mine in question.
“I have news.” I smile up at him.
“That’s great babe, can it wait until after we each come multiple times?” He bends and bites my lower lips softly.
Surrender (The Titans of Founder's Ridge Book 3) Page 18