by Lylah James
Ayla sighed, her naked body moving against mine. “It’s my turn. I’ll get her,” she whispered sleepily.
She started to sit up, but I pushed her back on the bed. “Go back to sleep. I got her.”
Ayla stared at me sleepily, a small smile curving her lips. So fucking beautiful.
She mumbled a quick thank you as I got up. She curled around my pillow, her eyes closing with a sigh. I knew she was asleep within seconds.
Giving her a final glance, I walked over to the crib. Ayla and I decided to keep Maila with us until she was a few months old. We weren’t ready for Princess to sleep on her own.
Though with her sleeping in the same room, it was harder for us to make out. But we found our ways. Creativity at its best.
Stopping next to the crib, I saw Maila moving around agitatedly, her legs kicking out in anger, her tiny fists moving in frustration. It appeared I took too long to get to her. Demanding little Princess.
I smiled at the thought. Maila might love the attention, but she was good baby. Barely cried and slept most of the nights. Ayla and I were both thankful for that.
Princess noticed me standing there, and her movements stopped. She lay there, making small mewling sounds. She was the cutest little thing ever.
I bent at the waist and picked up the Princess. My arms went around her safely, and I brought her closer to my chest. She instantly stopped crying.
Her tiny fist rested against my chest as she blinked up at me. Her blue eyes were blurry with tears, making my heart ache a little.
I hated the tears in her eyes. It did things to my heart, watching my baby cry.
My daughter would never experience pain. Not like her mother has. Not like I had. She would be loved and fiercely protected.
The thought of someone hurting my princess made me want to rage. I would kill anyone who would hurt a single hair on her. Anyone who made her cry a single painful tear. They would die. Plain and simple.
I swiped her tears away and let my thumb linger over her soft cheeks. “Settle down now, little one,” I crooned next to her ear.
She hiccupped back a small cry, and her lips pursed in a pout. A dry chuckle was heard from me. Maila had us all wrapped around her finger.
Turning my head to the side, I looked at Ayla. She was sleeping soundly. With a smile, I gave her a final glance before walking out of the room.
The door to Maila’s nursery was partially open, so I pushed my way inside. Princess continued to stare at me, blinking sleepily. I knew she would be asleep in no time too.
Her legs kicked out, and she made another hiccup sound. “Yeah. Yeah. I know. You need a diaper change.”
I could feel how full her diaper was. Most probably, that was why she woke up. Shaking my head, I placed her on changing table. She cooed, and her lips twitched in the smallest smile.
Damn it, she was the cutest.
And she had fucked with my mind too. Just like her mother had done so many months ago.
If a year ago you had asked me if I would be cooing and changing the diapers of a baby, I would have laughed and kicked you in the guts for asking the stupidest question.
But now, I couldn’t imagine my world without Maila.
She had wrapped herself around my heart and was there to stay. Just like my Angel.
They both belonged to me, making my heart whole again.
It was a laughable thought…hard to imagine. Everything felt surreal. Like a dream.
But then I would wake up beside Ayla, her body wrapped around mine like a vise. She would open her eyes, regarding me with such a loving look. From a distance, Maila would either be crying or cooing.
And I would remember that none of this was a dream.
I found my Angel…and she gave me a princess.
I snapped out of my thoughts when I felt Maila’s leg kicking impatiently against my chest. She was lying down, moving agitatedly.
“You are an impatient one,” I said as I removed her onesie.
I reached over the changing table and grabbed a diaper. Taking a deep breath, I set to do the impossible task.
“Okay. Let’s do this, Princess.”
With that, I quickly removed the diaper and cleaned Maila. While counting the seconds in my head, I slapped a clean diaper on her and fixed it properly.
Thirty seconds!
And she didn’t pee on me. Fuck yeah.
Last time, Viktor wasn’t so lucky.
But seriously, who the fuck plays with a naked baby?
I laughed silently to myself. His horrified screams still rang through my ears.
Moral of that day? Never play with naked baby. Or better yet, never take too long to change their diapers. You would get peed on.
After dressing Maila up again, I had her cradled in the crook of my arm. She settled against my chest, and I thought she sighed.
Her eyes closed instinctively, causing me to smile. I had Ayla’s love, but a few weeks ago I realized that I also had my daughter’s love.
I settled on the rocking chair and watched my princess sleeping. Her small body went limp in my arms as I rocked us back and forth.
My eyes grew heavier as sleep started to take over. I rested my neck against the back of the chair, closing my eyes in the process.
My last thought was how lucky I was. I remembered my days before Ayla…and then after meeting her. How much I have changed, but also how much I was still the same.
My Angel might have made me more human, but she also accepted the monster’s side. She loved me despite of everything.
She gave me a family, a princess I could love and dote upon. Ayla has completed this broken family. She made me a better man. For her and our princess.
My lips twitched in a smile as I brought Maila closer to my chest.
With my daughter sleeping safely in my arms, I also fell asleep.
***
Ayla
I woke up to an empty bed. Surprised, I sat up quickly. My eyes adjusted to the morning light with great effort as I blinked away the sleepiness.
Getting off the bed, I made my way to the crib to find it empty too. I remembered Alessio waking up to take care of Maila. Did they not come back to bed?
I shrugged my robe on while walking into the bathroom. I quickly brushed my teeth and washed my face. After tying my hair in a fast messy bun, I made my way to Maila’s nursery, the room next door.
The door was already open. When I peeked inside, the first thing I saw was Alessio’s back.
He was bent over the changing table and murmuring soft words to our daughter. I smiled at the sight. He really was a doting father.
Leaning against the door, I admired my husband as he showered our baby with love. Alessio picked her up, and I saw her head over his shoulders. She had a small pink flowered headband on.
Alessio turned, and I noticed that Maila was wearing a pinkish dress. It appeared that her father already had her dressed this morning.
“Good morning,” I said, walking into the nursery.
Alessio shifted around, facing me as he bounced Princess in his arms.
“Morning,” he replied, his voice deep. “I thought I’d dress her up before you woke up.”
Smiling, I walked forward. “I can see that.”
When I placed my arms out, Alessio gave Maila to me. I brought her closer to my chest and bent my head down, smelling her sweet baby scent.
“I should feed her before bringing her downstairs,” I said, turning my head to Alessio. I moved closer to him and hooked an arm around his neck.
Our daughter was cradled between our bodies as I placed a sweet kiss on his lips. He smirked before taking my lips in a more demanding kiss, obviously not caring that Maila was plastered between us.
When she cooed, I pulled away, feeling breathless as I stared at Alessio. He winked before placing a kiss on my forehead and pulling us to the rocking chair.
I settled on his lap, holding Maila to my chest. After Alessio had untied my robe, I brought Princess
closer to my breast. She latched on immediately and took her fill. My head rested on Alessio’s shoulder as Maila fed.
“Maddie and I will be discussing the wedding today. We have put it off for too long. The wedding is in three weeks, and I still haven’t made any preparations,” I said quietly.
“You haven’t, but Maddie has. I’m sure she has everything prepared,” Alessio replied, his arms tightening around my waist.
Smiling at the thought, I shook my head. “I’m not surprised. Do you want to be there when we discuss the decorations? It’s not just my wedding. It’s ours. Shouldn’t you have a say in it?”
Alessio’s chest vibrated with a quiet chuckle as he placed a kiss on my forehead. “Do whatever you want, Angel. It doesn’t matter to me. All I care about is that I will be waiting for you at the end of the aisle. As long as the day ends with us saying our vows and with me making love to you, I’m all good.”
That earned another smile from me. He really had a way with words. “Hmm…making love to me? I like the sound of that,” I replied before shifting Maila to my other breast.
Alessio groaned, resting his head against mine. “This is torture. Why didn’t anyone tell me we had to wait?”
A laugh escaped past my lips as I pulled my head away. “Patience, Alessio.”
He huffed, giving me a hard stare. “Do you find this amusing?”
“A little,” I replied with a shrug.
We stared at each other for a second before busting out laughing. Maila jumped in my arms, her mouth opening with a loud cry. My eyes widened, and I quickly soothed my frightened baby.
Alessio’s laughter died down to a quiet chuckling. “We scared her,” I muttered when she continued suckling hungrily.
Alessio and I were quiet as we watched Maila feed. Her eyes were closed, her tiny fist resting against my other breast.
My eyes moved around the nursery, admiring the room that Maddie had helped me put together. Alessio had his hands in it too.
The room was big, too big for a baby. But it was the closest to our bedroom, so that was our first choice.
The walls were painted a soft beige. Maila’s crib was against the wall in the middle of the two large panel windows.
The crib was fit for a princess. Soft pinkish curtains came down on either side. Next to the crib, there was a couch and an ottoman. The rocking chair was on the other side of the crib.
My gaze went to the wall behind the crib, where the curtains weren’t covering it. My heart fluttered at the quote there.
Your first breath took ours away.
Oh, how truthful these words were. She was our miracle, our light.
There were two more quotes around the nursery. My gaze flitted to the second one. It was on the wall next to the window, where the dresser was.
We loved you before you were born.
And now, our love for you shines brighter.
When my eyes went to the last quote, I had to suppress my laugh.
There is no Prince Charming for me. My Daddy is my only King.
Actually, that wasn’t the original quote. The original said,
Someday I may find my Prince Charming but my Dad will always be my King.
But Alessio being Alessio, when he came into the room to find that quote painted on the wall, he went straight downstairs and came back with the paint.
No amount of arguing had stopped him from repainting that wall and writing down his own quote.
And now we had the new version.
To say that Alessio was protective and possessive was an understatement. I wondered what would happen to Maila’s first boyfriend. The thought left a shiver down my spine.
It wasn’t just Alessio’s possessiveness. That boy would also have to deal with three overbearing uncles and two grandfathers.
Not good. Not good at all. It appeared that there would be no Prince Charming for a very long time.
I was snapped out of my thoughts when Maila stopped suckling.
I stood up, noticing that she was finished. Rocking her in my arms, I glanced up at Alessio. “Can you bring her downstairs while I get dressed?”
Alessio stood up too. He gave me a quick kiss on the tip of my nose before pulling away.
I handed Maila to him and he held her gently in his arms. “I have to take care of some things, so I won’t see you for breakfast.”
I simply nodded. With the Italians under the Ivanshov reign, Alessio had been busy. Alberto had left a mess behind. A mess that Alessio had to clean now.
I saw the shadows behind his eyes. He wanted to keep me away from all of this, but it was impossible. I lived and breathed this life with him.
As much as this life was a part of him, it was a part of me too. I was born into the Mafia life. I was just unfortunate that I had to experience the darkest side. But I have also found love in this life.
After all, my husband was The Boss. He was King. And I was His Queen.
I smiled up at him, trying to ease the tension in his eyes. His shoulders were stiff, but at my smile, his muscles loosened.
“I’ll see you later then,” I murmured. He nodded as I walked to the door.
My legs froze in the entrance. Looking over my shoulders, I sent him a teasing smile. “Only three more weeks, Mr. Alessio Ivanshov. And then I’m all yours…to do whatever you want with.”
His eyes flared dangerously, the look of desire and pure unadulterated lust had me biting on my lips.
Alessio growled low in his chest, and I quickly stepped out of the room.
But not before I heard his warning voice. “You will regret those words, kitten.”
I laughed, my heart thumping wildly with excitement. My cheeks heated as I impatiently waited for those three weeks to be over.
Chapter 37
I came downstairs to find Maddie, Nina, and Evaline in the living room. Nina was bouncing her knees with Princess sitting on her lap, trying to keep her entertained.
A smile crept its way to my face at the sight. Who would have thought?
Aunt Nina.
It was hard to believe, but Nina was a doting aunt. She didn’t always show it, but it was clear as day that she cared for Maila.
She wasn’t sweet and gentle like Evaline or Maddie. No, her face was always cold. Her stares emotionless. Her smiles empty and dark.
But there were a few times when I noticed a slip in her hard character. A small genuine smile on her face when she played with Maila. A soft look in her eyes. It wasn’t always there…but I noticed. I saw, and I knew Maila was loved by Nina too.
To top it off, Nina spoiled her rotten.
Evaline enveloped me in a hug as I stopped beside her. “Welcome back home. When did you get here?” I asked, after pulling away.
“A few minutes ago. We’ve got the wedding to plan. I’m here just for a few days though. My boss is being an asshole. We have a project to sign with another company, so I have to go. But I’ll be back a day before the wedding,” she explained with a sad pout.
Smiling, I hugged her again. “Okay. That’s good enough. As long as you’re here for the wedding. After all, you are my bridesmaid.”
Maila’s cooing snapped me away from Evaline. When I saw her chin covered with spit, I took a step forward. But Nina already got it.
Taking a small baby towel in her hand, she wiped Maila’s chin clean. “I got her,” she muttered.
“Who dressed her up this morning? The dress is so cute!” Evaline crooned, waving her finger in front of Maila.
“Alessio did,” I replied, trying to hide my own laughter.
Maddie laughed. “Oh Lord. She has them all wrapped around her fingers. It’s too cute!”
I nodded because of how true it was. Viktor, Nikolay, and Phoenix were her godfathers. It was hard to choose between them. And they threatened each other too. A big fight broke out on who was the godfather. In the end, I decided on all three. The more the better, right?
After all, they all loved her the same.
; My eyes went to Maddie. I saw her gazing at Maila, smiling at her. My own smile widened. From the very beginning, there was no second thought that she would be the godmother.
My heart still ached for her loss. But every time she smiled at Maila, her love pure, I would slowly forget about the past. I knew she was still hurting, her loss still fresh, but her wounds were healing, slowly but surely.
We sat down and discussed the wedding. It must have been hours when we finally came to a decision. Maddie and Evaline eventually left to call the designers and take care of everything else.
My gaze went to Nina. She was strangely quiet. Over the months, we became close. Not as close as I was with Maddie or Evaline, but I could say we were friends.
Nina wasn’t who I thought she was.
Yes, she was rude, mean, and sometimes outright cold.
But after putting our differences away, we got along. Against her wishes, Maddie and Evaline pulled her into the group. She had no choice but to accept us.
“I can hold her, if you want,” I said, pointing at the sleeping Maila in her arms.
Nina shook her head. “It’s okay. I got her.”
We were silent for a few seconds before I cleared my throat. I moved beside Nina and softly rubbed my fingers over Maila’s head. She loved it when I did that.
“I want you to be my bridesmaid, with Evaline.”
Nina froze beside me, and then there was utter silence. I licked my lips nervously before finally facing her.
“You want me to be your bridesmaid?” she asked incredulously.
“Yes, we’re friends. I want you to be part of this wedding,” I replied quietly.
Nina gave me a dry laugh. She was careful not to jolt Maila. “Ayla, I fucked your husband and you want me to be your bridesmaid. You know that makes no sense, right? We might be friends, but we aren’t that close.”
I steeled my features against her words.
Shrugging, I gave her a smile. “You’re right, but I care for you. Don’t try to act cold with me, Nina. I can see past that fake excuse. You care, and you want to be friends, although you try to hide it. We all need friends, Nina. You mean a lot to me. Like Maddie and Evaline. So you need to accept this and stop fighting it.”