Page 84 of While You Sleep

“That you are mine, and I will never let you go again.” I snatched her off her feet and thrust my fingers in her hair.

She pressed her curves into me, and I groaned.

“And you are mine.” She curled her arms around my neck.

Yes, I fucking was.

I slammed my mouth down on hers and headed for the stairs.

Epilogue

Cillian

I flicked off the lights, rechecked the security system, and headed upstairs. Sophia had moved her office to another room, and we’d converted the room next to us, complete with a connecting door that we kept open, into a nursery for Fia.

My daughter hadn’t made a peep, still curled against me as I walked into our room. It wasn’t completely dark, a night-light glowed from the wall by the adjoining door.

Soph was still sleeping when I walked back into our room. She was exhausted, needing more sleep than usual, which was normal for any new mother, but with her sleep disorder, she needed even more rest. She was managing well, though, with a little help.

She jolted awake suddenly, instantly searching the bed.

“It’s okay, pet. I’ve got her,” I said.

She collapsed back, her breath bursting from her. “I could’ve hurt her. Oh god, I could have really hurt her.”

She’d been feeding Fia and they’d both fallen asleep, but I’d been right there, and I’d scooped her up before I went to lock up. “I promised I’d stay awake, pet, and you’re always still when she’s beside you. I took her just to be safe, but you never moved once.”

Her gaze took me in, cradling our daughter. “I can’t do that again,” she said, her voice breaking. “If I hurt her, I’d never forgive myself.”

I strode over and sat on the side of the bed. “You won’t.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because I know you.” I leaned in and kissed her softly. “Even when you sleep, when you dream, you know she exists.”

“I won’t risk it,” she said.

“And you aren’t, because I’m here. I’ll always be here to make sure both my girls are safe and happy.”

She leaned in, resting her head against my thigh. “We are,” she said and took my hand, brushing her thumb over my wedding band. “I’ve never been this happy…or this terrified of losing it all.”

“You will never lose me, Soph, or our daughter. I’ll make sure of that.”

She blinked up at me. “I knew that underneath it all you were this man, at least for me, and our daughter, and Tommy.” She pressed a kiss to my hand. “With all the love and care I knew in my heart you were capable of, even if you weren’t as sure.”

She was right, this part of me only existed for them. “I am because of you.”

Sophia pressed a gentle kiss to Fia’s little head and smiled up at me. “It was there all the time, you just needed an incentive.”

I pressed a kiss to the top of her head and carried Fia to her nursery, placing her carefully in her bassinet.

After Sophia’s father was exposed for the traitor he was, he’d emptied his bank accounts and ran, leaving Celeste, Tommy, and Sophia behind without a second glance. What my wife didn’t know, was that he didn’t get far, he’d never be coming back, and Tommy now had a trust fund waiting for him when he came of age. I’d hired a full-time nanny for Tommy to make sure he was well taken care of when he was with his mother. Celeste was there for him when she wanted to be, but more often than not Tommy was here with us. He was taking it all in stride, and he seemed to like me, but not as much as he liked Declan.

I tucked the covers around our daughter and walked back to my wife, climbing in beside her and pulling her close.

“I miss you,” she said.

I tightened my hold on her. “Right here, beauty.”

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