Page 77 of Triplets for the Mafia Prince

“So, now there is a baby, you want me to stay.” I suppose he’s doing the right thing, but I don't want him to do the right thing. If he wants me to stay, I want it to be for me, not just for a baby.

“How am I fucking this up?” He lets out an irritated sigh. “The baby gives me a reason to ask you to stay. The baby gives me the courage to admit what I've wanted since the cabin."

Again, I can’t wrap my brain around what he’s saying. "Then why push me away? Why fill my head with dreams of another life?"

"You deserve better than this life. Better than me." His hands cup my face. "Every time I encouraged you to leave, to build a different future, it killed me inside. But I wanted you to have the chance at something more.”

“How can I believe that?”

His thumb traces my lower lip. "You seem to have noticed that every time I try to do what I think is best for you, stay away, I can’t. All my life, I’ve never wanted a relationship, a family. I told you that. And yet here I am, fighting against myself, because I want you and this baby, even though I know you’d both be better off without me.”

I shake my head. “Why do you think that?”

He scoffs. “Let me see… I’m plotting to kill my father is probably the biggest reason.”

“Only because he’s plotting to kill you. Because he’s threatened your sister and me.”

His eyes soften. I feel like I gave him a gift by recognizing his motives.

“The truth is, Bella, I’ve been falling for you since you nursed me to health at the cabin. The baby just gave me the excuse to finally admit it."

It finally sinks in and joy bursts through me. I launch myself at him, wrapping my arms around his neck. “I’ve been falling for you too, even though I knew I shouldn’t.”

“You have?”

I nod.

“But you didn’t want to.”

“I didn’t think it would ever come to anything. I knew you didn’t want what I wanted.”

He lowers his head, resting his forehead against mine. “What do you want, Bella?”

"I don't want to leave. I want to stay with you."

"Then stay." His voice is rough with emotion. It’s that and the look in his eyes that have me believing his words.

Happiness floods through me, making me feel lightheaded. Or maybe that's the morning sickness. Either way, I don't care. Nic wants me to stay, wants our baby.

I kiss him, pouring all my love and joy into it. He kisses me back, fully and thoroughly as he lifts me into his arms. I melt into Nic's arms as he carries me from the bathroom to our bed. His touch is like last night, reverent, possessive, loving. At the time, I believed I was reading more into it than was there. Now I know differently. There’s no more holding back or second-guessing.

“You forgive me, then?” he says as he lays me down.

“Of course.” I’m not sure what I’m forgiving him for, but I feel like I know his heart. He’s sincere in his feelings.

“I’m not Willoughby?” His lips nip along my collarbone.

“Not even close.”

“Colonel Brandon, then?”

I look up into his soft eyes. “You’re Nic. My Nic.”

His smile is wide as he kisses me. After that, there are no words, just sweet kisses and soft touches, sighs and gasps of pleasure. But in this too, I want to show him I can hold my own. So I push him back and straddle his thighs.

He looks up at me in amusement. “Take what you want, Bella. I’m all yours.”

I’m a little nervous. He’s always led when it comes to sex. But he always tells me to do what feels natural. My body knows what to do. So I rise over him and take him inside me. It feels different. More electric. More connected. Like our bodies and souls are joined into one.

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