Page 128 of The Gangster King

All the girls start clapping, and Brax, Decker, Nate, and Mack are grinning.

Clearly, they’ve all figured it out.

“The fuck is going on?” I ask, and as Adelina takes my hand, her eyes are filled with joy.

My breath catches in my chest. She looks so fucking beautiful, pregnant with my child.

My wife.

My love.

My everything.

“I love you.” She mouths and for a moment, nothing but her exists.

All of it was worth it. Everything that led to this moment with her. I couldn’t love her more than I do, but I’m going to try every day.

I wish we could have a million lifetimes together. The moment Addy saidI dowhen we married, I felt the world right itself.

She was finally officially mine.

Forever.

Soon we will meet our child and become parents together.

She’s wrong. I’m not patient. I want all our babies right now. To meet them all. To love them all.

“Will you tell us already!” Sienna cries.

“I’m going to be a father!” Connor announces, and we both turn to see him holding Mia in his arms. The two of them beaming with joy.

“Put her down.” Mama slaps at him, looking as happy as the rest of us.

I’m proud of how she’s adjusted. She lives in a smaller home two doors down. All of us are within walking distance of each other in the coastal city.

We toast to celebrate Mia and Connor's news. Then, for the next few hours over Christmas lunch, make plans for the next week while everyone is together.

A trip to Waiheke to the wineries.

A day at the beach.

Golf...it was inevitable.

The girls organize their day out.

Connor shares more of his ideas about a New Zealand and Australian branch of his company. I’m not military trained, but we’ve built a trust between us over the past almost nine months and I know there will be a place for me in this company.

“Are you happy?” Addy asks me quietly.

“More than I’ve ever been,” I reply, watching her hand rub over her belly. “You?”

“Very. Thank you for never giving up on me.”

I smirk and pop a strawberry in my mouth and chew. “Never kitten. You know you belong to me.”

Connor’s phone rings down at the end of the table. The guy has it on volume level fucking one hundred.

“Connor Barrett.” He answers while a few of the group throw napkins at him for working on Christmas Day.

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