Page 42 of Finding You

Damn.His chest heaved against hers. He would’ve lifted up on his elbows to take some of his weight off her, but her arms were like tight bands around him, keeping him in place.

“You’re mine,” he ground out, his face buried in the crook of her neck as he panted. “I’m never letting you walk out of my life again.”

After a short hesitation, and with her breaths coming in short spurts, Raven snorted. “Good because I’m going to be wherever you are. I don’t want anyone else but you.”

“Then it’s settled. It’s me, you, and our babies together forever.”

Chapter Nineteen

After they’d showered together, they climbed back in bed and Zion held Raven close. He marveled at how perfect she felt in his arms, against his body… and ultimately in his life. He had never been in love before, but what he felt for her was like nothing he had ever experienced. What he did know was he couldn’t imagine his life without her in it.

This had nothing to do with their physical connection, though that was off the charts. After exploring every inch of her body, he didn’t think he’d ever get enough of her. But whatever was happening between them was something deeper. Something so profound that it had to be love he was feeling.

“I want to talk to you about something,” Raven said and by her tone Zion knew it was serious.

“And that is?” he asked, mentally bracing himself.

“If anything should happen to you and me, I want your parents or one of your sisters to raise the twins. Teresa is currently their godmother, but that was set when I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.”

Zion nodded. Considering she’d been adopted and then lost those parents when she was a teen, he could understand her wanting to make the kids’ guardianship clear. He just hated theidea of anything happening to her. Now that Zion had found her, he never wanted to lose her.

“If you had to choose, which of your sisters would you want raising the kids?”

“That’s a hard one because they each possess qualities that I’d want instilled in the twins. Nyla would bring the fun with her free-spirited attitude. Cree would be the best to provide for them financially. Essence would smother them with love.” He chuckled, thinking about how much of a helicopter mother she was currently to his seventeen-year-old nephew. “Dorian is the most compassionate and empathetic, and she can seriously cook. She’s also very organized.

“But just so you know, if anything happens to us while my mother is still alive, my sisters won’t stand a chance.”

Raven laughed. “I know you’re right. No way would she let anyone else raise them, especially if we don’t have everything in writing. Even then, I could totally see her getting her way and the twins living with her and Israel.”

Since his parents learned of the babies, they had insisted on Raven calling them by their first names or Mom and Dad. Zion didn’t think she’d ever refer to them by the latter, but she’d gotten choked up when they’d told her. She felt they had accepted her into their family, a family she didn’t think she’d ever have. Sure, she had her aunt and cousin, but she said the Priestlys were different.

“I would pick Dorian,” Zion said. “She’d give the kids a solid upbringing with an overabundance of love, teach them morals, and instill in them everything they need to grow into well-rounded adults. Not that the others wouldn’t, but she and Essence are definitely mom material.” Then Zion thought of something else. “Since we’re thinking about this, I’d like to ask Lynix to be the babies’ godfather.”

His friend could be a clown sometime, but he was the most loyal and dependable friend Zion had. Lynix might consider himself only a cop, but there was a lot more to him than most people knew. Besides, Zion also knew his friend could financially provide for them. Another aspect of him that most people didn’t know was the man was rich. He had only become a police officer to piss off his father. Yet after being on the job for a while, Lynix had fallen in love with the adrenaline rush it provided.

“I’d be fine with that,” Raven said, interrupting his thoughts. “His career concerns me, but after meeting him, I can see why you’d choose him. He seems like a great guy. As the kids get older, they are going to love his sense of humor.”

Zion smiled. Yeah, he had to agree. He’d be that godfather who took them on adventures, played with them on the floor and hell, he’d probably even buy them a pony.

Raven’s phone rang, and she reached over and grabbed it from the bedside table. “Oh, good it’s Christopher,” she said of Maximus’s grandfather. “I left a message on his cell phone and his house phone yesterday asking when it would be a good time to stop by today.”

She answered the call, and Zion settled back against the pillows and closed his eyes. The woman had worn him out. Instead of going to see Christopher, he’d rather they grab something to eat and lounge around in bed for a few hours.

“Hey there! I guess you got my message,” she said, a smile in her voice, but when she didn’t say anything for the next few seconds, Zion opened his eyes.

Raven’s hand was over her mouth and her eyes were troubled. “How long has he been there?” she asked and sat up in the bed. Zion followed suit, wondering what had happened. “Okay, thanks for the information. I’ll head that way.”

The moment she disconnected, Raven glanced at him. “I need to go to the hospital. Christopher’s been admitted.”

An hour later, Raven stood outside a hospital room, bracing herself before going inside to see Christopher. She’d been surprised to learn that he was back in the hospital. That was twice now in a matter of weeks that he’d been admitted.

“You okay?” Zion asked, his hand on the small of her back.

Raven hadn’t expected him to come with her, but she was glad he had insisted. Like most people, she hated hospitals. Between the antiseptic smell that seemed to linger in the air, to the outbursts of crying when passing by some of the hospital rooms, it all could be a lot. But having someone, specifically Zion, with her helped calm her nerves.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” she whispered. “Thanks for coming with me.”

“There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you,” he said, his voice as low as hers as he brushed the back of his fingers down her cheek. He always knew the perfect thing to say.

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