Page 47 of Moonlight & Matrimony
“Oh god, Luca. I’m gonna come.” I clap a hand over her mouth to stifle her cries as I push her over the edge, her climax coming on fast and hard, as her pussy clenches and her legs start to shake. Her chest heaves as I finger fuck her through her orgasm. She bites down on my palm and my dick twitches behind my zipper.She’s so fucking sexy.
Her chest heaves as she comes down from the high, eyes glazed and sated. I sit back on my heels, taking in her flushed cheeks and the goosebumps dotting her arms and legs. Slowly crawling up her body, I plunder her mouth in a languid kiss, swallowing her gasp as I let her taste herself on my tongue. She reaches out to unbutton my jeans, but I stop her, and for a split second, her hand hesitates mid-air. The warmth in her eyesfalters, a brief shadow crossing her expression before she quickly masks it with a forced smile.
“Not now, sweetheart,” I explain, gentling my tone. “We have to check in on Paige and get ready to go.” She nods, her shoulders slumped as she lifts herself off the couch. “I promise you can have my cock later,” I tease. She rolls her eyes, then pulls her clothes back on before retreating up the stairs to her room.Fuck. I hope this wasn’t a mistake.
An hour later, Ivy and I are walking into the hospital waiting room, hand in hand. Nana’s voice carries out into the hallway and we find her standing near the desk, giving one of the nurses an earful.
“Hey Nana, any news?”
“Luca!” she exclaims, pulling me into her arms for a bone-crushing hug. “And my Ivy. How are you my dear?” she asks, patting Ivy’s cheek.
Ivy replies with an affectionate smile, “I’m good.”
“How’s Paige?” I ask, hoping I’ll get an answer this time.
Nana glares at the nurse, hands fisted on her hips. “That’s what I’m trying to find out.”
I throw her a look of sympathy before she meets Nana’s piercing stare. “Ma’am, I told you I’m waiting for the doctor to send an update. In the meantime, y’all can have a seat, and I'll let you know as soon as I hear something.”
We find a row of empty chairs in the waiting room, Ivy and I sharing one of the longer bench seats as she cuddles up into the crook of my arm. Given how this week has played out, I wasn’texpecting this sort of easy affection, and I can’t wrap my mind around whether it’s real or just for show. As time passes, Dean, Liam, and Miles join us, along with Mags via video chat. Cade hasn’t texted, so I’m taking that as a sign that things are still progressing. The anticipation is killing me.
We wait for what seems like hours when, finally, Cade comes out of the double doors, holding a tiny bundle swaddled in a blue and pink striped blanket with a matching hat.
I walk over to my niece, taking in her tiny features, from her adorable button nose to the curly tendrils of dark brown hair peeking out from beneath her hat. “Oh Cade. She’s beautiful,” Ivy says from her place at my side. She slides one hand down my arm, intertwining our fingers. “How’s Paige?” she asks.
“She’s in recovery. They had to do a c-section. It’s been a really long day, but she made it through the surgery okay, and she was awake long enough to meet our baby girl. They knocked her out for the last bit and she’ll be out for a little while. We’re supposed to meet her in the room.”
“Thank god she’s okay. How are you holding up?” Ivy asks, brows drawn together in concern, head tilted slightly as she smooths a hand over the bundle in Cade’s arms.
“It was terrifying,” he sighs with a look of utter exhaustion. Cade explains that Paige’s heart rate was dropping dangerously low during her contractions, and they eventually decided it would be best for both Paige and the baby if they delivered via c-section. The entire waiting room is filled with our crew, passing around my niece as Cade recounts the distressing details. I don’t know much about giving birth, but my sister is a goddamn badass.
I look on, heart swelling with affection as Ivy holds the little bundle in her arms, her tiny fist wrapped around my wife’s finger. I lean over Ivy’s shoulder, reaching out to stroke her chubby cheek. “She looks like Paige,” I note.
“Yeah. She’s beautiful,” Cade agrees.
Ivy brings her up to her face, inhaling the new baby scent. A flash of something I can’t quite name passes over her features. “Do you want to hold her, Uncle Luca?” she says, and a spark of affection blooms in my chest. I already love this baby fiercely, and beyond comprehension. I nod, and Ivy carefully places her in my arms. She shifts in the blanket, letting out an adorable yawn, and I can’t contain the smile that overtakes my face.When did I become such a sap?
Paige and I weren’t always close growing up. Around the time our parents split, we drifted apart, and I’m not too prideful to admit that I harbored a lot of misplaced resentment towards my sister for the decisions she made back then.
Do I fault her for them now? No. I’ve seen what our parents’ strained relationship has wrought, and I’ve had time to reflect on our childhood, realizing that, at a time when my sister may have needed me the most, I blamed her for things that were beyond her control. We both survived in the only ways we knew how, and I wasted years of my life resenting my sister on behalf of a failed marriage that never deserved a second thought.
Standing here now, holding my niece, I’m grateful for the events that led me here, and the path towards reconciliation with my sister. She’s grown into an incredibly generous and kind-hearted woman. I’m proud to call her family. The forgiveness and understanding she’s freely given will not be taken for granted.
“Does she have a name?” I ask, realizing they never formally made an announcement.
Cade smiles affectionately at his daughter. “She does, but I’ll wait for Paige so we can tell y’all together when she’s feeling up to it.”
“We should let you get settled in the room,” Ivy says. Cade nods, and I reluctantly transfer the little bundle back into the arms of her very proud father.
“Congratulations, Cade. She’s amazing. Tell my sister I’m proud of her.”
Cade pulls me in for a side hug. “Thanks, brother.”
Reluctantly, we all head out, letting Paige recover from what has surely been a difficult day, both physically and emotionally.
“I remember when Rylin was born,” Ivy says as we turn towards Main Street. Her voice is soft, laced with a mixture of affection and longing. “Austin missed her birth. I would’ve been all alone if it weren’t for Evelyn and Russell.”
“I fucking hate him,” I seethe. Ivy reaches across the console to place a hand on my thigh. I take that opportunity to lace our fingers.
