Page 25 of Graves & Griggs
“No.”
I nod as we continue walking once more, watching as Liam takes off running for the kids, throwing snowballs at them like the giant child he is.
“Are you thinking about getting an abor?—?”
“No,” she snaps quickly. “No.”
I should probably drop it. She clearly doesn’t want to talk about this, yet for some reason, I can’t help but pry. Maybe it’s helping keep my mind off things right now, or maybe I’m just a nosey bitch.
“I struggled,” she says first. “With the twins. The pregnancy was great, the birth was fine… as fine as birth can be.”
I laugh at that and nod as she continues.
“It was after. The days… they got so dark. So cold. I don’t know if it was sleep deprivation, stress or something wrong with me. I wasn’t… right. I don’t want to feel like that again. Ever,” she says, her eyes meeting mine, shimmering with unshed tears.
My heart aches for her as Seraphina and the twins run up to us.
“Mommy! I want to bake cookies!”
I nod and smile at her. “Later, baby.”
“Okay! Tag!” she says, tagging one of the boys before she takes off running.
I turn back to Blake to see all emotion wiped from her face, like she’s put it away into a tiny box, never to see the light of day again.
I pull off one of my snow gloves, do the same for Blake and intertwine our fingers as I speak. “I personally haven’t suffered post birth like you have, so I won’t offer you glittering words and false promises. What I can tell you, though, is your husbands seem to be ready to burn the world down for your family. They clearly love you and the boys more than life itself. I know they want to do anything to help you through anything. Whatever you need, it seems that they’d be willing to give you anything without a second of hesitation.”
Blake blinks at that and nods, choosing not to speak as I continue.
“I know it’s not easy to ask for help in those moments. I know sometimes you probably won’t even know what to ask for, but I can tell they’re the type of men that won’t stop until you’re taken care of the way you need to be.”
“They’ve both wanted more kids for so long now. I’ve been the one standing in the way, and when my period was late… I was terrified. I was scared. Isn’t that disgusting? That for a moment, for more than just one moment, honestly, I was upset about my growing child?” Blake asks.
“You went through the darkness and came out the other side, Blake. That was your experience. No one else’s. If you don’t think you can do it again, then you need to express that and protect your peace and family. If you want to try, then let your husbands sit with some of that heaviness. Lord knows we didn’t marry multiple men for the sex; it’s guaranteed princess treatment for life.”
Blake laughs at that as she watches the boys play.
“This all seems inconsequential with a group of mercenaries trying to kill my family. Who knows, maybe none of us will live long enough to even worry about it?”
Her dark humor is clearly a deflection tactic, but I can’t help the chuckle that rips through me.
“That’s the spirit.”
Chapter Eleven
Liam
“Iwant the green sprinkles!” Jackson snaps at Brooks, who’s currently hogging the highly sought-after green Christmas tree sprinkles.
“Mine!” Brooks shouts, slapping Jackson in the face.
Jackson then turns to Skyla with his mouth wide open and the most desperate-sounding cry. She comes to him instantly, shushing him as Asher picks Brooks up.
“Not cool, little man. You know we don’t hit.”
I hear Brooks argue with Ash as he carries him down the hall to his room. Ronan went to pick up dinner for all of us, and Wesley is currently helping Ryder, Seraphina and Aries decorate cookies.
Once Skyla has calmed Jackson down, he jumps to the floor and pulls on Aries.
