Page 90 of Amor Prohibido

Jax’s laugh came small and weary, but it was there nonetheless. “She’s got guts. Romeo doesn’t stand a chance with her demanding little ass.”

“So sassy, just like her mama,” I teased, then eased from the bed. “I’ll go change her, then come back for him. Sit tight, sweetheart.”

My heart ached for J. She was barely able to keep her eyes open and the light from them had dulled a little more with each passing day. I worried about how exhausted she was, and how much worse it would get.

I’d just gotten Valentina’s nappy fastened and her wrapped in the swaddle when J padded in with Romeo.

“I can change him too. Just give me a second to put her down,” I murmured, lowering my little girl into their cot.

Jax moved to the change table. “It’s okay. It won’t take long. He’s already asleep and burped.” She began stripping his lower half, then cursed in Spanish.

I glanced over my shoulder to see her frowning and wiping his mouth. “All good?”

“He just spilled on his shirt. It’ll need changing.”

We fell silent again as I carefully made sure Valentina’s blanket was tucked properly. The sound of Romeo’s nappy being removed filled the air, then another of Jax’s curses followed, more despairing this time.

“All good, J?”

“No. He just peed on me and himself!” She plucked at her shirt and grimaced.

I rummaged through the little clothes in the bottom of the change table and selected a new singlet and sleep suit. As I stood, Romeo began straining. I wasn’t fast enough, nor did I have time to warn Jax to cover his little butt. A terrifying jet of yellow baby poo shot from his body and splattered all down J’s front. I gasped, utterly dismayed, and fearing that if I laughed, J would fucking lose it.

“Babe, you okay?” I breathed out when she still hadn’t moved a few seconds later.

Her bottom lip trembled first, then the first sob came. “I can’t do this anymore. It’s too hard.”

“Hey,” I soothed and took her face in my hands. “It’s the tiredness talking; you’re doing amazing, sweetheart. Go have a shower and I’ll sort Romeo out.”

“But I was doing it,” she wailed as tears cascaded down her cheeks.

It made my chest ache hard to see her so upset over something that, had we not been so sleep deprived, would have been funny.

“And now I am. I’ve got this, I promise. Go shower and I’ll bring you in clean clothes once he’s down.”

I kissed the tip of her downturned lips, then gently sent her on her way. Her sobs echoing down the hallway broke my damn heart. She was trying. Hell, we both were, but that didn’t mean it was easy. The past nine months had been nothing but turbulence and changes, and we were both still trying to process the speed of our ever-evolving relationship.

After cleaning and changing Romeo, then popping him in the cot next to his sister, I leaned over and pressed one last kiss to their tiny foreheads before going to help J.

With clean clothes in-hand, I quietly slipped into the bathroom and shut the door behind me. She didn’t react. Just stood with her head bowed and the shower spray bouncing off her back.

“You okay, babe?”

“Yeah,” came her emotionless reply.

I stepped closer and peered through the misted glass. “I got you clean clothes.”

“Thanks.”

She wouldn’t look at me, and my heart dived farther when she turned her back and sobbed. Each one rose through the steamy air and rolled off the last.

I hissed a curse and stripped from my clothes. Opening the shower door, I stepped in and gathered her against my chest.

Every sob hit me hard. I held her tighter, kissed the top of her head, and murmured every word under the sun in the hopes of easing her despair. It only made her cry harder.

“What’s going on, sweetheart? You’re scaring me.”

“I’m aterriblemother!” she cried.

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