Page 125 of In Control

Sophia

I dragthe brush through Millie’s chestnut hair, peering first at the clock on the wall and then towards the staircase.

“Stella? Have you found them yet?”

My daughter’s blonde head pokes over the bannisters at the top of the stairs and she shoves her fist through the rails. “These ones, Mummy?” she asks, holding out a pair of sparkly hair grips.

“Those will do,” I say, tugging the hairband from my teeth and securing a braid in Millie’s hair.

Stella bumps down the staircase on her bottom and comes to stand next to her sister. She hands me the grips and I slide one into each of their hair, Millie’s above her right ear, Stella’s above her left. Apart from the colour of their hair, they are almost identical to look at. The shapes of their faces are similar to their dad’s, but the colour of their eyes and the tilt of their mouths are all mine.

“How do we look?” Millie asks, holding out her skirt and twirling like she’s been taught by a professional ballet dancer. They’re both having lessons, of course, as well as belonging to a science club and attending debating classes for kids.

“You look beautiful, just like your Mummy,” Esra says, strolling into the room with Toby in his arms. Our son has a mop of dark hair like his dad and he rests his head against the alpha’s shoulder as he sucks his thumb.

Esra lowers our boy to the floor and he sets off crawling, chasing his sisters around the kitchen.

“He’s meant to be winding down before bedtime,” I sigh, “he’ll never settle for Rosie if he’s all wound up.”

“She’ll be fine.” My alpha closes the space between us and rests his large hands on my waist. “She’s babysat our kids through three of Gabe’s heats. One night is nothing.”

I peer over as the twins squeal and dart out of their brother’s way. Toby giggles and Stella bends down to kiss him.

Esra pinches my chin and turns my face back to his. The man seems to grow more handsome by the day. His face a little more lined but his hair and his eyes still midnight black. I think he’ll be one of those men who still turns heads even in his sixties.

Butterflies flutter in my stomach like they always do when he meets my eyes, making my knees feel weak. I kiss him and he sighs into my mouth with satisfaction.

I’d been worried that the passion between the five of us would wane and fade over time. It hasn’t. Like his good looks, our desire has deepened, as our lives have become more entwined, as our love for our children has blossomed, as we’ve all come to know each other better. I want them all now more than I ever did.

“Ewww Mummy and Daddy are kissing,” Millie giggles and Esra pulls away.

“I can’t help it,” Esra tells her, “Mummy’s too pretty.”

“And Daddy is too handsome.”

The doorbell rings and Esra steps away, scooping Toby back up into his arms.

“That’s Rosie,” he says, as I brush the hair from Toby’s forehead and kiss his soft skin. He smells all milky and delicious.

“Give Mummy a goodnight kiss and we’ll go see Auntie Rosie.”

I give my little boy another peck. “Goodnight, little man.”

“Night Mama.”

Esra winks at me and carries him away.

I glance at the clock again.

We can’t be late.

Roman strolls in next, car keys in hand. “Ladies, are we ready?”

“Yes, Daddy,” the girls chime together, bouncing eagerly on their toes.

“Then let’s leave Mummy to finish getting ready herself and go get in the car.”

I throw him a thankful look as he bundles them away, and stroll towards the mirror, twisting up my lipstick as I do. I smear scarlet over my lips to match my dress and as I do a pair of strong alpha arms wrap around my middle. “You look damn sexy, sweetheart,” Liam whispers in my ear.

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