Page 148 of Menace

“This might not be the time but I’m holdin’ the two most important people in my life in my arms and it feels right to me. So I’m just goin’ to say it.”

He slipped his hand to the side of my face, sliding his fingers into my hair.

“I want you to think about stayin’ in Savannah, with me. I want us to build a life together, you, me and our boy. I love you,mon coeur(my heart), you and our son, and I want you beside me for the rest of my life.”

Sliding one of my hands free from Ry’s little body cuddled against me I cupped Lucky’s face.

“You were an ass and I hope next time I say don’t do something you listen to me.” I said sternly before I relented and gave him a smile.

“I fell in love with you on a beach under the moonlight, stayed in love with you when I thought you had moved on to someone else. I will miss Rider and Ms Squirrel terribly but you and Ry are my world now. Where you are is where I want to be.”

He groaned dropping his head his lips sealed over mine, kissing me softly but thoroughly. Lifting his lips from mine he smiled and winked.

“The next couple of weeks are gonna be hell on my balls,bébé(baby). I want to have you under me, in my bed, and makin’ love for hours. We’ve missed so much time. But, the moment your doc says we’re good to go we’re handin’ our little man over to hisMémé(Grandmother) andGran-papa(Grandfather) and takin’ some time for us. Even if it’s just one day.”

I was about to answer when a throat was cleared loudly.

There were three people crowded in the open door. I recognised them instantly.

A big man that was so very obviously Lucky’s dad and two women. His mother and sister.

His family.

I had last seen them when they came to Cape Town for Christmas and now here I was holding their grandchild in my arms. A grandchild they had known nothing about.

Nerves had me shaking and Lucky tightened his arm around me, kissed the top of my head, then got off the bed. His mother launched herself at him, hugging him tight, his sister joined in the huddle and his dad stood to the side grinning.

“Maman, Frankie, come on, let me go.” Lucky rumbled.

In my arms Ry wriggled and complained, I glanced down to see his face scrunched up. I knew that look, it was time for his bottle.

Lucky immediately stepped away from his mum and sister, picked up Ry’s bag and set it on the bottom of the bed. He then quickly and very competently assembled his bottle. His family watched him with wide eyes as did I.

Shaking the bottle he handed it to me after testing the heat against his wrist. I settled Ry comfortably then gently pressed the teat against his pursed little lips. The minute he felt it he became a ravenous little animal. His eyes slid half closed as he drank. I couldn’t look away from him.

He was so perfect.

I was so lost in feeding my boy I didn’t notice that the family had crowded around the bed, watching him and me. I looked up when a hand came out to touch the top of his beanie. Lucky’s mum smiled at me.

“Thank you so much for our beautiful grandson. He looks exactly like his daddy when he was born.” She leant over and pressed a soft kiss to my cheek.

“He has his Maman’s eyes though.” Lucky was back next to me on the bed, his arm protectively around me.

“Thank you,chér(sweetheart), he’s perfect.” His dad leaned in and did the same as his mum had, kissed me on the cheek.

“Oh my god, he’s so big.” Frankie said as she pushed between her parents to get close. She looked at me and winked. “You must be so happy you didn’t have to push him out of your hoohah.”

“Frankie!” Her mother snapped but I giggled.

“You have no idea. If I had carried him to term he was going to be even bigger than he was at birth. My doc insisted on a C-section because of his size.”

Frankie jerked back with wide eyes then looked at her parents and shook her head.

“If I ever decide to have a kid and he’s this big? I’m tellin’ you in advance I’m gettin’ a C-section. No way is a kid that big comin’ out my hoohah.”

Her mum closed her eyes and shook her head while I giggled.

Once Ry finished his bottle I burped him, Lucky changed his diaper then handed him off to his grandmother.

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