She hated her neck being touched as much as I did, but I still tortured her with it like my parents did to me.
“Mama, Daddy told me you belong to him so he can do anything he wants to you. But he said I belong to him too, and I need to remember that. So I can tell boys and he won’t have to beat their ass’.”
“Austin!” she reprimanded.
My eyes widened, trying to hold back a laugh.
“You’re not supposed to repeat that,” I murmured to Amari.
She looked up at me, smiling. “Oh yeah, I always forget that part.”
“Psst… Amari, let’s get Mama,” I nodded toward Briggs.
“Yes, let’s get her good, Daddy.”
“On the count of three, okay?” I whispered again to her.
“Austin…” Briggs warned hearing our plot against her, knowing what I was implying.
Amari readily nodded, standing from my lap, counting, “One...”
“Amari,” Briggs coaxed.
“Two…” I added.
“This isn’t fair.”
“Three!” We both shouted together.
Briggs instantly got up to take off running, but I grabbed her around the waist before she even took a step, flinging her up in the air.
“Austin,” she giggled, loving this game even though she liked to pretend she didn’t.
I placed her down on the ground, straddling her waist. Sitting over her legs, Amari and I attacked her, tickling her everywhere. Briggs thrashed around, screaming and laughing all at once.
“This isn’t fair! It’s always two against one! I need Michael to be on my team!”
“Michael will be on the A Team. Mine! Then there’ll be three against one!”
I held Briggs’ arms above her head, tickling her neck and face with my beard. Amari tickled under her arms.
“Oh my God! Stop!” She thrashed around more, moving her face side to side. “Well then it’s a good thing I’m pregnant because this one will be on Team Kick A-S-S.”
I jerked back, smiling. Not letting go of her wrists.
“Amari,” I called out, locking eyes with a grinning Briggs.
“Let’s give your mama a break. Can you check on your brother for us, please?”
“Yes,” she replied, happy to help.
She loved Michael and being a big sister. She jumped up and ran over to her baby brother, not paying any mind to what Briggs just informed me.
I didn’t falter. “You’re pregnant?”
“Your baby is in my belly,” she stated with the same phrase she used with all our babies. “Apparently, your boys really love me. The doctor was even shocked that it happened so fast.”
I leaned forward. My cock throbbed to be inside her, and I hated that we were in public. I couldn’t have my way with her.
“I fucking love you, baby.”
I kissed her long and deep. Until Amari jumped on my back, tickling me under my neck. Causing us to break our connection. I threw Amari in the air, tickling her next. Kissing all over her face, rubbing her with my beard exactly like I did with her mama.
I had everything I ever wanted and more.
My wife.
My babies.
My family.
My life was finally complete, and I owed it all to my Daisy.
The girl with the tattoos and vibrant purple hair.
<>Briggs<>
I had never been so happy before in my entire life. My whole world was in front of me, and it was filled with nothing but happiness. The past didn’t matter anymore. I truly believe with all my heart that it was what led us to this place and time.
My future.
Our future was with each other and our family. I wanted a whole soccer team. I wanted to be surrounded by babies and my husband, that’s all I needed. I loved being pregnant. I loved knowing that what was growing inside me, was a part of Austin and me. I loved hearing the heartbeat for the first time. Feeling the flutters and kicks. There was no feeling like it in the world. Austin would spend hours talking to our unborn babies so they would know who their daddy was. We had come full circle and nothing else mattered anymore.
He saved my life.
I saved his.
And then we saved our relationship.
“Austin, we got to go. I still have to go home and pack,” I reminded him.
“What time does our flight leave tomorrow?”
“Noon.”
My uncle was having a party for some unknown reason. When I asked him what it was about, he said I would find out soon enough.
Our relationship had changed so much it was hard to believe. He flew out the second I told him we were getting married and that I was pregnant. Since then he was there for every holiday, birthday party, any memorable event. Even for the birth of our kids. He was still the same man as always and still did the same shady shit. A mystery.
But Amari had him wrapped around her little finger from the moment she was born. She didn’t see the cold, soulless man behind the expensive suit. She would grab his hand, kiss his cheek, sit on his lap, and to our surprise.
He let her.
Amari helped me pack when we got home, and Austin put the kids to bed so I could shower. I was lying on our bed waiting for him.