CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE | Present Time

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Present Time

“IT’S CHRISTMAS EVE !” Brianna exclaimed, dancing into the room like a damn elf. Vincent shook his head as she plopped herself on Craig’s lap, who had his body jammed into a beanbag which looked like it was about to explode.

Apparently, they all had to sit around this fucking tree which had sparkly shit thrown all over it and stare at it for about one hour.

This was Christmas.

The entire room, which was a large but cozy space they called the Royal Family Room, was covered in red this, green that, and silver something else. He totally didn’t understand it. What the hell was a flying duck with wings and a red scarf significant of? Because it was currently hanging off a green branch and apparently really adorable.

Fuck me.

Vincent threw back the egg-something-or-other drink someone had handed him. It wasn’t bad, but it was missing something. “This needs some more whisky in it,” he said. “Like ninety-nine percent more.”

Brayden laughed and handed him the bottle.

“Was my mate always this Christmassy?” Craig asked Willow with a raised brow.

A creepy smiled spread across Willow’s face as she slowly nodded.

The princess was absolutely loving the torture all three of the males were currently suffering. At times, she drove him mad, but he kept reminding himself that a weaker female wouldn’t be able to handle his alpha brother. The two were perfectly matched. Vincent just had to stay one step ahead of these feminine troublemakers.

So far, he wasn’t doing a great job.

He smirked to himself. They did bring some life into the castle, he hesitantly admitted to himself. Vincent had done some research. He was prepared for the Easter onslaught. With baby Moretti about to make an appearance, perhaps it would be fine. For a short while. But he wasn’t letting Brianna put a flock of damn rabbits out the front of the castle.

Flock. Herd.

Whatever.

“So this is our life now,” Craig muttered, burying his face into Brianna’s wild hair.

“You love it,” she replied, giggling.

“I love you,” he growled. “Otherwise, that singing fucking reindeer would be kindling already.”

Vincent snorted, but stopped abruptly. “Wait, that fucker sings as well? Get rid of it.”

Kate giggled.

“I can’t believe you made it to Christmas,” Willow told Kate. “Seriously, I thought the baby was going to pop out a week ago.”

They all had.

Waiting was painful, and time seemed to be going really slow waiting for their child to arrive.

Kate nodded and wriggled awkwardly in the chair. “I wish it would get the hell out of me already,” she said. “Nine months is a really long time, no matter how grateful you are for this blessing.”

Vincent rubbed the back of her neck and she smiled up at him. He’d noticed Kate was wrigglier today than usual, and it wasn’t just him keeping a side-eye on her. Every vampire in the room was.

“So what do we do now?” Vincent asked the Christmas fairies.

“Now we exchange gifts,” Brianna said, crawling off her mate to begin distributing the many gifts that were wrapped under the tree. “Then we eat turkey.”

“Why turkeys? What did they do wrong?” Brayden asked, taking a swig of his 99 percent eggnog.

Brianna froze.

“Er...um. I don’t know why.” She glanced at Willow in question, who shrugged. Brianna looked chagrined. “I’m not actually a Christmas expert.”

The entire room burst into laughter, and Vincent couldn’t help it. He let out a huge laugh along with them.

“Here.” She thrust a box at him, and he thanked her.

As he unwrapped the box, he watched the other males do the same.

“Ah...” Brayden let out as he tossed the wrapping paper to one side and held up a large green plastic water gun. “Thanks, Santa, but you know we have real ones, right?”

Craig pulled a purple one out of his box and smirked.

“Not in here,” Kate growled quickly and sent Willow a faux dark look.

“What? It was Santa, not me.” Willow held up her hands and grinned.

As Brayden poured whisky into his green machine, Vincent hid his smirk. Maybe this Christmas stuff was a bit fun.

Around them, paper was tossed everywhere, and laughter filled the room.

Vincent pulled out a box the size of a shoebox and pulled the lid off.

You have got to be joking?

He lifted the solid silver ornament out of the box and held it in his hand. The entire room was silent, then he heard Kate do one of her little awws.

He glanced at her. “Vincent, that is stunning.”

Vincent looked from Brianna to Willow. Either one of them was responsible for it, not bloody Santa as the label read, and his mate was right. It was a stunning piece of art. It was grand, regal in its own right.

But it was still a fucking reindeer. Which would probably sit proudly on his shelf in his office.

He shook his head.

They both smiled at him innocently.

“This one can stay.” When they began clapping, he gave them a small smile. “Thank you. The queen is right. It is stunning.”

“Okay, sexy. Open your gift,” Craig indicated, pulling Brianna back onto his lap and handing her a black bag. Tissue went flying. “Aww, baby.”

“Don’t drop them,” Craig told her, laughing as Brianna excitedly opened the lid of the little black box.

“Let me see,” Willow said, leaning over. “Ohhh my Godddd. Diamonds.”

They did know that as Morettis, they were rich, right? Like fucking royals? Kabillionaires?

Even Craig had amassed a huge fortune over the years with his guidance in investing. All the senior members of his team had.

Eh, better than being spoiled brats , he figured.

Next minute, the one carat diamonds were in Brianna’s ears, and Craig was looking as proud as punch for getting it right.

Vincent knew the earrings were one carat because all the males had had to have a goddamn meeting of the minds to make sure they got the right gifts for their females. God forbid they get it wrong. It had been like a fucking strategy meeting with charts and shit.

“Open yours,” Brayden told Willow.

Paper went flying, and this time, it was a little teal box. All the females in the room gasped loudly.

Good grief. The website had been right.

“Oh my God,” Willow cried.

“You haven’t even opened it yet,” Brayden said, crunching his eyes in confusion. Willow and Brianna stared at him like he’d grown horns. “Sorry, Christ. Just open it already.”

The room was quiet as the little box squeaked open.

Willow’s mouth dropped open.

“What is this?”

“You know what it is, Willow,” Brayden said, all humor leaving his face as he pulled her onto his knee. He took the five carat—again, he knew because this had been a major discussion—diamond ring from the box and slid it on to Willow’s finger.

“But...” Willow began, tears building in her eyes.

“I know you wanted a ring, sweetheart. You are a terrible liar.” He grinned at her, but there was love pouring from his brother’s eyes. Willow threw her arms around him, and they could all hear her little thank you and love yous.

Brayden had shared that his mate had said she didn’t need an engagement or wedding ring now that she was a vampire, but Brayden had followed her Instagram account and she had hearted (whatever that meant) no less than one hundred different rings in the past few months. Plus, he’d found a handful of jewelry brochures in her wardrobe.

“Do you want a ring?” Craig asked Bri suddenly.

She shook her head.

“Nope. I had the wedding experience with my husband. It’s different for Willow; she never got to do it when she was human.” Brianna’s husband had died in Afghanistan a year before she met Craig.

“That’s true. I tried to pretend I didn’t care, but I love it, Bray,” she said, all emotional, twirling her hand in the air.

“You know I’d give you the fucking moon if I could,” Brayden growled into her hair.

Craig gagged and Brianna giggled, slapping his chest.

“I suppose you got me a toaster,” Kate said, poking her tongue at him.

“What? Why would I do that? We have ten chefs in the kitchens,” he replied, hand on his chest, all mock offended. “And I’m far more romantic than that.”

He lifted her gift and held it up in the air, just out of reach.

The queen laughed.

“Yes, you can be when you want to. Now hand it over,” she ordered him. Vincent leaned in and kissed her lips. He placed the large square box in her lap.

“Oooh, it’s heavy,” she said and began ripping the paper off.

The females leaned in closer.

Vincent’s heart slammed against his chest. Fuck, he hoped she liked it. He wasn’t good at this stuff. He hadn’t shared his gift ideas with the other males and had ignored their advice. He and Kate had been mates for over one hundred and thirty years. He’d gifted her jewelry, perfume, paintings, antique vases, and every damn thing he could think of over the years. And he knew her. She wanted nothing but his love. And to have his child, which was on its way posthaste.

Kate pulled the wrapped item out of the cardboard box, glanced up at him, and then began to pull the tissue paper off it.

“Oh my!” she cried. Tears sprang to her eyes. “Vincent, it’s beautiful!”

Fucking, YES! He grinned at the other males proudly, and they laughed.

“Is that a bear?” Willow asked, confused.

Kate continued turning the large glass teddy bear around in her hands, her mouth parted. It was about the size of a loaf of bread, with subtle colors on the tips of its ears, eyes, whiskers, and paws, but otherwise, it was just clear blown glass.

The famous artist had signed the bottom of it.

“It’s handblown Murano glass. A bear,” Vincent stated. “I had it custom made.”

“It’s exquisite, Vince,” Kate replied, her voice in awe.

“I don’t get it,” Craig said, leaning forward.

Kate looked up as if realizing where she was. She laughed.

“Oh. None of you have seen our baby room.” Kate shook her head laughing. “It’s decorated in bears. Teddy bears. This father-to-be”—she nudged him—“has been taunting me about the bears for months. But I love them. Plus, they’re gender neutral.”

Vincent leaned back in his chair. Damn gender. He really wanted to know if he was having a little boy or girl. The suspense was killing him.

Kate stood and placed the more-than-she’ll-ever-know-how-expensive bear on the mantelpiece and handed him a gift.

“I have everything I want,” he said, running his hand over her luscious bottom.

“No, I don’t think you do.” She grinned. “You just don’t know you need this yet.”

He ripped open the packaging and pulled out two black items. One was a T-shirt with I make cute babies written on it.

“Yet to be determined.” Craig smirked.

“Snap,” Brayden said, and they high-fived each other.

Vincent glared at them.

“Soo cute,” Brianna wooed, and he rolled his eyes.

As Kate laughed, he pulled out the second item. He spotted the embroidered Moretti M on it and glanced at his mate, his brows pulled together. “Is this a scarf?”

She shook her head, took it from him, and began wrapping it around his body. He looked up as the girls began to snigger.

“It’s a Moretti baby wrap.”

Brayden threw his head back laughing.

“What? What for? I’m not taking the damn baby to work, Kate,” Vincent spluttered, looking at her in horror.

She smiled and sat back in her chair.

“I’m not wearing a baby scarf,” he stated, pulling it off. “If I am holding our child, I think my arms are quite strong enough, thank you.”

Kate winked at him. “Keep a hold of it, Daddy .”

“Don’t daddy me or I’ll drag you up to our bedroom,” he grumbled as Brayden spurted his drink out. “I need more of that egg shit. Hand me the whisky. And are we done here?”

“Christmas turkey time!” Brianna said, jumping up.

Fuck’s sakes.

He’d forgotten about the meal.

TWO AND A HALF LONG hours later, they finally got back to their wing of the castle.

“I’m going to have a shower,” Kate said, walking slowly up their stairs.

“Okay, babe, I’ll be up in a minute.” Vincent dropped their gifts on the table and picked up the white mug he’d also unwrapped, letting out a laugh.

King Dad it said on it, Brayden’s poor humor.

While he still found Christmas to be a strange human holiday, he was beginning to understand why they liked it. It had brought joy into their already happy home. He loved giving gifts, especially to his mate; not that he needed a date to do that. That part was definitely more fun than staring at the plastic singing reindeer.

He walked into the steamy bathroom and ripped off his clothes.

“Hey,” Kate said as he stepped under the water and wrapped his arms around her. “I’m surprised you can still do that.”

He kissed the back of her neck. “You’re not that big.”

“Compared to you,” she said, arching into his touch.

“That’s right.” His hand slid over her belly and down between her legs. “Spread for me, sweetheart.”

Kate moved her leg to the side, but he could feel her imbalance. Not wanting to hold her too hard at this point in her pregnancy, he moved her to the wall. Their shower was spacious with seven—no, eight different showerheads pointed at different angles. He’d had a deep seat installed so he could place his queen on it and enjoy her, and you bet they used it regularly.

He lifted her onto it.

“Oh God, Vince,” she cried, ready for him so quickly at this point in her pregnancy.

“Wider, baby,” he requested as his thumb caressed her clit. Then he knelt as the water rushed over his ass and began to lap at her swollen flesh. Kate gripped a handful of his hair as he pressed two fingers inside her and felt his cock twitch and swell, wanting to be where his mouth was.

He sucked and licked with vigor, coaxing the pleasure from his queen as his finger worked her.

“Yes, yes, yes.”

“Don’t come yet,” he ordered, knowing he had full command of her orgasms. “Let me taste you some more, and then I am going to fuck you.”

The tightness on his hair increased. “Please, I need...”

“Do as I tell you, Kate,” he commanded, reaching to stroke his cock. “Good girl.”

Lick, lick.

He loved having total control, and she loved him having it.

“Squeeze your nipples for me.”

She leaned back and took her breasts in her hands, tweaking them.

“Harder,” he said as he strummed her clit with his tongue. “That’s it, good girl.”

Kate arched as her body began to tremble with the need for release, and his cock jerked in response. “Do you want the magic wand or my cock?”

“I don’t care, just fuck me,” Kate cried.

He took her chin. “Answer me. Tell me what you want.”

Panting, Kate glanced around. She wanted to play. He reached up onto their toy shelf and pulled down the black dildo.

“Cock, I need your cock.”

“Too late,” he said, turning it on and rubbing the head of it over her folds. Around and around he went in circles.

Kate thrust her tits into his face as she arched more. He held the side of her belly, moving the dildo around expertly. He leaned in and sucked hard on one nipple, catching her eye as she screamed.

Then he pressed it inside her, and she cried out louder.

God, he loved fucking her with their range of sex toys. Watching the devices slide in and out of her, whether she was doing it or he was, was powerfully arousing. In her early days of pregnancy, they’d played with butt plugs, which had only tightened her more around his cock.

“I’m going to come on your pussy while I fuck you with the toy,” he ground out, reaching down to jerk himself off.

Stroke, stroke.

Fuck, he really was going to come fast.

“God, Vincent, fuck me,” Kate cried.

He squirted over her pussy while skillfully pressing the black dildo in and out of her.

Picking her up, he carried Kate out to their bed. Shoving pillows into a pile, he laid her over them.

“Your cock, now,” Kate begged. “Now, Vincent.”

“Ass up,” he ordered as he nudged her legs apart. “Fuck.”

He ran his fingers through her pussy, then with his hand on his cock, directed his swollen head inside.

“Yes!” she cried.

“Tell me if I hurt you.”

“Get deep inside me or I will fucking kill you,” she growled, and he laughed.

He pressed his hot flesh deep and long inside her. Inch by inch, she took more of him. Pulling out, he did it again.

“My. God,” Kate cried.

“Okay?”

“More. Now.” She clenched around him, and damn, she’d been doing her exercises.

“Do that again,” he ordered.

Kate clenched again.

“Fuck, yes,” he growled as he lifted her body against him and sucked her neck. “Keep doing that.”

Remaining deep inside her, he kept thrusting in small movements as she continued to clench and milk his cock while he trembled at the erotic sensation.

“ Motherfucker .”

“God,” Kate cried.

“More,” he demanded. “More, Kate.” Pleasure roared through his body as he gripped a boob and reached down to rub her clit.

“Holy fuck.” Vincent thrust in when Kate’s orgasm ripped through her, her sex gripping his cock and setting off his own hot release. Collapsing on the pillows beside her, Vincent lay facing Kate, both of them naked and dopey for a long while after. He kissed her about twenty-five times on the nose and lips. Each time, she just smiled at him.

God, he loved this female.

“Ready to be a daddy?” she asked quietly.

He nodded.

“You’re going to be a wonderful father.”

Vincent had gone through all the emotions over the last several months. Fear, panic, acceptance, excitement, and back to fear again. Each time, he landed on two trains of thought: One, that Kate would be an amazing mother, so even if he was useless as fuck, it didn’t matter. The second was that he’d been blessed with an amazing father, so if he followed in his footsteps, he was confident he wouldn’t mess it up too much.

“Either way, I have no doubt you will be the best mother,” he told her, running his hand over her face. “You already are.”

“Don’t throw the baby wrap away, King Moretti.” She grinned, “Trust me on this one.”

He mock rolled his eyes, and she laughed, snuggling into him.

“The baby is coming today,” she casually said.

He smiled.

Wait. What?

He jumped up and stared down at her. “What?”

She smiled up at him. “It’s fine. We have time.”

“No, we don’t. What? When? How...” He started pacing on the spot, running his hand through his hair. “Brayden!”

Kate sat up and laughed.

“You might not want the prince for this. I know you two are close, but do you really want him looking at my cooch?”

His mouth fell open.

“Lie back down. We have time,” Kate said, patting the bed.

And he did not lay back down.