Chapter 10

My eyes tear away from the TV as soon as the door opens, and Leila walks inside, my lips lifting into a huge grin at the sight of her. Four years of being married to the most beautiful girl in the world, and I still smile like a fool whenever I see her.

Leila trails inside, her eyes hooded as if she’s just woken up from a deep sleep, and she hums as she walks toward me, joining me on the bed.

“Hey, baby,” I say, turning the TV off as I slide my hands to her face and bring our lips together. The scent of massage oil enters my noise and I hum into her mouth, loving how sweet she smells, though I prefer the usual peach scent from her shampoo.

She moans into my mouth, her lips lifting into a smile against mine. “Mmm. Hi,” she replies, her eyes fluttering as she melts into me, wrapping her arms around my neck.

“Jesus,” I say with a chuckle, pulling away to hold her face in mine, seeing her smile, and look dreary. “What the hell did they do to you in there?”

She hums again, letting out a soft, content sigh. “They took all my stress away,” she replies.

I arch an eyebrow, feeling a tinge of possessiveness in me. Kinda getting jealous that someone put their hands all over her body and made her this happy. “You don’t need them to do that. I can take your stress away, gorgeous,” I tell her, bringing out lips together.

She laughs, shaking her head. “Sorry, but it was better than orgasms.”

“Really?” I ask, smirking at her. “Want me to remind you how good my orgasms are?”

She lets out a chuckle, resting her head on mine. “Yes, please.”

My lip twitch at the sight of her so soft, and fucking adorable. “I’ve got to say, I kind of like this version of mellowed out Leila,” I say, pressing my lips to her cheek. “But I love when you tease me more,” I admit with a smirk.

“I don’t have the energy for that,” she murmurs with a sweet sigh. Her eyes flick open and she runs her hands up my arms, reaching my face as she traces her fingers over my brows before running her hands through my hair. “You’re so beautiful.”

Seeing her smile, and touch me, and compliment me makes a shiver run up my spine. “Holy shit,” I breathe out a laugh, wrapping my arms around her waist as I bring her closer to me. “I’m going to book you a massage every fucking week if it makes you like this,” I joke, feeling her soft hair beneath my fingers as I brush it behind her ear.

She shakes her head, her gorgeous green eyes that knocked the air out of my chest when I first met her hood as a smirk appears on her lips. “You’re acting like I’m drunk. I’m just complimenting my husband. ”

That word on her lips, makes me groan as I bring our lips together and I kiss her, with every ounce of love I have for her.

“I love you,” I mumble against her lips, going back for another kiss, and another, and another. Can’t get enough of my wife.

She hums, smiling against my lips. “Love you,” she says, kissing me back.

Fuck. I want to tell her. I don’t like keeping things from her, and I want to just come out and tell her, and let her in on the secret that’s had me going out of my mind for days now. But I also don’t want to stress her out.

She’s so tired and stressed from taking care of Nova, and she rarely has time to just relax. And here she is, bordering on drunk from being relaxed. I can’t ruin this.

“You’re thinking,” she mumbles against my lips, pulling back with an arched brow. Her hands run through my hair and she leans in to press her lips against my cheek. “Want to tell me what’s going on?”

I let out a laugh, feeling my heart pump in my chest. “You know me so well,” I muse, loving that my wife just knows when something’s up.

She sighs, shrugging. “I fell in love with you. I had to.” A chuckle bubbles out of me, loving how she continues to tease me. “What are you thinking about?” she asks.

My smile slips, and the muscle in my jaw ticks. “I’ll tell you another time.”

But Leila doesn’t let it go, narrowing her eyes. “Why? ”

“Because, gorgeous,” I say, smoothing my hands over her waist. “I don’t want to do anything that might make you lose this bliss,” I tease with a smirk.

But the previously mentioned bliss leaves her as soon as those words are out of my mouth, and she stiffens, furrowing her brows. “What is it?” she demands, her brows knitting together.

“Another time, baby,” I tell her. “Let’s just enjoy the time we have together.” I lean in to kiss her, but Leila pulls back, her frown deepening.

“You never keep secrets from me,” she says, almost accusingly and I hate that she’s thinking the worst now.

“I know,” I reply with a sigh. “And I don’t want to. I want to tell you.”

“Then tell me,” she says, dropping her hands from my hair. Her expression hardens, and I breathe out a sigh.

“My mom reached out.”

Leila’s eyes widen, and she purses her lips. “When?”

“A week ago?” I say with a shrug.

She blinks a couple of times, her brows knitting together. “A week?” she repeats as if the words are foreign.

I nod, running my hands down the soft skin of her arms. “I wanted to tell you sooner, I just… didn’t know what to do,” I admit. I haven’t talked to her in a long time. A long, long time. She was a big part of my horrible childhood, and it made me wary of talking to her when all she had done was put me through hell. But… I’ve always had a sliver of hope she’d want to reach out. And now she has .

“What did she want?” Leila asks, tensing up. I almost smile, loving how she cares so much about me. I fucking love her for that.

“She’s sober,” I tell her. Leila’s eyes widen, and I continue. “Cameron told me she went to rehab, and has been sober for six months now.”

Leila’s brows dip, and I understand her reaction. My brothers and my mother have never been trustworthy, especially when my brother Brandon had threatened me for money after I got into the NBA. I had cut them off way before then, but after that, I decided not to ever even think about them.

Until one day, Cameron showed up at my door, crying, and begging me to help him, telling me he’d go to rehab if needed. I was apprehensive at first. They’d never wanted to be sober before. At first, I thought both of my brothers were in on it, wanting to scam me out of my money.

Until he told me Brandon had died of an overdose.

He fucking died.

My brother died and I didn’t even know.

It felt like my heart had been ripped out of my chest when I saw my brother, my only brother now, at my door crying, begging me to save him so he wasn’t next.

I couldn’t say no.

I helped him, took him to the best rehab I could find, and kept in touch with him until he left a new man.

I’d never seen Cameron like that. Clean, sober, happy.

But my mom… she didn’t want to be helped .

So, when Cameron told me she paid for rehab herself, and has been sober for six months, I was skeptical, too.

“Six months isn’t a long time,” Leila points out.

I nod in agreement, a sad smile on my lips. “It’s longer than I’ve ever seen her sober my whole life,” I admit to her, my heart breaking for my younger self, having to see my mom like that, day in, day out. Every. Single. Fucking. Day.

Leila’s eyes soften, and I see a hint of sadness in them. I’ve told her everything I’ve been through as a kid, but she can’t even begin to fathom the reality of living it.

“Have you gone to see her yet?” she asks.

“No.” I shake my head. “Of course not. I wanted to talk to you about it first.”

She blinks. “Me?”

“Of course, baby,” I say, cupping her face. “You’re my wife. This is our life. Yours, mine, and Nova’s.” Her eyes flutter closed at the feel of my palm on her cheek. “This affects all of us. Not just me,” I clarify. “If I reach out, then she’ll be in our lives.” I breathe out a sigh. “What should I do?” I ask her.

Leila’s brows dip. “You’re asking me?”

I nod. “I want to know what you think,” I admit.

Her lips part on a sigh. “Do you want her in your life?” she asks me.

My brain says the word over and over again until I nod. I’ve always had a soft spot for her. A special place for her in my heart that was always vacant. Empty. Abandoned . “I think so. ”

Leila nods in understanding, and clutches my face between both her hands. “She hurt you,” she says, concern etched on her face.

“I know,” I say with a nod. “But she’s my mom.”

Leila softens and she nods, knowing that I need this. Want this. Leila had issues with her mom when she was growing up, and since they fixed their issues, they’ve been pretty close, and she’s an amazing grandma to Nova.

I want that. All I’ve ever wanted was a relationship with my mom, and for years, she just wanted me gone.

But she wants me now.

And I don’t want to turn from that.

“And you’re sure she’s sober?” Leila asks.

“I mean, I’m not completely sure,” I admit, since I haven’t seen her with my own eyes yet. “But Cameron said she’s doing really well.” My heart swells at the thought.

Leila leans down and brushes her lips against mine, kissing me softly. “I think you should do what you want,” she says, placing her hand against my heart. “You’ve got a big heart, Aiden, and if you want to share it with her, then I’ll support you the whole time.”

Fuck. My throat closes up and I shake my head. “I love you,” I tell her, unable to express my feelings for her in any other way. I’d buy her the fucking moon if I could.

“I love you, too,” she says with a smile that makes my heart flutter like crazy.

This woman still gives me butterflies.

Even after being married to her for four years .

“I don’t know why I was so scared to talk to you about it,” I admit with a laugh. I should have known she’d be supportive. She’s the best fucking person in the whole world.

“I think you were scared I’d tell you it was a bad idea,” she says with a shrug. “She really hurt you, but you’ve always wanted her approval.”

I guess a part of that is true. There was a time in my life when I just wanted her to look at me. To love me. But that was a long time ago.

“I want your approval more,” I tell my wife, getting lost in her lime green eyes.

Leila scoffs. “Sure.”

“I’m serious,” I tell her, my brows dipping. “You could tell me to cut her off for good, and I’d do it, Leila. Nothing means more to me than you do. You’ve been my family for a hell of a lot longer than she ever was.”

Leila’s beautiful eyes soften. “I’d never tell you to do that.”

“I know,” I say with a smile as I kiss her pretty, pink lips. “And that’s why I love you, gorgeous.” I waste no time, wrapping my arm around her waist and gently flip us over so she’s lying on the bed and I’m crowding her, spreading her legs with my thighs.

Her breathing speeds up, and when I pull away from her lips, her eyes are hooded with lust.

“Please,” she begs, arching her back to grind her pussy over the bulge in my pants. “I need you.”

I’m already pulling my pants down my legs, and throw them across the room, zoning in on her spread legs, and pull her dress up her body so she’s bare beneath me, her belly swollen with my child and her beautiful body on display for me. “Fuck. Just look at you, baby,” I tell her, slowly stroking my cock as I just look at her.

So fucking gorgeous.

Jesus, I’m a lucky bastard.

“Please,” she repeats, reaching for me. “You need to hurry up. The bachelorette party is in an hour.”

A groan slips my lips as I rip my shirt off, and kneel between her legs, my thumb rubbing circles over her pretty little clit. “Let me take care of you, baby. There’s no need to rush me. We have all the time in the world.”

“Until she gets here,” Leila says, running a hand softly over her belly. “She’ll be here soon, and then you won’t be able to have me for six weeks,” she points out with a smirk.

I arch a brow. “I can still make you come without sticking my dick in you,” I tell her, thrusting a finger inside her until her back arches. Fuck. She’s so wet, and tight, and I can’t wait to fuck my wife.

“You can’t even handle six weeks?” Leila asks, shaking her head, a moan spilling out of her lips as I position my cock against her entrance, rubbing it over her clit. “You can’t live without me, huh?”

I smirk at her teasing and shake my head. “I really can’t,” I say, sliding home.