Page 38 of Dance with the Devil

He grabbed his little girl and even as his lips were covered in lipstick, he rained kisses all over her face. This made her laugh. At first, she was downright annoyed that he dared spoil her masterpiece, but then, once her face was covered, she giggled.

Next, he turned toward Maria, and seeing as she had their son, Lucas, she couldn’t run. As he kissed her cheeks and neck, she shook her head.

“There will be payback,” Maria said.

“I think it’s time for our little angel to have a bath,” Draven said.

Lucas had finished feeding and Draven took his son from his wife, placing him against his chest, with his mouth over his shoulder. He’d lost many shirts from baby sick, but he didn’t mind.

Maria got to her feet, pressed a kiss to his forehead, by kissing the tips of her fingers, and placing them on his head. Draven watched her go as she picked up Elle. His daughter had already started to get sleepy.

“One little girl is very sleepy, so do you think you’ll be a star and go to sleep for me, so I can spend some much-needed time with my wife? Or are you going to be a pain?”

In answer, Lucas burped and with it, a small amount of vomit came up.

“Pain it is.” He pressed a kiss to his son’s head, and breathed in the scent of baby.

All throughout Maria’s two pregnancies, he’d been filled with a sense of dread. What if he hated the babies? What if he didn’t want children in his life? What if it changed him?

They filled his head, and then the night came when her water broke that very first time. He’d gotten her to the hospital and there hadn’t been time to feel any kind of dread. Instead, he’d felt peace and the moment Elle was placed in her arms and he’d seen his little girl, he’d fallen madly in love. The same had happened with Lucas.

He loved both his children so very much. Antwone also adored his niece and nephew.

Draven waited twenty minutes and carried Lucas upstairs. He stood outside Elle’s bedroom listening to his wife tell her a good night story. Lucas fell asleep in his arms and he carried his son to the bedroom, laying him down in the crib.

Seconds later, Maria came to him, wrapping her arms around his waist and pressing kisses to his cheek.

“Can we just watch them sleep a little longer?” Draven asked.

“Of course.”

He pulled Maria into his side and stared down at his precious child. For a good ten minutes, they watched Lucas sleep and then they went to Elle’s bedroom to watch her sleep.

His family.

His life.

His world.

And he was the luckiest fucking man alive.

The End