The Duke's Broken Angel

“My come, right where it belongs,” I whispered, spreading my seed all over the creamy skin.

She sucked in soft breaths, a smile dancing across her lips as she turned her head to catch my lips. “I love you, Keir.”

“Mmm.” I kissed her soft and slow, my hands working her hot skin. “I love you, almost wife.” She shoved her fingers into my hair and kissed me harder, locking her ankles around my waist and grinding her pussy against my still rock-solid cock. “Again?”

“Please?”

“Mm, you're addicted to my cock,” I murmured. “Loving you is the easiest thing I’ve ever done.”

A soft smile played across her lips. “I think that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”

I slid her against my body, covering her as much as I could because having her tucked against me felt like exactly where she belonged. I knew she was safe, taken care of, and sure as hell loved.

“I love my scent on you.” I nuzzled her ear. “I love my baby in you.” I cupped the soft new roundness of her belly. “I can’t wait to raise a baby with you.”

“You’re going to be the best daddy. You already are the best boyfriend.”

“I changed my mind about the best words ever.”

“Yeah?” she hummed against my lips.

“The day you told me you were carrying my child—that we were pregnant—those are the best words.”

“I can’t wait until our baby calls you Daddy.”

Emotion hovered behind my eyelids. “I feel you everywhere. When you’re not around I feel you. I need you. I fucking need you so much. Thank you for saving me, Cricket.”

We held each other, her still wedged against the velvet wall naked, my head tucked firmly into her neck. Sweat-slicked skin beneath my fingers, damp hair tickling my cheek, our bodies melded almost skin to skin.

Only our baby was nestled between us.

Hard and soft. Dark and light. We were a contradiction, Cricket and I. My favorite contradiction.

I ran my fingertips along the skin of her back. Her fingernails raked along my muscles. I kissed along the line of her neck. I would never get enough of my wife.

“Keir! Are you in here, mom is ready to make her toast!”

I covered her lips with my index finger, playful looks of terror crossing her features. I whispered, “Whaddya say we split and find something better to do?”

“Yes, Keir, 100% yes.”

As soon as the bathroom door closed, I straightened her dress, then, like bandits, we hustled as quickly as we could without drawing attention to ourselves out of the bathroom.

I punched through an emergency exit door at the back of the ballroom and it beeped with warning. It thudded close behind us, the cool night air swallowing us just like the vibrance of the street. We lost ourselves in the late night partygoers, no looking back.

Forever with Cricket was only a dozen hours away, we had celebrating to do.

SECOND EPILOGUE

Cricket - nine months later

“Why do you butcher the good Viking names I give you? One day you’ll miss me Keirvard Madsen, only your good strong Viking name to remember me by.”

“Granny, I love my name.” Keir kissed her on the weathered cheek before pressing our son into his great-grandmother’s arms.

“My sweet baby Halvard, named for his seventh great-grand-father, the fiercest warrior in all of his clan.”

“We just call him Hal, Granny.” Keir was teasing her, and by the way her eyes shone with mischief, she was where Keir had gotten this playful trait. She waved him off, walking into the little stone church with her new great grand-baby in her arms.

“Congratulations, Anna, we’re so happy for you.” Pixie, my new sister-in-law and the Crown Prince’s wife, pressed a kiss to my cheek. “I can’t wait for this summer at the manor house. You can stay all summer if you want, there’s enough rooms for all of us.” Her American accent had a sweet lilt, like a song. We’d only met for the first time at my wedding, but in the months since we’d stayed in touch despite the distance that separated us.

“Oo, I think I need to sit down.” I pressed a hand to my forehead.

“Are you okay, baby?” Keir was at my side, escorting me to sit at a bench.

Hal was only six months old, but Keir and I had been busy at work creating that big Viking family Granny had blessed us with at our wedding. I was three months along, and the morning sickness was taking its toll on me this time.

“Here, have some water.” Keir pressed a cold bottle into my hands.

“Never thought I’d see the day you became a family man, little bro,” Rome, the Crown Prince, commented as he hovered next to this wife. “Family looks good on you. I’m proud of you.”

“Granny gave me fertility tea the first time I met her,” Pixie winked at me, “don’t trust anything from that one. She only wants to grow the Viking clan and she plans on using you and me to do it.”