Stolen to Love (Stolen 3)

I skim the article on my phone, reading about my father being found dead in his prison cell. The news is saying it was a heart attack and after I read a few more lines I put the phone down. I read what I needed to and now I know he’s gone for good. As much as I hated him, it looks as though Xander made it quick. I don’t like to think of anyone suffering, even if they deserve it.

“Wife,” Xander says as he comes up behind me. He smells soapy and clean like he’s just taken a shower. He moves the hair off my shoulder and kisses my neck. “I’ve missed you.”

I turn in his arms and wrap my hands around his neck as I stare up at him.

“I’ve missed your cooking,” I tease.

“Are you hungry?” He goes to pull away, but I don’t let him.

“I’m teasing you. I missed you too.” I smile right before he kisses me and I moan happily that he is home safe in my arms. We’ve gone from avoiding each other when we met to almost being inseparable.

“I love you,” he says against my lips. “You still love me?” he asks, and I can see the real question burning in his eyes. Do I still love him after what he’s just done?

“Xander, I’ve loved you from the moment I met your grumpy ass.”

He lifts me, sitting me on the counter in the medical center where I was organizing things I’ve organized already. I was only trying to keep busy while he was gone, and this was a mindless task I could do in silence. Both Collins and Berkley tried to keep my attention off Xander being gone, which was easy for a little with babies around, but my mind always went back to my husband.

“Liar.” He gives me one of his smiles nobody else gets to see, and no matter how many times I see it, it makes my insides melt.

“I didn’t want to make it easy on you. A chase is good for a man every now and then.”

“And I chased you everywhere.”

I throw my head back and laugh harder because he did. He might have stomped around while he did it, but once I pulled that thorn out of his paw his whole attitude changed. With no more walls between us we were free to have what we wanted so badly. Each other. As different as we can be at times, it’s those differences that make us whole. It’s why we fit together so perfectly.

I think it was shocking because Xander was rough around the edges in general, but with me, my husband is pure sweetness. He gives his brothers a run for their money in their silent competition as to who’s the better husband. They all win because each one of us needs something different and each of us gets those things from our husbands.

“No more chasing.” I pull him down for another kiss. “At least for today. I’ve gotta keep my husband on his toes.” I wiggle my eyebrows at him.

“You don’t need to be running anywhere.” He rubs his hand over my small stomach. “Were you in here trying to get a peek at the sex of the babies?”

I give him a look because that’s something he’d do, but he’s not carrying the babies around so he can’t go sneaking a sonogram without me. I made sure Doctor Jane has my file sealed up tight. She came to the island with her husband to enjoy the beach and help oversee me giving birth.

“Do you really want to know?” I’ll open the file and find out if he wants, but I thought it would be fun to have a surprise.

“No. What I want is to take my wife home and make love to her and cook her pancakes.”

“That sounds perfect,” I admit. His face grows serious for a moment.

“Are we really good?” he asks before I start to slip off the counter.

“I’ll always stand with you, Xander. You did what you had to do to protect this family. Warsaws stop at nothing to make that happen.” I’m happy to be one of them and I feel as protective over them as they are over me. They’re my family and I’m theirs.

“Doctor Warsaw.” He smirks at me. “I never get tired of calling you that.”

“It never fails to turn you on either.”

“It’s been twenty-four hours and I haven’t gotten to touch my wife. You breathe and I’m turned on.” He lifts me up and into his arms.

“You’re in luck, husband of mine. I think I have a cure for the problem,” I tell him, licking my lips.

“No, you have relief. I can promise you there’s no cure for what I have for you.”

“Then take me home, feed me pancakes, and keep me in bed all day.” I touch my lips to his. “That’s doctor’s orders.”