Falling For My Baby Daddy

Chapter Sixty Eight

Bella’s POV

Ibash walked into the living room where Nina and I were sitting on a blanket with Jordan and Jemima . Nina was a natural with kids, and it was obvious how much she loved them. She held Jordan in her lap as she showed him a picture book. Jemima sat in my lap, her tiny hand wrapped around my thumb and looking down at the book in my free hand.

I looked up at Ibash but his eyes were on Nina , who was smiling down at my son, practically glowing with happiness.Slowly, he dragged his gaze up. “Lord Erik just woke up.”

Without thinking, I got up with Jemima clinging to me. I didn’t want my kids there when I first talked to Lord Erik after he’d woken. I felt like we needed a moment before I could allow that.

I untangled Jemima gently and laid her down on the blanket, then hesitated. Nina looked up with a smile.

“Ibash and I can watch them while you talk to Lord Erik .”Ibash moved closer but I stayed where I was. I couldn’t help it. This would be the first time I let them out of sight since our arrival. “Each of us would lay our life down for these kids,” Ibash said.

“You brought them here. They are Dragon Lords.They are Lord Erik ’s kids. He burned for us. We will burn for them.”

I gave a small nod and took a step back. Jemima ’s eyes followed me. “Nina , can you take Jemima . She’s very shy around people she doesn’t know, especially men.”

Ibash lowered himself beside Nina and took Jordan from her. I tensed when Nina reached for my daughter, expecting a crying fit, but Jemima ’s face scrunched up only briefly then smoothed when Nina sang softly. I took another step back. Nina beamed at Ibash as he put Jordan down on his lap and pointed at the picture book. Ibash oozed calmness, which was perfect for my kids.

Jordan ignored the picture book that Ibash held up and stared at the colorful tattoos on Ibash ’s arm, touching them with his small hands as if he thought they’d come alive under his fingertips. My heart swelled once more, and I turned quickly before I got too emotional.

I took a deep breath before I slipped into Lord Erik ’s bedroom. He was sitting back against the headboard, elevated by pillows. His upper body was naked, except for the many bandages covering his skin—the cuts my family had inflicted to avenge me.He looked up from his iPad, and I took a hesitant step closer as I let the door shut.

His face pulled into a strange smile. “I’d never have thought that you would be the one to save me.”

I moved closer, half terrified, half excited, and stopped beside him. Lord Erik ’s dark eyes burned with emotions that set my heart aflame, but I shoved the sensations back. “I saved the father of my children so they would be safe.”

“My brothers would have protected them even if your family had killed me.”

I put a hand down beside him on the headboard, hovering over him. “Nobody will protect them like you will. You’ll go through fire for them.”

I didn’t ask. I knew it.

He raised his hand stiffly, most of his arm bandaged, and cupped the back of my head. I let him pull me down. “For them. For you,” he murmured, fiercely, harshly, angrily. His lips brushed mine, and my entire being melted. I fell as I had the first time he kissed. Shuddering, I drew back and straightened. This was too soon. I needed to figure things out between us.

He watched me with a bitter smile. For some reason, the sight tore at me. I leaned down and briefly brushed his lips with mine to show him that my withdrawal didn’t mean “never” only “later.”

I quickly stepped back and turned.

“Will you show them to me?” he asked quietly. I looked over my shoulder. “Of course.”

I held Jemima and Jordan tightly against my body as I nudged the door open. Then I stepped in. I was inexplicably nervous. My family had never looked at my children the way I regarded them, like they were something precious, a gift I wanted to cherish every single day. Lord Erik ’s eyes zeroed in on our babies as I moved closer, and he didn’t look away again, appearing almost stunned. I sat down beside him and carefully put Jordan down on his back next to Lord Erik . Jemima still clung to me tightly.

Lord Erik ’s expression held wonder, and when he raised his eyes to mine, they were softer than I’d ever seen them. He stretched out his bandaged arm and stroked his fingertip over Jordan ’s chest reverently. Jordan being Jordan snatched up Lord Erik ’s finger and brought it to his mouth to chew on it with a His face pulled into a strange smile. “I’d never have thought that you would be the one to save me.”

I moved closer, half terrified, half excited, and stopped beside him. Lord Erik ’s dark eyes burned with emotions that set my heart aflame, but I shoved the sensations back. “I saved the father of my children so they would be safe.”

“My brothers would have protected them even if your family had killed me.”

I put a hand down beside him on the headboard, hovering over him. “Nobody will protect them like you will. You’ll go through fire for them.”

I didn’t ask. I knew it.

He raised his hand stiffly, most of his arm bandaged, and cupped the back of my head. I let him pull me down. “For them. For you,” he murmured, fiercely, harshly, angrily. His lips brushed mine, and my entire being melted. I fell as I had the first time he kissed. Shuddering, I drew back and straightened. This was too soon. I needed to figure things out between us.

He watched me with a bitter smile. For some reason, the sight tore at me. I leaned down and briefly brushed his lips with mine to show him that my withdrawal didn’t mean “never” only “later.”

I quickly stepped back and turned.

“Will you show them to me?” he asked quietly. I looked over my shoulder. “Of course.”

I held Jemima and Jordan tightly against my body as I nudged the door open. Then I stepped in. I was inexplicably nervous. My family had never looked at my children the way I regarded them, like they were something precious, a gift I wanted to cherish every single day. Lord Erik ’s eyes zeroed in on our babies as I moved closer, and he didn’t look away again, appearing almost stunned. I sat down beside him and carefully put Jordan down on his back next to Lord Erik . Jemima still clung to me tightly.

Lord Erik ’s expression held wonder, and when he raised his eyes to mine, they were softer than I’d ever seen them. He stretched out his bandaged arm and stroked his fingertip over Jordan ’s chest reverently. Jordan being Jordan snatched up Lord Erik ’s finger and brought it to his mouth to chew on it with a toothless grin. Lord Erik ’s lips twitched. Then he raised his gaze to Jemima , who’d turned her head to watch him curiously.

“She’s shy around most people,” I said. She’d always been like that, even when she was a tiny newborn.

I took his hand so she saw me doing it then brought it toward her. When she didn’t protest, I released Lord Erik ’s hand, and he caressed her back with his fingertips. He was so gentle and careful with her, I could feel a mix of happiness and wistfulness rise up in my throat. Jemima watched him silently. Did she know he was her dad?

Tears ran down my cheeks. Lord Erik stroking Jemima ’s back and having his finger chewed off by Jordan was the most beautiful sight I could imagine. “I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy,” I admitted, not caring that I was being emotional in front of Lord Erik . This was no longer a battle of wills, a twisted game of chess. These stakes were too high.

Lord Erik locked his gaze with mine. “I know I’ve never been happier.”