\[Denali’s POV\]
I sit, humming, as Serenity slowly begins to fall asleep. When she finally begins to relax in my arms, I feel my anxiety beginning to build again, but I try my best to keep it at bay.
I was already aware of the fact that the meeting Rosco was holding involved leaving for where my father and his men waited. Would this be it? Would we finally get rid of the enemy so that our peaceful lives could return to normal?
No. There was no chance of that happening, not anytime soon anyway. Once this was over, there would be the matter of whether or not our packmates were infected by the nue and finding records about my mother to see if my hunch about her being poisoned was true. Then there was whatever was going on behind Crystal Fang’s walls.
“Why do things keep happening?” I sigh, getting up and taking Serenity to her crib. “Is it because I am just that unlucky?”
Stop that. I think inwardly. I couldn’t let my poor me attitude return; I had grown and was stronger because I had Rosco beside me.
“Maybe a shower will help.” I sigh, turning and making my way across the room.
When I reach my destination, I feel pain shoot through my legs, reminding me that even if I could walk freely these days, it didn’t mean that I was completely back to normal from before that time in the dungeons.
Sighing, I pull open the door in front of me and begin to strip my clothes.
Once I’m bare, I take in my body in the mirror. Due to just giving birth, my stomach is saggy, and stretch marks mar my skin, but I find them beautiful. I guess it was because Rosco taught me to love the things that I hated most about myself, so now it was a habit.
Turning, I step into the shower and turn on the tap, then let steaming hot water trail down my sore breasts and skin while I close my eyes.
I don’t know how long I stand there like that, just enjoying the feeling of the water against my skin before the door to the bathroom opens and the sound of jeans being undone echoes around me.
Smirking, I open my eyes and wait until the shower is opened so Rosco can waltz in to join me.
“Why didn’t you wait for me?” He murmurs, snaking his arms around me and beginning to plant butterfly kisses along my shoulders. “I want to help wash your body.”
“I bet you do.” I giggle, wriggling around so that I can look into his dark eyes. “How did it go?”
Since Rosco informed me of the plan before he went to meet with everyone, I knew that William and Elise would be separated and that William probably wouldn’t take kindly to that.
“You didn’t get too much backlash, did you?”
“Not really.” Rosco responds, sliding his hands along my hips and then letting them rest on my ass. “And right now, I don’t want to talk about such things. I just want to enjoy the feeling of your body against mine.”
“It hasn’t been that long, and I am already feeling famished.”
“That’s because you are insatiable.” I giggle. “How someone can have so much energy is beyond me, but you still have a way to wait.”
A low rumble of a growl escapes Rosco as he pulls me close against him, so his erection presses against my belly. It makes my insides come alive and my core throb, but I try my best to remain calm. Dammit. Was I going to be able to make it through the entire six weeks?
“You can’t have sex.” Rosco says slowly, looking down at my enlarged breasts. “But they didn’t say that we couldn’t do other things.”
“Other things,” I breathe, understanding immediately what he means. “You mean…”
“Mhmm.” He purrs, beginning to slowly kiss down my body. “Be a good girl and grab onto me.”
Eyes widening, I bite back the whimper that wants to escape as excitement flares through me, but as Rosco takes one of my nipples into his mouth, I remember the most important thing that is happening.
“Rosco!” I gasp as he bites my nipple, causing a ripple of pleasure to rush through me. “Don’t!”
However, before I can stop him, I hear a shocked gasp escape him as he releases my nipple and then licks his lips.
“Was that…” He asks, lifting his gaze to mine. “Milk?”
“Yes!” I squeak, embarrassment flaring through me.
Goddess, how could I forget about the fact I was lactating and even still bleeding after giving birth to Serenity? Was I really going to let Rosco do things to me while all these fluids were escaping me?
“Hm,” he murmurs, smacking his lips. And before I know what is happening, he is latching on again. “It isn’t too bad.”
Giving a grin, he prepares to attack again, but I’m reaching out and grabbing him, stopping him before he can continue, even though I want him so badly.
“Stop!” I gasp, my legs growing weak. “No more. This was a bad idea; we can’t…”
I don’t get to finish my sentence before my legs are giving out and I’m beginning to fall.
“Careful!” Rosco hisses, grabbing me by the hips and holding me in place. “Did I push too much?”
“No.” I sigh, hating that despite my best efforts, I was still so weak. “My legs.”
I feel tears begin to well in my eyes as the feeling of uselessness that I try to keep at bay hits me. How the hell was I born so weak yet given such a strong power that I couldn’t even use to help those that I loved?
“Stop that.” Rosco says, cradling me in his lap as he sits on the floor of the shower.
“Stop what?” I ask, shifting my gaze. “I don’t know what you…”
“Don’t try to play dumb with me, mi reina.” He warns, gently grasping my chin and making me look at him. “I can hear everything you’re thinking.”
Tensing, I remember much too late that what he was saying was true. Since we were bonded, he could indeed hear everything I was thinking, and that meant he could hear the negative things rushing through my mind.
“Sorry,” I sigh, snuggling into Rosco’s warmth. “I just…”
“You’ll get better.” He assures me, kissing the top of my forehead. “And you’ll grow stronger. Even if you don't, you have me here to make sure that no one touches you.”
“I know.” I whisper, even though it doesn’t necessarily make me feel better. “You’ve proven that to me many times over.”
“And I’ll continue to prove it again and again if I have to.” He assures me, kissing my lips. “The only way you’re getting rid of me is in a pine box.”
“A pine box.” I repeat with a giggle. “I highly doubt you would want to be buried in such a thing.”
“You’re right.” Rosco grins, his eyes sparkling with delight. “The only way I intend to be buried is in your arms, with you right beside me.”
“Does that mean that our death will end up being a murder suicide?” I ask curiously. “That’s the only way we would both die at the same time.”
“It means that you better never go before me; otherwise, you’ll have my life in your hands.”
“Will that matter if I’m dead?”
Even though this topic was somewhat morbid, it was helping relieve all of my anxiety. It was moments like these when it was just Rosco and me together where I could be my authentic self, and likewise, he could be his, that I longed for the most.
“I’ll hold you accountable even in nirvana.” Rosco assures me. “Now, I don’t want to talk about such things anymore. There’s something else I would much rather you do for me.”
“And what is that?” I ask curiously.
“Feed me some more of your delicious milk.”