"We don't need the fucking directions," Shep responds.
Ainsley hides a laugh behind her hand.
"The directions make no goddamn sense," Justice agrees. "It says bolt S goes right here, but there is no bolt S."
"Let me see," I demand, wriggling until I'm able to get out of my lounger. It's a lot of work, but Ainsley holds out a hand, allowing me to drag myself up. By the time I'm on my feet, I'm red in the face and breathing hard. Both of our boys were small. I think Jilly Bean is going to be a fully grown toddler when she comes out. She's already measuring big for her gestational age. I didn't even need the doctor to tell me that. I'm six months, and I look like I'm going on twelve months with twins.
I'm pretty sure it's Justice's fault. He loves to feed me. More often than not, he pulls me down into his chair with him at dinner. I cuddle on his lap while he feeds me and Julian regales us with tales of his adventures. I'm ninety-nine percent sure he makes up most of the stories he tells us since there is usually bloodshed involved. And sometimes dragons. But he's very convincing.
Jayce just crams his food into his face and shouts random nonsense during dinner. It's one of my favorite times of day though. Justice always makes sure he's home in time to eat with us. I never had family dinners growing up, but I love them so damn much.
"Here," Justice says, holding the instruction booklet out to me. "Be careful so you don't step on anything, baby girl."
"I'm fine," I murmur, brushing my hand through his hair. He's always so worried about me, especially when I'm pregnant. I think he'd wrap me in bubble wrap and keep me there if it were up to him. He gets a little crazy sometimes, but I don't let him get away with it.
I feel like I live in a dreamworld sometimes. Our life is so full in ways I never expected. Between Justice, our boys, and our friends and family, I don't have time to regret that my father isn't part of our lives. I have so many amazing people in my life who love me.
For a long time, the way I was raised messed with my head. I thought there was something wrong with me that made my father incapable of loving me. I know better now. My father is a sick man, and that's not my fault. It's not my burden to carry. It's not my blame to shoulder.
I am loved. Justice makes sure I never, ever forget or doubt it. Not a day goes by without him telling me how much I mean to him and the boys or showing me how much they love me. He is the best daddy, not just to me but to our boys. There is nothing he wouldn't do for us.
I can't wait until our daughter gets here. I know he's going to be such an amazing father to her. She'll never go through what I did. Even if something were to happen to me, Justice would move heaven and earth to make sure our kids were loved and safe. They would know, every single day, that they have a daddy who would do anything for them.
I do too. The way he loves me… God, it's beautiful. He understands me better than anyone, and I know him just as well. There is nothing we haven't shared with one another over the years. I still push his buttons and fight him and drive him crazy…and he wouldn't have me any other way.
When we're alone together, I'm still his brat. He's still my wicked daddy. There isn't much we haven't done together. He knows my darkest fantasies and I know his. I trust him implicitly. No matter how dirty we get, I never feel shame. Neither does he. We were made for one another. He's so soft and sweet when I'm pregnant. It makes me look forward to having the baby even more. I know as soon as I'm healed, he'll be all over me again, finding new ways to punish and please and wreck me.
"Um, Justice," I say, fighting a laugh as I look at the instructions. "Do you see a bolt labeled eight?"
He shifts the hardware around until he finds the one I asked him for. It fits perfectly.
"What the fuck?"
"What the fuck?" Shep says at the same time.
"This isn't an S," I say. "It's an eight."
"Let me see that," Shep demands, holding out a hand.
I pass the instructions over to him.
"Son of a bitch," Justice mutters, squinting at the sheet over Shep's shoulder. "It still looks like a fucking S to me."
"Me too."
I laugh loudly.
They both turn to scowl at me like it's my fault they can't read instructions.
"Maybe Ainsley and I should put it together," I tease. "At least we're not old and blind."
Justice narrows his eyes on me.
When Ainsley giggles, Shep gives her the exact same look.
"I didn't say anything!" she protests, her body shaking with laughter.
"I see you laughing, lamb," he mutters. He's not mad though. I see the humor dancing in his eyes. He hops up and prowls toward her to kiss the smirk off her face.
"You're in so much trouble tonight, little girl," Justice growls at me. He grabs my ass while they're occupied. "We'll see who's old when you're bent over the bed, screaming for daddy."
"Daddy," I moan, instantly on board with whatever he's going to do to me later.
He squeezes my ass and then runs his hand down my leg. "Go sit before your feet start swelling, pretty baby."
"Bossy."
"I'll show you bossy tonight. Go sit."