“Please, don’t leave me,” I begged her, not caring how she would perceive me for pleaded. “I’ll die without you.”
She looked at our son and swallowed.
“If ye’ don’t put me first, what’s to say ye’ won’t put him first?”
Terrified, I grabbed her ring and crawled up the bed until I was face to face with her.
“I’m begging you not to do this. You and that precious boy are my everything, I swear to you.”
Aideen frowned, but I saw something flicker in her eyes. “I don’t know if that’s enough for us to work.”
“Baby doll,” I breathed and placed my hands on her cheeks. “I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make this work. I don’t want to lose what I live for; you and our son. I never thought it was possible to love two people as much as I do you two. I love you both so much it hurts. Please, don’t take away my reason for living.”
Aideen’s eyes swam with tears as she leaned her face into mine.
“Ye’ swear on his life that you’re done with everythin’ related to your old life?”
Hope flared within me.
“I swear.” I frantically nodded. “I swear to God.”
Aideen regarded me for a long moment before she nodded and said, “Okay.”
I could hardly believe what she was saying. She was giving me a second chance when we both knew I didn’t deserve one. I crumpled before her and pressed my forehead against her. I pressed my lips against her, and when I felt her kiss me back with hunger, my heart thumped with relief.
“I love you so fucking much.”
Aideen put her arms around my neck. “I love ye’ too, sweetheart ... now give me me ring back.”
I wiped my face free of tears before I placed the ring back on her finger and kissed it.
“Ye’ have me heart, Kane,” she said to me when I looked into her eyes. “Don’t ever forget that.”
“I won’t,” I assured her. “Not ever.”
When she kissed me, I kissed her back without reservation. I quickly got under the covers with her and moved as close to her as I could.
“Lie down,” I urged. “I need to hold you.”
I helped her get settled on the bed before I stretched out next to her exhausted body.
“Baby doll?”
She snuggled back against me and murmured, “Yes.”
“I say it all the time, but I really do love you with all of my heart. You know that, right?”
“I know, babe.” She hummed. “I’m sorry about bein’ so horrible. I never want to hurt ye’ or make ye’ cry.”
“You had every right to be furious with me. I almost missed our son being born over Ryder and his stupid deals.”
She put her hand over mine. “Let’s not talk about it anymore. It’s done now, and your decision has been made. Ye’ made it for his birth, and that’s all that matters.”
I hugged her and lowered my hands to her smaller but still rounded stomach.
“It’s all flabby.”
I found myself chuckling. “It’s weird that your stomach isn’t huge and hard. I can still feel a smaller bump, but Branna said that will go down in a few days as your womb starts the process of shrinking back to normal.”
Aideen glanced over her shoulder at me. “Ye’ talked to ‘er about stuff like that?”
Every chance I got.
“All the time.” I nodded. “I wanted to know what you’re going through.”
Aideen smiled, then returned her gaze to our son in his bassinet.
“What will we name ‘im?”
I blew out a breath. “I don’t know. What do you like?”
“Promise you won’t laugh?” I gave her a squeeze, so she said, “Jax.”
I promise my silent promise and laughed, lowly.
“Hey.”
“Sorry.”
Aideen sighed. “Ye’ don’t like it.”
“I actually do. I was just thinking of how Jax Teller brought us together that fateful day in Ryder and Branna’s house.”
Aideen giggled. “Through Jax Teller all things are possible.”
I smiled. “Jax Slater ... that sounds cool.”
“Jax Slater,” Aideen repeated. “I love it.”
“So we’re settled on his name being Jax?”
“Yeah,” Aideen said, then paused. “But what will his middle name be?”
“I was thinking it could be your father’s name.”
Aideen gasped. “Really?”
“Of course.” I nodded. “Your dad is awesome, and the look of admiration and love he holds for you and Jax fills my heart. He is a good man and will be an awesome papaw.”
“Papaw,” she repeated. “That’s so cute, I love that.”
I was elated. “So his name is Jax Daniel Slater?”
“Yes! Wait, Jax Daniel ... is it just me, or does that sound like Jack Daniels?”
I repeated it under my breath and found it was similar and laughed.
“We can’t change it now. We already agreed.”
Aideen vibrated with silent laughter. “Me da will get a right kick out of this.”
I sat up on my elbow and leaned up so I could see into my son’s bassinet.
“I love you, Jax.”
When I looked down at Aideen, she had rolled onto her back and stared up at me.