There’s something in the way he says it. I want to argue with him, but I can’t, not when he looks the way he does. “Your turn, old man, what’s going on with you?”
“It will be five years tomorrow. I tried again, for the hundredth time tonight. She was gorgeous, tits on her like you wouldn’t believe. When she touched me, I couldn’t, I just couldn’t. I’ve had Hugo looking for her”—Hugo is a private investigator, a former cop who retired after he was caught with a kilo of coke from evidence. Pop has used him since I was a kid—“since about six months after she left. He hasn’t been able to find her. I want to give Valdez a try.”
Christ, five years and he’s still hung up on her. I had an idea, to hear him confirm it is something else. I pull out my phone and bring up Valdez. “You want his number or you want me to call him for you?”
“I’ll take his number.”
I send it to him in a text. “He’s not cheap. You need to be ready and prepared. He’ll find her, whether she wants to be found or not.”
With a nod, he leaves.
Once he’s gone I eye the bottle of scotch and think about it all. He’s wrong. I love Pop, but he’s wrong. I don’t love Regina. Fuck, just thinking it sends an ache through my whole body. No, no, this isn’t— The door opens and she’s in front of me. Just like every time she sees me, whether it’s been five minutes or five hours, the smile on her face steals the air from my chest. Then she’s in my arms, pressing her soft, sexy body into me. The scent of her all around me.
I have her dress up and thank fuck she’s learned by now not to wear any panties. I’m on my knees, setting her down on the leather sofa, devouring her pussy. So fucking wet, she’s soaking my face in seconds with the sweet cream of her come. My cock is on the edge of exploding. For the first time in ever, I need her too much to drive her out of her mind. I’m on the couch, bringing her down on my lap. The way I’ve taught her, Regina guides me into heaven with a sigh of my name. Within minutes of her moving on me she hits her climax, and I’m right with her as her pussy milks my cock with each shudder of her body.
Holding her in place on me, a dozen times I try to find the words to ask the question, yet I discount each one. I’m so lost in thought I don’t even realize Regina has pulled back to look down at me.
“What’s the matter?” The fear in her eyes sends a knife to my chest. I hate it.
Cupping her face, I press my lips to hers, aware that what happens next could change everything. For the first time in my entire life I can’t think straight. “In vitro.” The words spill out of my mouth. Her forehead wrinkles for seconds. Then her eyes go wide with hope, and happiness. “It’s a lot, though, and it’s all on you. Doctor appointments, injections, hormones—”
She’s kissing me with fervor, devouring me.
Coming up for air, I grasp her to hold her in place. Needing to see all of her. “Are you sure? I want to give you everything you want. Anything, it’s yours, all you have to do is ask. We can do it tomorrow or two years from now or whenever you’re ready. I know it’s not fair. I promised you I wouldn’t ask you for more than I was willing to give too. This is so much more than I ever could, and it’s all on you. I’m sorry, Regina.”
Shaking her head, she’s closing her eyes. “I love you, Dominic. I’m sorry. I never meant to—”
Thunder and lightning crash in my ears, my chest aches, I can’t keep from grasping her tight around her throat. “What did you say?”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t—I—”
“Not that. Say it again.” I fight not to shake her.
“I love you. From that first minute. From before I ever met you. Since the day I was born.”
No, she can’t. I can’t.
“I love you. Everything I am, have ever been and will be, belongs to you and only you. Every inch of my skin craves your touch every second of every fucking day. Every cell in my body belongs to you. My every thought belongs to you, is about you. All the air in my lungs is taken thinking only of you.”
My grip on her throat tightens in reflex. How?
“I’m sorry it took me so long to realize it. You told me you wouldn’t ask for more than you were willing to give, yet I couldn’t bring myself to even hope that someone as beautiful and amazing as you could really love me. Love me for me, not because you were stuck with me, want me for me, not because you didn’t have a choice.”
Anger burns through me at her doubting how amazing she is. “Jesus, Regina, I took one look at you and it was over. I was dead. Who I was before I met you was done and dusted. But fuck, it scared the shit out of me. I didn’t know up from down, right from left. You are my heart. I will do anything to protect you. I can’t lose you, but this world is so fucked up. If anyone knew I would burn everything down for you, walk away from it and everything I have ever known for you, you wouldn’t be safe.”
Her hand, so soft and gentle, matches her smile as she caresses my cheek. “I’m not going anywhere. I know you’ll keep me safe. I trust you with all of me. No one can take me from you, not if you love me. I’m always with you. Always, until you draw your last breath. The same way you’re always with me. Trust in us. Trust that we’ll get through each day together. We’ll take it one day at a time.”
“I love you, Regina. With everything in me, now and forever.” It isn’t nearly as hard as I thought it would be to say it. Especially when my reward is seeing love shining right back at me.
***
Regina
As the doctor speaks Dominic’s hand takes mine, squeezing it tight. Closing my eyes, once again I’m so grateful for his love and his patience. I don’t know why I’m surprised. There has been a niggling sense of unease, of something bad hanging over us. Being told you’re basically infertile by a doctor couldn’t be worse when all you’ve ever wanted was a family of your own.
The doctor takes a deep breath. “You are not infertile, Mrs. Sabatini. It will take some work. You will need surgery to clear the benign tumors in the uterine wall. Once that is done, with the whole reason you came to me, in order to select the sex of your children there is every reason to believe this will be a success. You’re younger than ninety-nine percent of my patients, your egg production is high and healthy on its own which is the hardest part of this for most women. Your husband’s sperm rate is also high and healthy. I understand this wasn’t what you expected to hear. However, you are by no means infertile. There is every reason to believe you could conceive on your own without assistance.”