“Fuck, you look incredible,” I whisper, aware that my voice is hoarse and rough. I can feel my cock swell in my jeans as I look at her.
“For a moment I thought you were mad, but hold up with that, what is this?” she whispers, now looking around the room since the storm she thought was brewing is not coming. Yet. “I was wondering where your torture room would be.”
“A torture room?”
“I’m reading sexy dark mafia books right now, don’t break my high,” she says. I shake my head. Those damn books. There’s a new shipping that arrives at my office every fucking day, full of paperbacks. “So, what is this and why are you standing in the dark?”
“This,” I start, grabbing her hand and flip on the lights with the small remote on my hand. “Is your ballet studio. Or torture room as it were.”
“Oh my God,” Mia gasps, looking down at me. “This is, just Oh my God.”
“When we were laid up in that hospital after the fight of our fucking fight, you told me you’d never dance again,” I start. “I have to fucking admit, Mia, that fucked me up.”
And there it is, the one that’s been plaguing me for years.
“It fucked me up all those years we were apart and it’s because of that, that I had this house built. I only wanted to give you this. Ballet was your dream once, then Nancy got ill, that fucking Paris bullshit company had the audacity to reject you and it hurt you, but baby, I want to help heal every ache you ever sustained. Including the dreams you let go off because at the time it hurt to accept the denial and the shitty reality we were plunged into.”
“Julian, I don’t know what to say,” she says, looking at me. It’s then that I see tears trail down her face.
“I just want an answer, baby,”
And it’s with that hanging in the air between us that I drop down on one knee, holding her tiny, soft hand in mine, looking up into the bluest eyes that anchor me when all else sinks.
“Mia.”
“Oh fuck,” she whispers.
“I’m a hard man. I’m greedy and I know how to be fucking selfish, especially when it comes to you, but fuck if I’ll go through this life without you tied down to me in every way that counts.”
She sniffles, looking down at me. Then suddenly she knees down in front of me and cups my face in her hands, tears glistening in her eyes.
“You, Julian Fitzgerald are the biggest asshole I’ve ever met in my life. You were mean when we met but you… you were the first to really see through the bullshit You saw me, and you still somehow claimed me in that hospital and I… my heart hasn’t been the same ever since.”
Ah fuck.
Why am I about to be a fucking mess?
Aren’t girls supposed to the one who fucking feel like their hearts are being ripped out of their chests then thrown into the opening number of The Lion King?
“The truth is, I’m also greedy. Maybe I never told you that.”
“Baby, be as greedy as you want, just let me have you,” I all but pant, pulling her to me. “Forget that fucking contract and everything else, just let me have you for forever.”
“How can I say no to that when I want you too, Julian?” she says breathless. “If you’ll have us, Julian, I’d like that.”
I frown, confused.
“Wait, us? Who is us?”
She blinks at me, her large eyes watching me as she produces something I hadn’t even seen when she walked in, mesmerized by her.
A fucking pregnancy test.
“Mia?” I whisper.
“I’m pregnant, Julian.”
“See, I told you, now give me my Benjamin Frank,” a voice says from the door. We look up only to see Cole and Liam, Dad and Nicky standing just inside the door, watching us.
“Shh,” Cole whispers
“No way, pay up! I was right. She’s preggers,” Liam says. “Hey Dad, is that how they kissed when they were nothing but babies? Dude, J is a major ladies’ man, I’m telling you.”
“I guess we know where you got it from, side-hustling sisters.”
“Shh, give me my money.”
“Yeah, but I don’t have cash right now,” Cole mutters. “Hey Mr. Fitz, can I have a hundred?”
I watch as my Dad actually pulls his wallet and takes out a hundred which Cole proceeds to give Liam.
“There, keeping the wealth in the family. Now, shut up,” Cole says, then they all turn back to look at us.
“Oh, did we interrupt the show?”
“Get the fuck out of here!” I snap.
Nicky is giggling but I think she shoots Mia a wink before she and Dad leave.
“Oops,” Liam mutters then he swivels around on his heel, but before he leaves, he looks back at us. “You go, Mia! Can’t wait to see you domesticate this savage!”
“Get out!” I demand. This time, he actually listens.
Cole remains though, watching us with a small smile on his face.
“No one deserves this happiness more than the two of you,” my best friend says, as he turns to leave. But before he steps out, he looks at us and says, “Hey Siri, play Godspeed by Frank Ocean.”
And that’s the fucking soundtrack of how I fucking feel right now.
Mia looks at me, and I just drown in the depths of the eyes that know me better than I know myself as Frank starts crooning, I ask her.
“Marry me, Mia,” I whisper. “I promise on my life you and the family we’re going to make will always be safe, cherished and fucking loved. Just say yes, baby.”
“God, Julian,” she says huskily. “You had me at hello and when you kissed me… yes! I’ll marry you.”
I place my hand tentatively over her belly, looking into her eyes.
“You’re both mine,” I whisper. “But especially you. You are mine, Mia, and you’ll kiss me forever.”
“I promise you forever, Julian,” she murmurs against my lips. “I already did. That day in the hospital all those years ago when you were being a jerk and I was nosy.”
“Well, I guess my assholery and your inability to mind your fucking business have brought us here.”
“Urgh, shut up and kiss me, you asshole,” she demands.
And here, right in this studio, a replica of the one I used to stand I. the shadows, watching her dance… in the house I built for us, is where our actually life starts.
As I kiss her, communicating everything I sometimes fail to tell her, I can’t help but fall deeper for her.
I guess everyone else lost. Like I said. No one wins against me.
But now, no one can win against us.
Afterword
Here we are, saying goodbye to one of my favorite couples. Thank you for patiently waiting for this one. I hate conclusions, but alas, they must be given and given without holding back anything.
But for my worlds, it’s never really goodbye. These two deserve to be happy, but I can’t wait to see where Mia and Julian pop up in Liam’s book! Wish him luck! He’s going to need it.
Thank you so much to my lovely Spitfires. Thank you for still riding with me and making this experience so incredible and worth it!
Sammy and Amanda, you know what it is. I adore you.