Taming Her Past - Protecting Her Future: BBW Erotic Romance (Hearts of Heroes Book 2) (17 page)

“Luc?” Her soft breathy voice gets me every time. I don’t think she understands yet how much she means to me. How much I care for her.

“Yes,
cuore mio
.”

“I want to adopt Shiloh. I want her to be mine,” she whispers and her eyes fall down to her lap.

Hell yeah.

My heart was already lost to that sweet little girl. We went to see her a week after giving her back to Heather’s care and to her new foster parents. It was really nice of the couple to let us into their home for a visit. After giving Harm a good squeeze and kisses, Shiloh cuddled me on my lap for almost the remainder of the time we were there. She was so excited to see us. Her little chubby hand in mine and the other one in one of Harmony’s, she led us through a tour of her new temporary home. Playground equipment in the backyard seemed safe enough to me. And she had other children, noticeably older than her, but still someone to play with. What I did not tell Harm was when she was cuddling me, a whispered ‘daddy’ came from her lips to my ears before she snuggled deeper into my arms. I know it’s not the manly thing, but my eyes burned with unshed tears. Walking away from Shiloh that day was extremely hard, and now the woman of my heart and dreams is giving me a chance at the family I desperately want.

I smile widely as pictures of our future play in my head. I love what I see.

“Harmony. I want her to be
ours
.” Her head snaps up at my words and her eyes hold shock.

“I fell in love with her just as fast as you did. I want to be your husband and her daddy.”

“Oh I love you. I love you so much, Luccas.”

“I love you too,
cuore mio, mondo mio
. My heart, my world.

Eight months later…

Harmony…

It’s perfect. I never thought I would be here. None of this was in my plan of success.

I gaze at myself in the mirror. The ridiculously smiling woman in white stares back. I am so happy. So glad I detoured and broke free from the lonely track I was on before Luc.

I gave all the fear and rebellion up and I haven’t been happier than these last months. In just a few moments Luc is going to be my husband! Mine, all mine. Well, and Shiloh’s.

The adoption went very smoothly and quick. I catch sight of my little flower girl daughter in the mirror with me and beckon her closer.

“You look like a princess, Mommy.” Her sweet voice warms my heart and I am near bursting with emotion.

“Thank you, my angel. You look like a beautiful princess too.”

“Can I wear this dress all the time? I really
really
like it,” she asks me with hope in her big blue eyes.

Luc and I spoil her something fierce, but there is still lingering fear. She is still afraid to ask for what she wants. Still afraid to be excited about something for fear it will get taken away. We will get there fully. Our biggest hurdle is the honeymoon. Going away for the weekend is going to be incredible, but there will be abandonment issues with her. It has to be done in order to show her that we will come back to be with her.

“Mommy?”

I smile at her and come back to the now. Pulling the white silk and lace up onto my hips a bit, I am able to crouch down to her level.

“Yes, baby doll.”

Shiloh leans over and whispers, the best way a four-year-old can, in my ear. “Daddy gave me something for you!”

“What is it? A flower?” I ask her excitedly. Her blond curls fly with her head shake. “A card?” I ask again. Once again her curls fly around her face when she answers no. “Hmm…I give up. What did Daddy get me?”

Shiloh’s little tinkling laughter follows my question and she reaches under the big ruffles in her dress. She pulls out a little white box. No wrapping paper, but it is tied with a red ribbon. I wink at Shiloh and pull the end of the ribbon away, unwrapping the box.

Taking off the lid, I gasp in shock.

“Daddy says every princess should have a crown. When I go back he is giving me my very own one!”

The beautiful sparkling tiara is beyond words right now. How did I get so lucky?

“It’s beautiful. Tell Daddy thank you so much and I am putting it on right now. Now give me a kiss and go get
your
princess crown.” I get a quick kiss and a whoop from her before she is running out of the dressing room door.

Turning back to the mirror, I settle the tiara in my fixed hair and attach the veil behind it. It is a beautiful day.

I freaked out just a couple days ago about today. It wasn’t cold feet, but it was a huge slide that way. I was second-guessing everything, even Luc’s feelings for me. He set me straight in his normal over the top romantic gestures and I felt better and more secure about the wedding. I hope he never stops doing the romantic things for me. He is Italian…so I hold high hopes in that respect.

I look around me at the fluttering bridesmaids, family, and my maid of honor and smile.

I’m about to be married!

*****

Luccas…

Oh shit. Oh shit.

I unwrap the damn bowtie again and try to straighten out the damn wrinkles I keep putting in it. Stupid things. Where’s Vik when I need him? I never mastered this damn thing, but he can whip a tie into shape in a snap. Where the fuck is my best man!

Viktor got in from his last mission a few days ago, just in time for the wedding. His battle buddy, Killian ‘Reaper’ Graves, arrived with him. I have only met the dude a couple times before, but he’s a good guy. They say it was their last mission and are now free men. Needing a place to stay, Harm and Shiloh moved into my place so Vik and Killian will be staying in Harmony’s old apartment. It will work for a bit, until we can get them some place bigger.

I peek out of the curtain separating the small room I am in from the church atrium, trying to find Vik. I spot Killian propped up in a chair in the way back with his back to the wall. His eyes never stop moving…assessing everything.

A little blur of red and blond pulls my eyes off the warrior and on to my daughter. I love the sound of that. My daughter. Harmony says the adoption went through really quickly, but it still took too long for me. I was ready for a family. I had a feeling, but now I am
sure
I was meant for a big family. Starting with Shiloh. And now…with marrying the woman I love.

“Daddy, Daddy! I gave Mommy her crown! She’s a fairytale princess now, a real one!” Her arms swing around my neck when I bend over to hug her. Lifting her up when I stand, I walk over to the chair and mirror. With us standing just right, I pull out her own princess crown and settle it on the crown of her head. The overhead lights catch the stones and send tiny rainbows scattering over every surface. My little rainbow herself giggles and wraps her arms around my neck tighter.

“Thank you, Daddy.”

“You’re welcome,
angelo mio
.”

Setting her down, I look out the curtain again. Still no luck with that man!

I snatch up a notecard and pen off the little side table and scribble a note quickly. Maybe Killian knows where he is. I hand off the note to Shiloh and send her back to her mom. This ball is about to start rolling and I’ve lost my best man!

*****

Bronwyne…

She is so beautiful. I am so very happy for my sister. She is on her way to a perfect life. Yes, I may be slightly jealous, but she deserves everything she is getting. A wonderful man. A sweet little daughter. A fairytale wedding and a happily ever after.

I stumble a bit on the high heels I was given as I make my way to the white goddess in front of a huge mirror. I slide my arm around her waist when I get next to her and smile in the mirror at her reflection.

“I love you, Bronnie,” she whispers.

“Love you too, sis. You’re gorgeous.”

“You are pretty stunning yourself. I told you I would pick good bridesmaids dresses. And your dress suits you very much,” she says with a wink.

The dark red shimmery fabric molds and curves with my body. A slim black belt rests under my bust with a sparkling buckle and the hem stops just above my knees. Yes, the dress is amazeballs. Me in the dress…not so much. But this is my sister’s wedding day. I will get through my self-consciousness for her. Just for a couple of hours. I have a bag of my normal clothes in my car truck. First chance I get. Dress off, shoes off, and hair down.

In the mirror, my gray eyes are open wide as I see all of my imperfections shown to the world. I feel naked. My nose stud winks in the light and I force myself to concentrate on that. Taking a deep breath, I nod to Harmony who winks at me.

“I know. But you look hot and it’s only for a couple of hours. There is going to be a lot of broken hearts when you leave tonight. You need to work that dress. I swear I am not torturing you. I am trying to help get you out there.” She hugs me before turning away to ask her soon-to-be mother-in-law a question.

I love her…but I wanna slap her sometimes. Or maybe just a small push. I am not really the confrontational type.

“Bronnie? Can you go see if the guys are ready? Please?” my cool and collected mother asks me. Her beaming smile broadcasts her proudness and I can’t hold back my own smile. It’s a good day today.

“Yeah, Mom, I’ll be right back,” I say and turn to walk out the door, shutting it closed behind me.

Now where were the guys supposed to be at?

Walking down hallways and then more hallways, I think I found the room they are supposed to be in. I press my ear to the door but only hear a couple clinks like glass hitting glass. Maybe they are in there doing toasts or something.

I turn the knob and open the door slowly. With a peek into the darker room, I spot someone I am looking for. Opening the door wide, I walk in and paste a smile on my face. He looks great!

“Hey! I was looking for you!” I say.

His eyes land on me but they hold no recognition of me. That’s weird.

Luc straightens his back and thunks a glass of what I am assuming is liquor down onto the running board table. His eyes give me a slow up and down followed by a crooked grin.

“Well hello, beautiful.” His low husky tone does something to my stomach. This is not right. Oh God, this is not right. Yeah, Luc is good looking, but I have never had an attraction to him. He has always been one hundred percent Harmony’s in my mind. What the hell is this?

“Are you feeling okay? Harmony was just wondering if ya’ll are ready?” I ask, titling my head to the side a little more to scrutinize his movements. Something is different about him.

“Oh I am ready, baby. For you.” His words grow even huskier to where if I had ever heard a bedroom voice,
that
would have been up there with one of the greatest. His broad frame moves closer to me, slowly, like I am being hunted.

My natural instincts when up against a predator like this one is to back away. So I follow that instinct and stupidly back myself into a corner. Too late do I realize my back is literally against the wall and Luc is closing in.

What is going on!?

His large callused hand strokes my rounded face and I gasp. This should not be happening. Oh my God no!

His mouth blazes against mine and my eyes roll back into my head at the cinnamon taste of him. His strong tongue teases me and my body trembles. I melt into Luc’s kiss for just an instant before my brain catches up to what’s happening. I pull myself away from his well-dressed muscles and shove him as hard as I can with little results. I think the surprise attack is the only reason he stepped back, a little.

“What the hell, Luccas! You can’t do this! Oh my God you’re marring my sister in like five fucking minutes! That
did not
just happen!” I scream at him.

A wicked-as-sin-and-temptation-itself smile appears on his face and I itch to slap it off. My sister was getting the fairytale and this fucker just screwed it all up. Oh God, Harmony is going to explode.

“What’s your name, beautiful?” Luc asks me.

What?

“You know who I am! What’s wrong with you?”

“Nothing is wrong with me,
gattina
. Except wanting another taste of you.” His hand raises to caress my check and my breath catches.

What do I do? I don’t know what to do! How do I get away? What do I say? This is so wrong. How much did he have to drink!?

“Get away from me! I am telling Harmony and she is going to have your balls. How could you!?” I rail at him and become more and more enraged as his cocky smirk grows bigger and bigger at my words. Before I wholly give in and slap his pretty face, the door opens behind him.

“What the fuck, Vik! I’ve been looking for you. I need help with this stupid tie and the procession starts in four minutes. How am I supposed to get married without my best man? Stop hiding, come on.” Luc walks in talking to the Luc in front of me.

“Sorry, brother, became a bit occupied. Lost track of time.”