Page 111 of Bedlam
“Please, can we cuddle and watch scary movies after you make me cum at least four times?” I request and he laughs.
“Of course. Ya know, I can’t help but thank you for bulldozing your way into our lives and loving us.” He says with a huge smile.
“Rio, I love you. I love you so fucking much and I can’t wait for our babies to be born, and watch you be a dad, and have these girls wrapped around your little finger.” I admit and he smiles.
“Me too baby, soon enough they will be here and I’ll have two more girls to love just as much as I love you.” He says kissing my nose.
“Take me home, Big Man.” I order and he nods his head.
That night, we’re eating dessert as a family while watching Monster House with Jaxon when I realized we needed milk. I get up from the couch and grab my keys but a throat clears.
“And where the fuck do you think you’re off too?” Jamie scolds.
“We need milk, I fucking forgot it.” I say, feeling like a failure because that’s the one thing I shouldn't ever forget. Taking the keys from me he kisses my nose.
“I’ll go, it's not a big deal.” Jamie says.
“But the contractor is on the way. I’ll just go, it's fine.” I say and he growls causing me to roll my eyes.
“I’ll go!” Spade yells over us and I laugh.
“Nope, you can’t go, it's your turn to give him a bath, hence why I will go.” I say as Jaxon pulls at my pants.
“Milky, milky milky.” He says and I laugh bending down.
“Yes, baby. I’m going to go get it.” I say standing up, putting a hand to my belly as I feel a kick in my stomach.
“I got the milk.” Dario shouts from the front door and I chase after him.
“Rio, hold on, baby.” I yell as he approaches his Suburban.
“I’ll be right back, Kitten. Get your butt inside.” He orders.
“Come here, the babies are kicking. Come feel this.” I say excitedly. Holy shit there it is again. I take his hands and place them on my belly, letting him feel his babies.
“Holy shit, holy fucking shit.” He says as he crouches down, not letting go of my stomach. “It’s your dad, kick again girls. Holy shit they’re strong.” He says looking up at me. “I can’t wait to meet you. I gotta run and get your big brother milk. I love you Hazel, I love you Haven.” He says kissing my belly as he stands. He cups my face, kissing my lips sweetly.
“Thank you, baby. I’ve been waiting to feel them. Now, get in the house. I’ll be right back.” He whispers against my lips, kissing me again.
“Okay, hurry up. I love you Big Man. Oh, and grab me a KitKat, please.” I smile and he nods.
“Anything for my girls, now get inside.” He says with a smirk, unlocking the truck and getting in. I turn, heading back to the front door when a whizzing sound stops me in my tracks and my heart drops out of my chest. I spin, looking back at the SUV. I scream for the man I love to death as his eyes snap to mine.I start to go to him, but he just looks at me and gives me a slight shake of his head,“I love you” he mouths and tears pour down my face while I scream for him again.
“Rio!” And just like that, the SUV explodes into the air sending me flying back across the cold pavement. My head bounces off the Ram’s tirewell so fucking hard that my vision goes white and I’m momentarily blind. Shards of glass litter my skin and face, feeling the sharp objects cutting through my skin as the heat of the blast becomes hotter and hotter. My whole world comes crumbling down as the night sky fills with fire and smoke.
I cough as more smoke fills the air and I can’t help but scream for the man I love. My vision starts to spin as I try to sit up, but it’s no use, I scream and scream for help, but no one comes. I close my eyes and whisper, “Nooo…Dario, please, you can’t leaveme. Stay with me, please. Stay with us. We love you. Please. I can’t do this without you.”
A sharp pain stabs my stomach and I scream again. “Help, someone help us.” I bring my hands to my stomach as I lay there, looking up into the night sky as everything goes black.
Epilogue
Five months later…
The sun has started to slowly set, relieving me of the hot sun beating against my skin as I walk down the path to the cemetery. I haven’t been able to bring myself to come here, mostly because it makes it real and I don’t want it to be. I still smell him, feel him, everywhere. I swear I see his beautiful face in a packed crowd and hear him whisper, “Kitten” even when it’s loud. What I would give to see him again, to kiss him, hold him, just be in his presence one more fucking time. We are all suffering without him. Nothing is the fucking same, and it’s because even though they have always said I’m the glue, they were wrong. Dario was the glue; is the glue. He made sure we were all okay, taken care of. He kept everyone in line and now? Now we are all lost. There’s days I can’t even get out of bed because I’d rather dream, dream of the man I truly cannot live without. The others havetried to help the best they can, but we all feel it. We all feel the loss of him. It lingers in the air so potently.
Rubbing my belly as the twins kick and stretch out in my enormous stomach, I slow my pace as I round the corner of the crypt we had made for our loved ones. It was Ryder’s idea to have everyone in an enclosed mausoleum. Walking up the steps, the wind blows against my skin. I take a deep breath and open the glass door.
Stepping inside, I shiver looking at all the names; I sit on the cold concrete bench, running my finger over the engraved D as tears stream down my face. Falling to my knees, I sob, holding my belly. “How do you expect me to live without you? I can’t, Rio. I miss you so fucking much it hurts. Why? It wasn’t your time and I know you would argue that, but fuck you, Dario! You were meant for so much more. I shouldn't be here. We should be celebrating our babies being born next month, together. Now I have to do it without you. How fucking dare you do that to me. Why did you get in the truck? Why didn't you get out? We could’ve saved you. Why? Why!” I scream as I sob. This is why I haven’t come here. This is too hard. I didn’t want to face it. I didn’t want to face it all those months ago and I hate that I am now. “I just want to feel you, Big Man. Please. What I would give to just have one more fucking minute looking into your eyes, feeling your soft lips against mine and your rough hands holding me, protecting me; us.” I hiccup. “I love you, and I don’t know how to navigate this life with your brothers by myself. I’m lost just like they are.” I whisper as the babies kick. “I promise to tell your daughters everything about you and never ever let them forget you.” I grip the bench using it to pick myself up off the dirt floor. I stand, wiping my tears as the door opens to my left. I can’t make out the figure now that the sun has set. The hairs on the back of my neck stand at attention, alerting me that whoever this is, is a threat. I grip my knife on my right leg as I turn toface the person. A sharp pain laces my stomach, causing me to be momentarily stunned as the figure removes the knife from my stomach just to stab me again, only this time, twisting it inside me.