Page 104 of Mile High Baby

The tug-of-war battled in his eyes. He didn't like that Alex was the father of my child, and at the same time, I could see that the news made him happy. It was always him and me against the world. Even when my grandparents were alive, it always felt like just the two of us. But now that I was having a baby, the family was growing.

"Fuck." He reached out, tugging me in and giving me a hug. "You're going to be a beautiful, wonderful mother, Tori."

I squeezed him tight, feeling grateful that his love for me overcame his dislike of Alex.

When he pulled away, he put his hands on his hips and glared at Alex. "If you fuck this up, I will come after you and I will finish what Pitney started."

"Dad!"

Alex flinched as his experience with Pitney was still raw, occasionally waking him up in the middle of the night from a bad dream.

But he nodded. "If I fuck this up, Henry, I will deserve worse than what Pitney inflicted on me."

My father extended his hand to Alex. Alex took it and they shook. We still weren't meshed as a family, but it was progress.

There was reallyno reason to wait to get married. Perhaps it was vanity since I wanted to wear a pretty dress before my pregnancy showed. So, less than a month later, I was standing on the beach out at our house in the Hamptons, getting ready to join my life with Alex's.

I had to beg and plead to get Samantha to agree to be my maid of honor. I told her she didn’t need to do the usual maid-of-honor chores. I just wanted her there with me on the best day of my life.

My father told me that it was selfish of me to do that when Samantha had her hands full with her mother. Luckily for me, her mother supported the plan and agreed to attend too. She said she wanted to fill her remaining days with proof that life was happy and good.

Then I had to convince my father to walk me up the aisle.

"Your own woman, Victoria. You don't need me to give you away."

"No. But you’re a part of this. Our families are joining." I didn’t understand his resistance. Sure, he still was upset about Alex, but this was my wedding.

He continued to hem and haw, but then I pressed my hand over my belly and my eyes welled with tears, which definitely was a manipulation. “Please, Dad. It would make me happy.” Luckily, it worked.

So here I was, on the beach, on my father's arm, wearing a lovely lacy tea-length dress, walking toward Alex who was definitely the sexiest, most charming galoot on the beach.

The ceremony was small. Knightly, Mrs. Tillis, and Caroline were there, as family, not as help, since we hired caterers and others to put the day together. Alex invited his father out of duty and seemed surprised when the gentleman showed up. Perhaps this was the start of all our families coming together and growing.

Some of Alex's colleagues from Saint Security were there as well, including Dax and his wife. Dax had made some comment about wanting to see Alex start his great adventure.

Mr. Elliott attended, although was leaving early to get to the airport for his move to London. A few of the other team were there, and two men that I hadn’t met, but apparently one, Archer Graves, was the CEO of Saint Security, and the other, Noel St. Martin, had been the founder.

I was happy that they were all there, but I was happiest of all when I reached Alex and took his hand and then took his name.

After the ceremony, we had a small reception but left an hour later.

Alex was in a hurry to start the honeymoon, and he ushered me into a car and to a private air strip.

"Where are we going?” I asked, giddy with happiness. He had been secretive about our honeymoon plans.

"Anywhere you want to go.” The car pulled up next to a private jet.

"What do you mean?"

"I've chartered an airplane to take us anywhere you want to go."

I bit my lower lip as excitement rushed through me. "Hawaii sounds nice, but I suppose that's pretty stereotypical, isn't it?"

He nodded. “But there's Fiji, Bora Bora, Tahiti."

"Those are long flights? What will we do the whole time?”

He gave me his sexy, wicked smile as he tugged me close. "We’ll think of something.” He kissed me, and it was full of love and promises and a future full of happiness. “Now, Mrs. Sterling, tell me. Where are we going to start our next great adventure?"