Authors: Cassandra Cole
CHAPTER FIVE
Reina didn't walk Irina to the door the led into the master suite. Irina hadn’t really expected her to. She was led to the hallway where she could see the large oak door that she'd pressed her ear against the night before. The image of Reina and Michael was still etched in her mind, though now she could see herself where Reina had been.
She took a deep breath and made her way down the hallway, enjoying the smell of sandalwood and rose that got stronger the closer she got to the room. She stopped at the door and for a moment she considered knocking but decided against announcing herself and just wandered into the room, the bright silks fluttering in the wind behind her.
Michael was in the room already, wrapped in a silk robe. His hair was wet from the shower he'd just taken and he was pouring a mixture of oils into a bowl of water. He looked up at Irina as she entered the room and smiled softly. He seemed calm and excited at the same time. His eyes wanted Irina’s beautiful body and he sighed, opening his arms to her.
"You're awake." He mused, walking over to her and cupping her cheek gently. "Are you alright?"
Irina nodded and leaned into his strong hand, cheeks red with embarrassment. She was covered by the silks but they were sheer and everything underneath them was visible. There wasn’t much left to the imagination.
She looked up at Michael a moment and then looked at the bowl that was sitting beside the bed.
"What is that?"
"Just something to make our experience more enjoyable."
He'd lit candles around the room and soft jazz was playing. It was like something out of a movie and the romantic atmosphere almost made her forget about her conversation with Reina. Almost.
"Reina told me everything." Irina whispered.
Michael's eyes darted over to her and he settled on the bed.
"Did she?" He paused a moment and looked up at Irina. "Are you scared?" He asked.
She sniffled and nodded a little. He frowned and put a hand on her shoulder.
"I'm not going to hurt you, Irina."
"I'm not worried about you hurting me. I'm worried that...I'm only here to pump out babies" she whispered, her eyes wet with unshed tears.
Michael frowned and wrapped his arm around her gently, kissing her temple. "Irina...that is so wrong," He whispered, pulling her close. “I knew from the moment I saw you that I was going to fall in love with you.” He admitted a smile on his face.
“You mean the moment you smelled me?” She asked with a weak smile.
He laughed and kissed the top of her head. “Exactly. We are not in love yet, darling, but believe me, soon we will be over the moon.”
“And what...About Reina?”
“I will always love her. We need to show her that there is room in our hearts for more than one person, Irina. I need you to help me with that. Do you think you can do that?”
Irina nodded and smiled a little. “I think so…”
“Do you believe that I can love you both?”
“Yes..I do…” She whispered, looking up at him, smiling.
If anyone had a big enough heart to love more than one person, it was Michael. She could sense it in him. Michael kissed her forehead gently and pulled away to stroke her cheek.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m...accepting everything.” She said softly. “It won’t happen overnight but I think…I think I could be happy here...With you and Reina.” She said, offering him a smile.
That smile always made his heart melt. He pulled her close and stroked a few stray hairs from her face. He leaned down so that their lips were nearly touching and smiled.
“You’re so beautiful, Irina.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down, closing the space between them easily. Their lips met and electricity surged through Irina. She’d never kissed anyone, let alone made love. She’d been told what to expect but it had been very clinical and matter-of-fact. She hadn’t expected him to light her up the way he did.
As they kissed he pushed her back into the bed, crawling over her body and letting the silk robe fall away. Her body sank into the soft sheets and she moaned into the kiss as every nerve in her body awakened and begged for more.
His fingers ran over her silk clad body, pulling the fabric away impatiently. Now that he was so close to her, kissing and touching her he couldn’t resist her scent or his own desire to take her as his own. Michael moaned into the kisses, treating the silk and throwing it to the floor until only shreds of it hung from her.
Irina felt something firm and hot against her inner thigh and when she looked down she discovered that it was his erect member. She squeaked in embarrassment but he just caught her lips again, distracting her once more. She couldn’t say that she minded, either.
He pulled away enough to reach for the bowl of oils, dipping his fingers into it and letting the sweet smelling water drip onto her skin. She gasped when it hit her skin and slid along her belly and thighs. It was cool at first but eventually warmed and when he ran his fingers over it and spread it all over her body it made the intimate place between her legs ache with need.
Irina moaned his name, pleading for him to take her. She didn’t want to wait anymore and every second that he wasn’t inside of her felt wasted. Her body was trembling with need and her back was arching to try and encourage him to give her more.
He finally settled between her legs and slipped inside of her, moving slowly so as not to hurt her. Irina gasped and arched her back, her fingers digging into his shoulders as she took more and more of him. He was stretching her open and filling her until she couldn’t take anymore. There was a little bit of pain in the beginning but it soon faded to pleasure and she knew she wanted more.
When he pulled back and gave a shallow thrust her breath caught in her throat as a brief, sharp pain shot through her. He had taken her. He’d taken her most intimate gift and she was glad it was Michael. She wanted everything he’d give her.
She offered him a shaky smile and he touched her cheek for a moment, waiting for her to tell him to move. It killed him to wait. Her velvet cavern was so inviting and her scent was driving him crazy. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity she whispered softly in his ear, a breathy moan.
“Please...Michael...More.”
The words fell from her lips like a prayer and he was happy to oblige. Once he started thrusting in and out of her Irina’s world began to spin her body began to vibrate with the promise of an orgasm. Her legs began to shake and her vision became a pinhole as he wrapped his strong arms around her, moving against her with such a deliberate intent on making sure that she felt just as good as he did.
She was moaning his name and whispering in Russian as the ability to speak English got lost in the pleasure that was building inside of her. By the time she was finally tumbling into the abyss of pleasure she was screaming his name, her legs wrapped around his slim waist.
Irina was vaguely aware of Michael finishing inside of her. The hot, thick liquid that filled her until it leaked out onto the sheets was proof that she’d been just as good as he. She was proud that she’d managed to bring him such pleasure. It was that pride that allowed her to slip into a deep sleep almost immediately, her body overwhelmed with the pleasure.
CHAPTER SIX
That night had been the first of many that they would spend together. Irina made sure that Michael and Reina had plenty of time together, but even though she was very cautious not to capitalize all of Michael’s time, Reina still did not like her.
When they passed each other in the halls she would sneer at Irina and avoid her entirely. She never actually did anything to hurt Irina but she avoided her at all costs. All of that anger came to a head, however, when Michael’s sister moved out to live with a human lover in Seattle. When she left she took her son with her and it became too much for Reina.
The small boy had meant the world to Reina and as the weeks turned to months and they didn’t return, Reina fell into a deep depression. The anger that she’d once felt for Irina just turned into a hatred of herself. Reina felt like a failure because she couldn’t have the children that she so desperately wanted.
Even with Reina’s crippling depression, Michael and Irina managed to find love in each other. They would spend evenings in the woods, curled up together, discussing their future, which always included Reina.
Irina was in love, and she knew it. She loved her little family. Michael and Reina were everything to her, even if Reina didn’t love her back. Irina had always been taught to show love to all people and creatures, even if they were cruel to you. She knew that she would break down Reina’s wall eventually. She just had to be patient.
That break would come a few months after Irina found out she was pregnant and about six months after she’d come to America. The pregnancy was a happy surprise and everyone in the house seemed excited, with the exception of Reina, who seemed all but devastated.
When Irina announced her pregnancy, Reina became even more reclusive. She would spend hours alone in a guest room that she had deemed ‘her’ room. Reina had never had her own room before because she always shared it with Michael. Now that this new woman was in the picture she felt the need to have her own space to retreat to.
Irina was bringing Reina dinner to her room, as the woman had stopped eating with them entirely. Irina’s baby bump was just beginning to show and she could see the desperate sadness in Reina’s eyes every time she saw it.
She pushed the door open and wasn’t surprised to find Reina, draped over the bed in a long t-shirt, reading a book of poetry. Irina set the tray down, saying nothing before turning to leave the room. She stopped in the doorway and looked back at Reina for a moment before returning and sitting on the bed.
“Reina...I...You should come down and spend time with us. We miss you terribly.”
“Nobody misses me. You just feel sorry for me.” She murmured, not setting the book down.
Irina frowned and reached out, gently taking the book and setting it on the nightstand. “That’s not true, Reina...You are a part of this family.”
“There's no place in this house for a useless person like me.” She whispered.
Irina slid to the floor, kneeling in front of Reina and taking the woman’s hands gently. “Reina...You are not useless.” She whispered softly. “We need you to help raise these cubs. Whether they are yours or not, we need you there. You are such a strong woman and you have such a big heart. I know you could give them so much love.”
Reina’s eyes filled with tears and she shook her head. “They...They aren’t mine...They’ll never call me mommy…”
“Yes they will, because you are, Reina! I don’t know why you can’t believe it but you are worth so much more than your ability to have cubs. Michael loves you just the way you are and so do I. The only person in this house who doesn’t love you, is you.” She said, trying desperately to make Reina understand.
Tears started to pour down Reina’s face and she shook her head, dropping her gaze and whimpering, “That’s not...No...I don’t deserve...To be loved.” She sobbed. “All he ever wanted was cubs...All he ever wanted was babies and I couldn’t even...I couldn’t give him that.”
“But he’s stayed with you all this time, Reina,” She said, stroking hair out of her face. “He’s stayed with you because he loves you and I do too. I want you to help raise these cubs, Reina. I don’t know what I’m doing. I’m terrified of being a mother...I’m excited but I’m terrified and I need someone like you to help me get through it and I want to know that someone is going to love these babies just as much as Michael and I do. Please, Reina. We want you to be part of this family.” She pleaded.
Reina let out a choked sob and fell to her knees in front of Irina, wrapping her arms around the women and holding her tight. She cried into Irina’s hair, soaking the girl’s jet black locks with tears.
“I’m so sorry.” She whispered. “I’m so, so sorry. I’ve been so...I’ve been so caught up in this...In my depression I haven’t been able to see how much you cared. I want...I want to feel like a part of this clan again. I want to feel like a part of this family.” She whispered, stroking Irina’s hair as she hid in the woman’s neck.
Irina smiled and turned her head to kiss Reina’s hair.
“That’s all you had to say Reina...Welcome home...Welcome home.” She whispered, rocking the sobbing woman.
They sat together for a long time, holding each other and whispering kind words and apologies back and forth. When Reina had finally calmed down enough to talk again, Irina leaned back and stroked her cheek,
“How about you come downstairs and have dinner with your family?”
Reina nodded and smiled weakly. “I think I’d like that.”
*****
After Reina and Irina patched things up and Reina discovered her place in the clan, things were brighter than they ever had been before. Reina was essential to Irina’s healthy pregnancy and Michael was happy to see the two women getting along. For the first time since Irina had arrived, they were truly a family.
Reina moved all of her things out of the guest bedroom She’d been staying in and now the three of them shared the single king sized mattress in the master suite. The guest room was turned into a nursery for the baby. Painting and decorating was a form of therapy for Reina. She felt like she was contributing something to the baby’s health and well-being even if she wasn’t the one pregnant
Together, Reina and Irina agreed that they wanted a home birth and that Reina would deliver the baby. The idea seemed to make Michael nervous but he eventually gave in, reluctantly agreeing. He had the most up to date birthing technology brought in, of course, and a doctor on standby. The women thought it was a bit of over-kill but they also knew that without it, Michael would have gone crazy with worry.
Irina’s child was born on a beautiful spring day and they named her after the beautiful flowers that grew in the garden. Lily. It was a simple name that spoke so much to the little girl’s character. She was pure, bright and lit up her parent’s life.
Just like Irina promised, Lily grew up with two mothers and a dad. It never seemed strange to the girl that her family was a little different than everyone else’s. For one thing she had several siblings by the time she entered grade school.
Irina loved her children and was determined to have as many as possible and neither Michael nor Reina would deny her that. They loved the children just as much as she and they were all happy to have the big family they’d always wanted.
The children had just been put to bed and Irina was crawling into bed with Michael and Reina. She wiggled between the two and wrapped an arm around each, kissing their temples and smiling softly. They were both still awake and offered a happy sigh in response to the kiss.
“Goodnight, my loves.” Irina hummed as Michael and Reina each wrapped an arm around her and offered her a kiss.
“Goodnight.” Michael murmured, his arm tossed over both the beautiful women.
“Goodnight.” Reina echoed, her arm over Irina and her fingers tangling with Michael’s.
This was heaven as far as Irina was concerned. This was everything she could have possibly wanted in life, even if she hadn’t known it before arriving in New York on that fateful day. She never would have guessed that this would be her life, but she wouldn’t change it for the world. She had never felt so happy or so loved in her life, and while it wasn’t the usual happily ever after...It was her happily ever after.
THE END
Kindle Unlimited subscribers
read this
entire catalog
for FREE!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Ella Hart resides in Seattle, Washington with her two children, husband and pet puddle, Mishka. Ella has been in the Romance writing field for over 8 years, and has recently begun sharing her passion to online readers around the world.