LOGINEmily giggled, her tiny toes digging into the soft grains, squealing every time the water splashed against them. River held her securely in one arm while Jace held River’s hand with the other, creating a perfect circle of warmth, love, and protection. The three of them had been through so much, fought so many battles, and yet here they were, alive, whole, and together.River looked down at Emily’s small, cherubic face, her eyes wide with wonder as she pointed at the waves. “Look, Daddy! Water!” she squealed. Her little voice made River’s chest tighten with love. He bent slightly to kiss her forehead.“You love the water, huh, baby girl?” River whispered. Emily responded with a squeal and clutched his neck tighter, making him laugh softly.Jace watched the scene unfold and felt a warmth fill his chest. He couldn’t help but smile at how natural this felt. “You’ve got her wrapped around your finger already,” he said teasingly, ruffling River’s hair.River chuckled, careful not to disturb
Mirinda paced around her small living room with slow, angry steps. Her hands trembled even though she kept telling herself she had done the right thing. Emily was asleep on the couch, wrapped in a soft blanket Mirinda had found in her closet. She hadn’t hurt the baby. She couldn’t. Emily was innocent. But every time Mirinda looked at the child’s small face, something twisted inside her chest.“That baby should have been mine,” she whispered to herself, voice shaking. “River should have been mine. We were supposed to start over.”But River had chosen Jace. And Mirinda could not accept that.She knelt beside the couch and stared at Emily again. The baby exhaled gently and moved one of her tiny hands. Mirinda softened a little.“I’m not a monster,” she whispered. “I took care of you. I fed you. I kept you warm. I didn’t hurt you.”Her words didn’t comfort her. Deep inside, she knew she had crossed a line she could never return from. But she was lonely, broken, and desperate. And desperat
The morning started so peacefully it almost felt unreal. Jace was in the living room feeding Emily her oatmeal, humming quietly while she kicked her tiny feet. The apartment was warm from the sunlight coming through the wide glass windows. River was upstairs taking a quick shower before heading to a meeting.Everything was calm.Everything felt safe.And Jace had no idea that danger was already standing outside his door.A soft knock echoed from the front entrance.Jace frowned. “Who could that be…?”He wasn’t expecting anyone. Sasha and Leo always texted before coming. The cleaners weren’t due until next week. He wasn’t ordering anything.Emily babbled, smearing oatmeal on her face.“Hold on, baby,” Jace said gently.He carried Emily in his arms and walked toward the door. He looked through the peephole.A woman stood there. Tall. Slim. Pretty. Long dark hair. Serious eyes. She held a small purse in front of her and looked calm, almost too calm.Jace unlocked the first latch but kept
As the weeks passed, River noticed something else too, he missed Jace.Not the man holding bottles, not the man panicking about diapers, not the man humming lullabies at 3 a.m.He missed his husband.The man he kissed slowly. The man who made him blush. The man who whispered things that made his heart race. The man he married with so much love he thought he might explode from it.And every night, when they finally collapsed into bed, Emily asleep in her crib beside them, they were both too tired to even talk. Sometimes River reached out to hold Jace’s hand, but even that tiny movement felt heavy.One evening, after Emily finally drifted off, River lay on his back staring at the ceiling. Jace lay beside him, eyes half-open, looking like a very tired angel.“We need time alone,” River said suddenly.Jace blinked. “What time?”“Some time. Any time.”Jace rubbed his face. “River, I haven’t slept properly in two weeks. If we get alone time, I might just pass out.”River let out a small lau
River thought he had faced hard things in his life. He had survived military missions, gunfire, pain, and even long nights alone in strange countries. But nothing prepared him for waking up at 3 a.m. to the high-pitched cries of a tiny baby with lungs stronger than a siren.He shot up from the bed, disoriented at first. The room was dark. The city lights glowed faintly through the curtains. Beside him, Jace groaned, rolling over and pulling the pillow over his head.“It’s your turn,” Jace mumbled, voice muffled.River snorted. “My turn was two hours ago.”“…Are you sure?” Jace asked weakly.“Yes,” River said, already standing.He was still half-asleep when he made it to the nursery. Emily’s face was red, scrunched like she was furious at the whole world. Her tiny hands waved in the air as she screamed.River lifted her gently, patting her back. “Hey, sweetheart. It’s okay. Daddy’s here.”Emily did not care. She kept crying as if she was telling the house a dramatic story.Jace entered
The morning sun streamed into the penthouse, warm and soft, and Jace woke up slowly with River’s arms wrapped tightly around him. Married life made River even more clingy in the mornings, and honestly, Jace loved it. He turned a little, facing River, and brushed his fingers gently against his cheek. River’s eyes blinked open instantly.“You’re staring again,” River murmured, voice rough with sleep.“I’m admiring,” Jace corrected with a shy smile.River kissed him softly. “Good. Admire your husband all you want.”They stayed like that for a moment, warm and quiet, before Jace finally took a deep breath. “River… can we talk about something important?”River sat up, suddenly alert. “Are you okay?”“Yes. I’m perfect,” Jace said quickly. His fingers played nervously with the bedsheet. “I was just thinking. About… our future.”River’s face softened. “Tell me.”Jace breathed out. “I want us to build something bigger. More… complete. Something that belongs to us both.”River reached out, hold







