Just one more chapter to go!

Maximus

We spent two months in the hospital until we could finally take Sophia and Alaric home. They were healthy but the doctors wanted to wait until they were of term to take them home in case anything were to happen.

It sucked, but we were finally given the go ahead to leave. Stella practically sprinted to the car, she hated having to spend so long in her own bed while she recovered from her injuries. She still has to take it easy and go back for check-ups, but she can relax at home.

Thankfully her store was under construction to fix the damage from the truck which has forced her to relax. Currently we have been spending our days at our house, with a large revolving door of family coming in to say 'hi' maybe to Stella and myself; definitely to Alaric and Sophia.

Stepping into the nursery I found my woman off to the side of the twins' cribs. She was smiling down at them and adjusting their blankets. Taking a moment, I leaned against the doorframe, watching the love of my life.

Stella had been worried about being a mom, since she didn't have a good role model with her own Mother. But she has nothing to worry about.

She has been there for them every time they cried, held them, bathed them and cherished them. We may only have had Sophia and Alaric for a short time, but I knew my woman would be an amazing mother.

My heart warmed thinking of my babies.

Our babes were only ever in their cribs for sleep. All day long someone was holding them and giving them attention. Stella joked that we need to make a schedule since so many people want to hold them and would sometimes argue that it was their turn.

After a couple moments, I got off the door, needing my woman and soon enough she was in my arms.

"Let them sleep." I whispered, Stella turning to give me a smile. "We should be taking this opportunity to sleep ourselves, you could use the rest."

Stella's smile turned to a scowl. "You saying I look tired?"

I shook my head knowing I walked into that. "I'm saying, that your body is still healing and we haven't gotten much sleep recently with the little ones waking up countless times during the night."

She let out a tired sigh and leaned against my chest, my arms wrapping around her waist. "True, I'm exhausted. I just wanted to enjoy them when they aren't being fussy."

"They?" I chuckled. "You mean Sophia, she is going to be a handful. Alaric is never fussy, only when his sister demands him to be."

If Sophia cried, Alaric cried. If Sophia awoke, Alaric awoke; it was never the opposite. Sophia may fuss around but Alaric would be perfectly calm.

Stella lifted her head and smiled up at me from my chest. "Sophia must be taking after her Dad already."

Horror filled me and my eyes widen. "Oh god I hope not. I need both of them to take after you, I was not a good child."

I felt Stella kiss under my chin and then relaxed further into me, she was ready to crash. Taking one last look at my sleeping children, I bent down and picked Stella up in my arms. Her legs dangling over my arm and her head resting on my shoulder.

She let out a content sigh and I began walking us towards our bedroom, right next to the nursery. When the kids are older they will have rooms further from us, but for right now she and I agreed to have them next door.

Walking into our room, I head for our king-sized bed, placing Stella gently down.

I dropped onto the bed beside her, grateful for the fact that I had already changed out of my suit, I don't have energy left.

Stella shuffled over, my arm wrapping around her, pulling her body into me. Her head rested on my chest and she looked up at me. This was perfect, going to bed with the woman I love more than my own life with our children in the next room.

"Marry me." I said, my knuckles brushing against her soft cheek.

Stella smiled. "I already said yes."

"You did." I smiled back to her. "But I can't wait any longer, I want you to be my wife."

"You do, do you?" She toyed with me.

Pulling one arm away I reached over into my drawer beside the bed. I opened one of the books that usually held a gun in it but instead at the moment there was a ring box.

I brought the box over to Stella, her eyes wide seeing it. "I found this when I was with Shaw, there hasn't been a good time to give it to you with everything that was going on, but now I can't think of any better time."

I took out the ring from its box, the amber stone and diamonds shining in the low light. When I came back home, I sent it to the jewellers making sure that it would be the right size for her ring finger.

I held the ring up, her eyes sparkling. "When I first proposed to you, you told me that you couldn't accept the ring because it wasn't you and I needed to know you. You were right, that ring was not you. It was too big and flashy, it showed no reflection of who you are as a person."

"Max." Stella whispered, her voice breaking.

I swallowed but kept talking. "I was leaving Shaw's when I passed by a glass case and saw this ring in an open box. The moment I saw it all I could think about was you. When I first saw you, I was a gone. Your strength, love and affection for everyone is admirable. No matter what you have gone through you keep pushing for goodness around you. I want my life with you and my kids to truly start. You're the light of my life Stella."

Stella's eyes were watering, her eyes blinking to fight back tears. "How long have you been practicing that?"

Chuckling I blew a breath. "Would you believe me if I said I made that on the spot?"

Her smile grew. "Did you?"

My hand moved to push a lock of hair behind her ear. "I don't need any preparation to make a speech of how much you mean to me, only the opportunity."

Stella moved, her legs now on either side of me allowing her to straddle my waist. My hands went to her waist and I withheld a groan at this position.

"Stella." I started, my hands gripping her waist tighter when she leaned down to gently brush her lips over mine. "You haven't been cleared by the doctor, please don't start anything that has me spending an hour in a cold shower."

The woman gave a chuckle. "I was only going to kiss you."

I hummed. "Darling a look from you sets my body on fire, you straddling does a lot more." My hand moved to brush her hair off her shoulder and onto her back. "You haven't answered me."

Her arms rested on my chest, her head on them to keep her gaze on mine. "On if I will marry you?"

"Stella?" I drawled. "I love bantering with you, but I'm not sure if I can stay awake or hold patience on this conversation."

A smile was on her face, one that was filled with warmth and mischief. "I'm trying to decide how I want to respond. Do I give a response that is full of hallmark sap or do I say my answer and kiss every part of your body?"

I growl and pinched her hips. "I gave you an Oscar worthy speech and you give me sass? I should spank you for that."

Leaning forward she took my lips in hers, her touch sending fire down my body. With a growl I leaned away from her, regrettably pulling away from her perfect lips that I wanted to take with every breath.

But I can't. We can't.

She pouted above me. "Hey."

"Oh, so it's okay for you to tease me?" I growl under her, fighting the arousal that was burning through my body.

Stella bit her lip and shrugged. "I carried our children for seven months, had a C section, lost my appendix and had bruised ribs."

I growled. "You are playing dirty teasing me, when you know you can't do anything."

She rolled her eyes. "I am saying that you can get off but I can't."

"Well what kind of man would I be if I got off but my woman cannot?" I respond, my cock being very hard and painful under her perfect body. "When you are cleared and the twins old enough, I am booking us a trip to Italy."

"Italy?" She chuckled.

I wiggled my brows. "It's on your list of places to go and far enough away where you won't be twitching to hear about the kids and relax."

Stella huffed. "Your ridiculous, though it would be funny to hear about Lorenzo babysitting the babies."

I hummed. "You still haven't answered my question. A kiss doesn't answer me in the way I'm looking for but it was appreciated."

"Your dam Italian charm." She mumbled, her head going back to rest on my chest and look up to me. "Alright Hallmark, I can give you a speech."

Stella took a moment to gather her thoughts, my hand running up and down her spine. "The moment you came into my life I knew you were trouble, I could blame it on the fact that you had a gunshot wound but I knew deep down that there was more to you than that."

I lightly chuckled remembering our meeting. "One of my favorite memories."

She rolled her eyes. "Of course, it is, you had a dramatic entrance. Anyway, I couldn't help but be drawn to you, I even hoped that I could screw around with you for a bit and then be able to walk away. But I couldn't. You had come into my life and I didn't know how much I needed you, the way that you love me Max takes my breath away."

My knuckles brushed her cheek.

Stella's eyes sparkled. "You Max, are one of the most loyal and loving people I know. Our children may not have been planned, but my love and life with you is exactly what I want. So yes Max, I will marry you. I will marry you next month, next week, tomorrow or right now."

No words have ever sounded so sweet.

"I am calling Lorenzo tomorrow, we can get married at the estate when we are ready." I said with a large smile on my face.

"Sounds perfect." Stella leaned up and kissed me, my lips taking her greedily.

My arm wrapped around her waist holding her above me while my other hand went up into her hair, feeling the soft locks between my fingers.

A cry came over from the baby monitor, the sounds stopping us immediately. Stella groaned and leaned away from me, her body falling off of mine and landing on the bed on her back. "Your daughter is calling your attention."

I chuckled and knew she was right, Sophia is already taking after me and this timing helps prove that. Leaning over I kissed Stella on her lips and slipped out of bed to go feed Sophia.

Walking into the nursery, I head to the crib and picked up my fussy daughter; my son somehow sleeping through his sister's ruckus.

Even though I was exhausted; I couldn't help but love moments like this with my kids.

In this moment, it's simply me and my little girl. In this moment there's nothing but peace.