Britney POV
“I heard Noah was rushed to the hospital yesterday.” I hurriedly asked Hanna when she answered my call.
I did not think she would answer because, in the past weeks, she refused to take my calls and would just ignore them.
I was about to end the call in dismay when the call came through. Must be a stroke of luck.
Hanna picked up my call, but my excitement plummeted upon hearing her lackluster response.
“I don’t know what you are talking about.” Hanna sounded tired, but I couldn’t end the call without confirmation.
“It was all over the news. Someone attacked Noah at the Rosewood Hotel. Where was he admitted?” I asked.
Noah POV“Daddy!”“Daddy!”“Daddy!”Briana and I were cuddling in my bed when the door to my room was flung wide open before our three boys appeared. They smiled when they spotted us and raced toward us, crying happily.They hurriedly climbed the bed and squished their soft little bodies between us.Briana laughed when she got pushed to the extreme side, and the children occupied the center of the bed.I, too, wiggled my body near the edge to give them room while hugging the three of them in my arms. Their little bodies endured my embrace for a while before they started wiggling, wanting to be free.I released them.“You are not sick,” Riley commented when he did not see medical devices attached to my body.“I told you I am not.” I agreed.“So, why are they keeping you here?” He asked.I lifted a hand to tousle his downy hair and smiled indulgently at my firstborn son.I never realized that I could miss this little person so much. My heart almost ached.“I asked them to keep me here s
Briana POVLunchtime came, and the kids started fussing."I am hungry, Mommy," Mason whispered in my ears."What are you murmuring about?" Noah asked.His voice was laced with interest."We are hungry, Daddy," Riley spoke for his brother.There was a knock on the door.Brixx jumped from the bed to run excitedly toward the door.He opened it a crack."Lunch is ready!" Chris announced.Brixx opened the door wider to let Chris pass."Yay! Food!"
Noah POVWhile Briana was busy preparing our things, I put the kids to sleep on my bed.I sat on the edge of the bed and watched them.Riley sleeps like he owns the bed. He was lying on his back while his brother, Brixx, lay on his side with his hands tucked under his cheek. Mason, on the other hand, lay on the opposite side of his brother.“You had been staring at the triplets too long,” Brina commented. “Do you miss me, wife?” I asked teasingly and felt satisfaction when she looked like a cornered cat looking for an escape.I left the bed and walked to the chair next to her. Then, I pulled Briana toward me. She landed on my lap.“Noah.”“What?”She was blushing.“The children might wake up?”I arched my brow. “So?”I wrapped my arms around her waist and burrowed my face on the back of her head. I took a whiff and smelled her shampoo.“You smell divine, wife.” I let the word wife roll on my tongue, reveling at the sound.It was like I was on a discovery, and the shock of knowing we
Noah POVThe children started to stir, and that’s when I let Briana go.She went to get her phone to call the nannies to pack the kids’s things as well as her own and instructed them to transfer their belongings to my house, which was just across the street from her home.I called Ed to ask his men to help with my family’s transfer.When the children woke up, Briana let them adjust for a while.“They’ll have tantrums if we bundle them up immediately.” So, we let them toast on the bed for a little longer until they were fully awake.“Where are you going?” I asked when Riley clambered down the bed while I supported him.
Briana POVWhen we got home, my brothers already knew about our planned transfer to Noah’s home.“Do you think it’s wise?” Rowan pulled me aside so we could talk away from Noah and the kids.I nodded at my brother. “We need to start acting like a family,” I told him.“What if he changed his mind again? What if he decided later that he does not want you and the kids?”I shook my head as if to ward off what my brother said. The mere suggestion caused a stir in my heart, making it unsettled.“That was before. Noah only divorced me because he had amnesia.” I blurted out. I gathered there was no way my protective brother would approve of the move if he did not know what drove Noah to do what he did five years ago.I watched Rowan’s face for his reaction. A frown formed on my face when I realized Rowan did not look the least bit surprised by what I revealed.“You know about it?”Rowan nodded slowly. “I got information, but it was not confirmed.”“And you did not bother to tell me?”Rowan
Noah POVFinally, after a long time, Briana and the children could escape their uncles. It was a memorable night. Too many things had happened.While we were having dinner, Marcus came with Martina, to everyone’s shock.Martina looked like she wanted to disappear when everyone stared at her with a frown.She tried to flee, but Marcus held her in a tight grip. She couldn’t leave even if she wanted to.“Everyone,” Marcus called for our attention.Then, he pulled Martina forward and raised their entwined fingers to show us their rings.“Meet Martina, my wife.”No one said a word. It must be because everyone was taking it all in.Martina blushed profusely. She looked ill at ease at the silent reception.Her reaction drove me to break the ice.I understand how hard it must be for her to face the Fords.“Congratulations!” I said and rose to my feet.I walked toward them, arms extended toward the newlyweds.Marcus shook my hand.“Thanks, bro.” He clapped me on the back.Then, Martina’s tu
Briana POVI smiled through our kiss when I felt his surprise.Usually, Noah initiates our kiss, but tonight, with my heart near to bursting, I felt like I could not hold back anymore. I kissed Noah like there was no tomorrow.At first, I thought he would decline me, like when he refused to take me when I offered him my body. I would seriously harm him if he didn’t take my invitation. I am so glad that he took my lead and kissed me back. This time, he kissed with fervor. His natural heat inflamed me – melting me into submission. Though I initiated our kiss, Noah took the lead from me. He immediately took control of the situation. He nibbled my lips and sucked on them. I responded with equal heat. I kissed Noah with all that I’ve got and smiled through our fused lips when I heard him groan. But before I could fully digest what was happening, Noah lifted me into his arms and carried me to his bed. He was so gentle, so slow that I almost cried when he finally made us one. “I love
Noah POVWe began to settle into a kind of routine.Mornings are always busy. Briana’s brothers would cross the street to share breakfast with us.At first, I thought the children would have difficulty adjusting to our new setup, but Briana’s brothers made it easy.As with their old house, they would share breakfast or dinner with our family.“Good morning, my triplets.” I greeted the children when I saw them sitting on their haunches outside our room.Briana was still asleep when I left our room to cook breakfast for my family.I was surprised to see them waiting for me.“Daddy! We are hungry!” Riley rose from his sitting position to demand.His two brothers followed him, and they crowded on me.I crouched low so I could meet their gazes.“Did you have a good night’s sleep?” I asked.The three nodded. “It’s nice waking up in our new home.” They chorused.I smiled, thrilled at their response. I thought that uprooting them from their home and forcing them to adjust to living in our n
Flint POVI could not believe it.Brinaa had us arrested! The f*ck!After the police handcuffed the three of us, Briana took our phones.“Why are you confiscating our phones? I need that!” Marcus cried.Between the three of us, he was the most uncooperative and talkative.Briana ignored him. “You will get your phones later. For now, I am going to keep it.” She promised before the police officers led us out of her study.Downstairs, I saw the household staff gathered in
Flint POVRowan’s question, asking me about fathering Anna’s baby, hangs in the air.It wrapped around us like an elephant in the room.I took in my brothers’ look, feeling like the odd man out.Can’t I be man enough to take on my responsibility? Can I not be trusted to care for my own family?The dam inside me burst, and I lashed out at my brother, Rowan.“Yes, so don’t cross my line and stop meddling in my wife’s life. They don’t need you.”Rowan stared m
Flint POV“I am not talking to you, Flint. You embarrassed me in front of Linda, and that was unforgivable.”I winced, feeling guilty.In my eagerness to defend my family, I had forgotten that Briana was never an enemy.She was my sister.“I am sorry.”“I am just looking out for you. Haven’t you forgotten how hard women tried to trap you into marriage, not because they loved you but because they loved what you represented?” She lashed out at me.I chuckled. &ldqu
Anna/Linda POV“Hey, sis! ” Flint walked toward his sister with a wriggling Penelope in his arms.When he reached her, he stooped to kiss her cheeks.Penelope saw what he did and did the same. She kissed Briana’s cheek.Briana was left stunned, especially when Penelope showed her natural cuteness.She bounced in Flint’s arms, raising her hands to clap."Yay! Kwin ver gud!" Penelope said in a stilted manner.On the other hand, Flint looked like he was ready to burst into pride. He puffed
Anna/Linda POVWe spent three days secluded in the exclusive villa Flint rented for us. It was nothing short of idyllic. Penelope had a wonderful time. “Dad-dy!” She squealed and jumped on her little feet to evade the coming waves. “Bubbles!” She would cry in gibberish, pointing at the sea foam that crowded her feet and ankles. Then she would run to Flint, and Flint would swoop down to capture her and put her to dry sand. Then, she would stroll toward the waves again, repeating the same actions until Flint rescues her.“You are silent,” Flint said when he deposited Penelope beside me. I was sitting on the sand with my legs stretched out in front of me. He quickly worked on the sand, digging with his hands and throwing them to cover my legs. It attracted Penelope, and she mimicked her father. She took clumps of sand in her hands and threw them to my legs. “You need a spade, my little Queen,” Flint said.He looked around our surroundings before his eyes focused on something no
Flint POVAfter dinner, I was excited to put Penelope to sleep, but to my chagrin, she wouldn’t sleep however hard I coaxed her.She was too busy playing with the rose petals. She kept stepping on them while she walked around our rented villa.“Maybe she loved the downy feel of the rose petals on her soles.” Anna offered a likely explanation for our daughter’s seeming propensity for the flowers.She even pulled her shoes off before she jumped, skipped, and kicked on the petals covering the floor.I dropped my head playfully in response, but inside, I was dying for Penelope to lay her head on the bed so t
Flint POVI saw a myriad of emotions playing on Anna’s face and it made me want to crush her to my chest to offer assurance. I am a Ford.I have everything, but when it comes to Anna, I felt lacking as a man. Of course, it was different with our daughter.Would it be selfish of me if I wanted to be the only man for her, not just the father of her daughter? I wanted to be the best man for them both. “One day, I will make you fall in love with me,” I told her and saw her taken aback. I wanted to add that I will erase every feeling she has for my brother.I will be the only man she would need. The wedding ended. “Congratulations.” The priest held out his hand to send us his best wishes. He even patted Penelope’s head, making her giggle. “You have a lovely daughter.” He told us.Anna and I exchanged a look. She smiled, feeling proud of our daughter. I was, too. We did not linger. Our group left the church and ended up in the parking lot, where we went in separate directions.
Anna/Linda POVIt was not a grand wedding.The only attendees to our wedding were Flint, Penelope, and me.A man I did not know rose from the back pew to approach us."Goldstone!" Flint said in greeting when the man neared us.They shook hands while my eyes surveyed the church.A red carpet was laid in the center aisle decked with flowers. The church was prepped for a simple and solemn wedding."This is Anna, my soon-to-be wife. My Queen, I want you to meet Goldstone, our family's magician. He solv
Anna/Linda POVThe whole ride to Flint’s home, Penelope clung to her father.It was not a problem since Flint did not want to let her go either. He would point out the other cars outside the window, and Penelope would watch them race past us. Sometimes, he would make faces at her, and she would try to mimic them.They also played peek-a-boo. From time to time, Flint would cover his face with his palm, and Penelope would pull up or down the hand that blocked his face from her sight. And when she exposed his face, Flint would cry.“Peek-a-boo!” “Boo!” Penelope would shout before she broke into giggles. From time to time, the father-daughter tandem would include me in their play. When Flint noticed I was looking outside the window, he would pull me close to him and our daughter. One time, he wrapped an arm around my waist while his other hand supported Penelope, who bounced on his lap, enjoying the ride. It was a rare treat for Penelope.What makes this moment even more special