When I Lie With You

  “We’ll see,” I said.

  He turned around and looked at me. “You’re wrong, Rory. There is no ‘we’ll see.’” He walked over and sat down next to me on the bed. He put his arm around me and pulled me close to him, kissing the side of my head. “It’s not a request. It’s a command, Rory.”

  I didn’t respond. I sat there enjoying the warmth of him and the tender touch of his lips pressed against my head. I missed him so much and every time he touched me, I became weak for him. But this wasn’t about me anymore. I had two babies to think about. I pulled away from him.

  “Rory, what the hell?” he exclaimed.

  I remained calm for the sake of my babies. I pointed my finger at him and spoke softly.

  “You don’t get to do this anymore. You don’t get to comfort me whenever it suits you. I needed you the past few weeks and you totally shut me out. You hurt me in ways that I never thought possible. You were the only person in my life I needed the most and you turned your back on me. I don’t know if I can ever forgive you for that. I’m sorry, but I’m still moving to Paris,” I said with tears in my eyes.

  He didn’t say a word, but his eyes started to fill with tears. He got up from the bed and headed towards the door.

  “I’m going to pull the car up. I’ll meet you downstairs,” he said with his back turned.

  A few moments later, Carol came into the room with the papers for me to sign. She helped me into the wheelchair and wheeled me down to the exit where Ian had the car waiting along the curb. He got out and opened the door as I climbed in. The ride home was silent.

  Chapter 35

  Ian and Rory

  My mind was filled with excitement and yet confusion. Twins. I should have known. Rory said she’d never forgive me. What the fuck am I going to do? Seeing my babies on that screen changed me. I couldn’t live without Rory. I needed her and I needed my children. I was wrong before. I got scared and I basically ran. I shut down and I shut her out. Give me those moments back and I’d change everything. The thought of her moving to Paris consumed me and was basically killing me. I felt like I was slowly dying inside and I needed to make things right. We pulled up in the driveway and Rory opened the door before I even had a chance to take the keys out of the ignition. She walked into the house and began walking up the stairs. I felt like she was walking away from me forever and it was too much to bear. Everything I feared flooded my mind at the same time and I couldn’t control it. I began to sob and fell to my knees in the foyer. Rory turned around and stared at me from the stairs.

  “Please, Rory. Please forgive me. I can’t bear to lose you or my children. I need you,” I sobbed as I placed my hands in front of me on the floor.

  Rory

  I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I walked over and put my arm around him.

  “Ian, stop,” I whispered.

  He turned his head and looked at me. I’d never seen him like this before. His eyes were soaked with tears.

  “It’s okay,” I said as I kissed his head.

  “No, it’s not okay, Rory,” he continued to cry.

  We both stood up as he picked me up and carried me up the stairs. He stopped in the hallway and leaned me up against the wall, burying his head into my neck and sobbing like a baby. The only thing I could do was comfort him. I hugged him tightly as we both fell to the ground. I couldn’t hold it in anymore. I began to cry with him as he poured his feelings into me.

  “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. I know I’ve overused that in our relationship, but I am. I need you to forgive me for everything. I was scared to be a father because my father wasn’t exactly a good role model and I didn’t want my child to turn out like me. I was so scared that I would fuck him up and his life and I couldn’t bear the thought of that. I’m so scared that I’m going to be a bad father and that’s why I pushed you away. Just like I did before you went off to Paris. I was so scared of loving you. I’m not a man, Rory, I’m a coward. And you’re right, I don’t deserve a woman like you. I don’t blame you for hating me. I hate me.”

  My heart broke, hearing his words. “I don’t hate you, Ian. I could never hate you. I was angry, so angry.”

  “I know you were and I’m so sorry. I would give anything to go back in time and start over. I need your love, sweetheart. I’m nothing without it.”

  The tears poured from my eyes. “You have my love, Ian. I love you so much,” I said as I cupped his face in my hands.

  “I can’t live without you. I want our family. Please say you’ll stay with me and not move to Paris. I love you so much, Rory, and I love our babies,” he said as he put his hands on my stomach. “I need all three of you.”

  “We need you too, baby,” I cried.

  Ian hugged me and we both stood up. He picked me up and carried me to the bedroom, kissing me the whole way down the hall. He laid me down on the bed and hovered over me, kissing me passionately.

  “I want to make love to you so bad, but I know we have to wait. I miss you, sweetheart,” he said as he lay next to me and I curled up into him. “This is good enough. I just want to hold you forever. No more stress, sweetheart. I promise you there will be no more stress.”

  I looked up at him and softly kissed his lips. “Twins, really?” I laughed.

  A large smile grew across his face. “Two beautiful gifts from God is what they are.”

  Ian

  “When I saw them on the monitor, they became so real to me. Little human beings are growing inside you, Rory. I’m sorry it had to come to this for me to realize what a bastard I am,” I said as I tightened my grip around her. “Adalynn told me off. She hates me now.”

  “She doesn’t hate you, Ian. She’s probably upset with you, and you know we say things we don’t mean when we’re angry.”

  I sighed. She was right and I was going to spend the rest of my life making everything right for Rory and my family. She got up from the bed and I grabbed her hand.

  “Hey, you aren’t allowed out of bed.”

  “I’m only changing into my nightshirt. I’m really uncomfortable in these pants.”

  I watched her as she changed out of her clothes and slipped into her nightshirt. She was so beautiful and I missed her amazing body more than I’d ever thought I could. I sat up so my back was against the headboard of our bed and I spread my legs, inviting her to lie between them.

  “Come here, sweetheart.” I smiled as I held out my hand.

  She smiled as she took my hand and nestled herself between my legs, lying her back against my chest. She looked up at me and I softly brushed my lips against hers. My fingers drifted down to the bottom of her nightshirt and slowly lifted it above her stomach.

  “What are you doing?” She laughed lightly.

  “I want to feel my babies,” I said as I gently placed my hands on her expanding stomach and slowly rubbed back and forth.

  She placed her hands on mine and looked up at me. “I love you.”

  “I love you more, sweetheart. When are we going to start telling people that you’re pregnant?”

  “I think we should wait a little while longer to make sure everything is okay,” she replied.

  “Okay, but you’re not going to be able to hide it too much longer. I don’t want you to worry because everything will be okay. Think positive, sweetheart.”

  Rory

  I stayed on complete bed rest for the next couple of days. Ian made sure I didn’t move except to go to the bathroom and when he wanted me to cuddle with him. The love of my life was back and more attentive than before. Maybe a little too attentive. He worked from home and refused to leave the house. In fact, he brought all of his work to the bedroom because he wouldn’t let me out of his sight. I sent Adalynn a text message, telling her that Ian and I were perfectly fine. I didn’t go into details because I wanted to tell her about the twins in person. She was due back sometime today and she said that she was coming right over as soon as she landed.

  I was in the kitchen, taking my pre-natal vitam
in, when I heard Adalynn’s voice.

  “Where is she?” she asked Ian.

  “It’s great to see you too, Adalynn,” Ian spoke in an irritated tone.

  “I’ll deal with you later. I need to see Rory.”

  She walked into the kitchen and immediately hugged me. “How are you?” she asked as she cupped my face in her hands.

  “I’m good. How was your honeymoon? I want to hear all about it.”

  “We can talk about that another time. Wow, look at you. You’re already starting to show,” she said with a twisted face.

  I smiled at her as Ian walked up behind me and wrapped his arms around me. “We’re having twins,” I said.

  Adalynn’s jaw dropped and Ian chuckled. “What?! Oh my God! Two babies. I’m so happy for you, Rory!”

  “Excuse me! What about me?” Ian said.

  “I’m still pissed at you. You couldn’t deal with one baby and now you’re happy there’s two?” she asked.

  “Yes, Adalynn. I’m very happy, and I saw my babies on the ultrasound at the hospital. You should’ve seen them. They were tiny humans and they were next to each other. I heard their heartbeats. It was the most amazing thing I’d ever seen.”

  “Wow, look at you, Braxton, getting all choked up over your kids. Is he treating you good?” she asked me.

  “Yes, he’s perfect.” I smiled.

  “Okay, then. Come here, you big idiot,” Adalynn said as she held out her arms to Ian.

  They hugged and Adalynn congratulated him. It was great to see that they were good again.

  “I’m going to let the two of you visit. I need to run to the office for a bit. Adalynn, will you keep an eye on her for me?”

  “I sure will. By the way, how’s my company? You didn’t let it go under while I was gone, did you?” she asked hesitantly.

  “Prim is doing great. Nothing came up that I couldn’t handle. In fact, we need to have a meeting. I want to run a few things by you that I believe will put Prim at the top.” He winked.

  She smiled at him as he left the kitchen. “So, it took him to see the babies to finally realize what an ass he was being?”

  “Yeah. You should’ve seen him when he got home from the hospital. He broke down the minute we walked through the door.”

  “What do you mean, he broke down?” she asked with concern.

  “He fell to his knees and started sobbing and apologizing to me. It broke my heart to see him like that.”

  “Wait…wait…wait. You’re telling me that Ian Braxton fell to his knees sobbing? Our Ian?”

  I laughed lightly as I answered her. “Yes, our Ian did that. And then he carried me upstairs and broke down again in the hallway. God, Adalynn, he was so emotional and broken. He was begging me for forgiveness. He went on about being scared and ruining our children’s lives.”

  “At least he came to his senses. I knew he would at some point, but I’m still sorry you had to be put through the ringer with him to begin with.”

  We talked for a couple of more hours and then Ian came home. Adalynn kissed us both goodbye and headed out the door. It was good to have her and Daniel back in Malibu.

  Chapter 36

  Ian

  A couple of more weeks had passed and it was time to tell our families that Rory was pregnant. First thing first, Rory and I had a phone call to make.

  “Ian, my friend, how are you?” Connor answered.

  “I’m great, Connor. Rory and I have some news we’d like to share with you and Ellery. Is she there with you?”

  “Yep, she’s right here. I’ll put you on speaker.”

  “Hi, Ian. Hi, Rory,” Ellery spoke.

  “Hi,” we both said at the same time.

  “So what’s this news? I’m assuming it’s good?” Connor said.

  “Rory’s pregnant and we’re having twins.”

  Ellery screeched in the background. “That’s wonderful news, Ian. Congratulations, Rory,” Connor said.

  “Tell Rory I’m calling her right now!” Ellery said with excitement.

  Rory smiled at me and left the study to get her phone. Connor took me off speaker and we continued to talk.

  “Congratulations, Ian. That’s exciting. We have our hands full with Julia. I can’t imagine two at the same time.”

  “I was shocked at first, but it’s going to be great. Another reason I called was to talk to Ellery and see if she’d be interested in painting a portrait for the nursery, one for each baby.”

  “Ah, she would love that. I’ll talk to her and let know you’ll be giving her a call.”

  “Thanks, Connor. I appreciate it.”

  Connor and I ended our call and I went into the living room where Rory was finishing up her conversation with Ellery. I sat down next to her and put my arm around her.

  “I was thinking about the nursery,” I said.

  “You were?”

  “Yes and I think we should knock out the wall between both guest rooms and make it one huge nursery.”

  “But what about when we have guests over?”

  “We can add on. In fact, I was thinking about building a small house in the back. That way, when we have guest stay with us, they can have their own place.”

  She smiled at me with a devilish grin. “That’s a good idea. Then you’ll have a place to go when I kick you out after a fight.”

  “I knew that was the first thing you’d think of.” I chuckled.

  She leaned over and kissed me. “I love the idea.”

  “Good, because I already called my contractor and went over the plans. It’s going to be perfect. Just you wait and see.” I smiled. “Now, I need to make love to you, so let’s go upstairs. As much as I want to pick you up and carry you, sweetheart, I’m afraid that’s not going to work anymore until after you give birth.”

  “Is that so? Are you saying I’m too fat to carry now?” She smiled playfully at me.

  “No, but you have put on a lot of weight and you’re getting really heavy. But in a good way. Please don’t be mad at me.”

  “I’m not and I know it’s getting harder.”

  “Speaking of harder,” I said as I took her hand and placed it on my hard cock. “We need to get up to the bedroom now!”

  Rory didn’t hesitate as she got up, grabbed my hand, and led us upstairs.

  ****

  “Charles, is everything set for tonight?”

  “Yes, Ian. Don’t worry. I’ve taken care of everything.”

  We told both my parents and Jimmy about the twins. Needless to say, they were extremely excited. Richard wasn’t doing too well. He had his good and bad days. Rory had finally talked him into getting chemotherapy so he would be around when the twins were born. She had a way of dealing with him. He told me the best day of his life was when I was born and he couldn’t be happier that I was going to get to experience that same joy. I wanted to tell him that I was scared, because, to be honest, I still was. I expressed my small fear to Rory and she told me that she was scared too and that we’d conquer it together; one day and one step at a time. Tomorrow was Rory’s doctor’s appointment for a checkup and another ultrasound. I was so excited to see my babies and see how much they’d grown over the past few weeks.

  Rory was out with Adalynn, getting ideas for the nursery, and I had Charles prepare all her favorite foods for dinner. This was going to be a special night because I had some news to tell her. The florist arrived and decorated the patio with a variety of flowers that were all Rory’s favorite. I stepped onto the patio to make sure everything was perfect. The candles were lit, the flowers were in place, and the table was beautifully set. The only thing missing was my beautiful girlfriend. I glanced at my watch and then heard the front door open. I went into the foyer and kissed Rory on the lips.

  “Hi, sweetheart. I’m glad you’re home. I missed you,” I said as I took the bags from her and set them down.

  “I missed you too. Want to see the cute maternity clothes I bought?” She smiled.

  “
Sure, but can it wait until later? Charles made us a wonderful dinner and it’s just about ready.”

  “Oh great. I’m starving,” she said.

  I took her hand and led her to the patio. She gasped when she walked outside. “Oh my God, Ian. It’s beautiful out here. What did you do?” she asked with a tear in her eye.

  “It’s no big deal, sweetheart. Don’t start crying.”

  “Hormones, you know.”

  I couldn’t help but chuckle and kiss her head. “Come sit down, Madame,” I said as I pulled out her chair.

  Charles served us our dinner and Rory’s eyes danced with excitement. “This looks amazing. So what’s the occasion?” she asked.

  “Does there need to be an occasion to cook the mother of my children her favorite foods?”

  “I guess not. But, you didn’t cook.” She winked at me.

  “But I thought up all your favorite foods, sweetheart. Next time, I promise I’ll cook.” I smiled. “Anyway, I wanted to tell you something. We are going on a little trip, providing the doctor says it’s safe for you to travel. I have a meeting I need to be at in New York.”

  “Oh, goodie, I’ll get to see Connor and Ellery,” Rory said in excitement.

  “Yes, sweetheart, we will see Connor and Ellery. But then once we leave New York, we need to fly to Paris for Prim.”

  Her beautiful face lit up with a bright smile. “Paris? Are you serious? We get to go back to Paris?”

  “I knew you’d love the idea, but that’s only if your doctor gives you clearance to go.”

  “Would you go without me?” She pouted.

  There was something about the way she asked that made my heart hurt. I got up from my chair and walked over to her. I knelt down and kissed her expanding stomach. “I would never go anywhere without you or the babies. I’m never leaving you, Rory. Not even for a day. Wherever I go, you and the kids go.” I gently laid my head on her stomach as she ran her hands through my hair.

  “Ian, I love you to pieces, but can I finish eating? We’re hungry.”

  I chuckled as I shook my head. “I love you too. Now feed my kids.” I winked.