Shackled (The Lord Series) by Carlos

Spencer is the first to notice me.

"Mommy! Mommy!" he says as he runs toward me. When he reaches me, he wraps his arms around my legs. "You look like a princess."

"Thank you. You, too, are very handsome," I say. He lets go of my legs only to grab my hand. "Hungry?" I ask.

"Very!" Spencer exclaims as he drags me after him.

Mose follows us.

When we reach the blanket, Spencer has me sit next to Tyson. "My Daddys told me this is where you have to sit."

Spencer's serious expression makes me laugh. "As long as I get food, I don't care where I sit," I say.

Between conversations, good food-thank you, Grandma Khloe, for helping me cook; your advice saved the dishes I made. They didn't turn out as bad as I thought and laughter, the following hours pass by so fast.

It's been years since I last felt so calm, so peaceful, so protected. I'm not delusional to think this serendipity moment will last forever. Only for today, I want to forget about the Nephilims, the Dukes, Azael, Carlos, and my brother, who are still out there.

Only for today, I will forget about the evil looming over the world, threatening to ruin my newfound happiness. Only for today I want to pretend to have a normal life. Well, as normal as it can be since I have five lovers. They are more than lovers. They are my bondeds.

At some point, Rueben and Jasper get up.

"We are going to check on the horses really quick," Rueben says. I nod absently since Grandma Khloe is telling me about her time in Malta. "Spencer, do you want to come with us?"

I want to tell Rueben to make sure Spencer doesn't get hurt, but then Grandma Khloe changes the subject.

"Our premade house will be here tomorrow. Isn't that right, Jon?" she asks my grandfather.

Tyson and Ansel also get up. Probably to stretch out their legs.

Grandpa Jon takes a sip from his juice before replying, "Yes. We already chose a spot for the house."

Tyson and Grandpa Jon have walked around the lake many times, looking for the right spot for my grandparents' new house. I was aware they had already picked one. "Where?" I ask.

"Across from the cabin."

I like it. It's far enough for me and the guys to have our intimacy but close enough in case I need them. My grandparents are not the type of people to drop by uninvited unless there's an emergency. "I was wrong about something," I say.

"About?" Mose asks. He sits close to me, his eyes on Juniper, who is worse than a toddle. She keeps trying to steal food even after I gave her bread.

As I reply, "Dukes and Lords can get along," I know I'm right. "Not all the Dukes are like Carlos or my brother." I don't mention my father. There's no need since he's dead. God, I hope he rots in Hell for eternity. "Some are good men, like you, Grandpa Jon."

Tears shine in my grandparents' eyes, and for a moment, I panic, thinking I upset them somehow.

Before I can say anything, Grandma Khloe takes my hands into hers. "We weren't always like this. We made many mistakes. But with age comes wisdom." She brings my hands to her mouth and kisses my knuckles. "You have always been like a daughter to me, sweety. Jon and I should have done a better job at protecting you."

If only my grandparents were my real parents.novelbin

It's my turn to kiss my grandma's hands. "I love both of you with all my heart. You protected me when you took Spencer in and raised him with love, telling him about Tyson and me."

Grandpa Jon kisses the top of my head. "You are his mother. It was only right he knew his origins."

I hug them.

Finding Spencer still feels like a dream, one that I never want to wake up from.

"Mommy, look!" Spencer's voice, full of delight, reaches my ears. I'll never get tired of hearing him.

I let go of my grandparents and look in Spencer's direction. My heart almost stops beating when I see him on top of a brown pony. How did the pony get here?

I jump to my feet.

"Be careful that he won't fall!" I say to Jasper, who is next to Spencer and the pony.

Tyson, Rueben, and Ansel are behind them.

A warm smile spreads across Jasper's face. "I'll never let anything happen to our son."

Oh. My. God.

The way Jasper says, 'Our son,' makes my heart melt. If I weren't already in love with him, this would have been the moment he won me forever. I wonder how a baby from the love between Jasper and me would look. A little girl with the same warm brown eyes and skin tone as Jasper. She would be the princess of the house, loved by everyone.

Why am I thinking about another baby when I'm already pregnant?

Rueben is not wrong. I am hormonal.

So what if I want Jasper's baby? Or Ansel's? Or Rueben's? What if I have a baby with each one of my men? It would be so adorable to have the house full-full of love and laughter.

"Do you like my horse, Mommy?" Spencer asks. "It's from Daddy Rueben."

Rueben looks at me sheepishly, probably expecting me to get angry. I go to him and kiss him. "You are such a good dad," I say.

I expect Rueben to deny it, but to my shock, he starts crying. It's so sudden, so unexpected, it leaves me speechless.

Rueben pulls me in his warm embrace. I have never seen Rueben cry before, and I don't know how to react.

"Olivia," he repeats my name several times, his voice thick with emotion. Suddenly, he gets on his knees, his arms tight around my waist, and kisses my belly. "You have no idea what your words mean to me." His pretty turquoise eyes look up at me. Tears keep falling down his cheeks. "I love you so much, Baby. You are my entire world." I never knew Rueben was capable of such beautiful words. His cheek rubs against the baby bump. "Our children as well."

Months ago, I would have never thought Rueben was capable of such love, of such intense emotions. "I love you, too." I look around, wanting to tell the others how much I care about them, but the words die on my lips as I see Tyson, Ansel, Jasper, and Mose kneeling around me.