Marriage by Bargain - Book 2

Chapter Twenty

Two months later...

Naia

"Naia, come on we have to go get your dress fitted," Lia nagged, holding her boys who were now four months old.

Kim on the other hand was trying to drag me off the couch in Zandre's apartment. I considered it mine too but we were house hunting at the moment for a place more suitable for raising children, so I decided to not become too attached.

"No I don't wanna go," I wailed, I was an emotional mess.

"Kimberly please be careful with my pregnant fiancee," Zandre said as he entered the room and took in the scene.

Kim had me by one arm while I held on to the couch for dear life with the other. Lia had a child on each hip and was glaring at me. He walked over and confiscated Matt, allowing Lia to adjust Nick more comfortably in her arms.

"Zandre, make her get up, we have to go do the final fitting for her dress!" Lia complained.

"Why can't we wait till after the baby is born to get married!?" I whined, "I would never have said yes if I'd known it would be so soon."

I honestly never imagined I'd be heavily pregnant on my wedding day. I always thought I'd be beautiful, glowing and not pregnant. I especially didn't expect that I'd have to adjust my dress every two weeks. It was really quite frustrating and I hated feeling like Zandre and I were having a shotgun wedding.

Zandre sighed, "ladies, may I please have a moment with my fiancee?"

We all knew it wasn't a question. Kim let go of me and took Matt from him. They left quietly, although not without sending me a death glare to let me know I hadn't won.

Once we were alone he joined me on the couch and pulled me into his arms, I went willingly but stayed quiet and sulking.

"What's the matter baby?" Zandre asked as he stroked my back in soothing circles.

"Nothing," I said stubbornly.

"Naia, I've been watching you go about our wedding preparations in a sour mood these past few weeks, I was hoping you'd come and tell me what was bothering you but you haven't. I'm tired of waiting so you need to either tell me what's wrong or I'll leave you for the girls to take apart and I'd much rather not do that in your current condition," he said in a serious tone as he grasped my chin in between his thumb and forefinger, forcing me to meet his gaze.

I closed my eyes guiltily not wanting him to know how vain and silly I was being, I just couldn't help the way I was feeling. I was pregnant and hormonal, I'm sure the thug life could understand that I was on maternity leave. I mean this was my wedding, something I'd been dreaming of forever and none of those dreams ever included me looking all round and stuffed full of baby for crying out loud. I didn't realize I was crying until I felt Zandre stroking my cheeks.

"Look at me Xanaia, is it really that bad baby?" He demanded gently.

I couldn't stop the pout my lips formed as I opened my teary eyes to see his worried expression.

"Tell me," he insisted.

"I don't wanna be fat on my wedding day," I whispered stubbornly, his softening expression told me he heard me.

It was hard to continue being a brat when he was so gentle and understanding. Who could ignore that?!

Ugh, how annoying, I grumbled internally, I couldn't even throw a tantrum in peace without his sweetness making me want to let the issue go.

As I refocused, I noted that he was smiling at my vanity. I decided then and there to be petty and use this as ammunition for a full blown tantrum.

"You're laughing at me?" I asked in fake outrage as I pulled out of his embrace and stood, "you don't care about how I feel!" I accused lamely and started to pace the living room with as much sass as I could muster.

I muttered angry nothings into the air for all of two seconds before I was locked against a hard chest that I'd grown to love beyond reason.

"Xanaia, you and I both know that's a lie and that you're not really mad but I'll indulge you this time because you're so cute when you pick a fight. I love you more than anything and anyone I've ever loved in my entire life," he said, placing a peck on my forehead.

I snuggled into his chest, defeated by his honesty yet justifiably outraged at being called cute. There was no cute anything in the thug life! I didn't get to give him a piece of my mind about his choice of words as he proceeded to melt my fake anger further.

"You aren't fat honey, you're pregnant. Pregnant with the baby we made together long before you were ready to even admit that you loved me which incidentally was long after I knew that I loved you. The people who are going to attend the ceremony to witness us commit our lives to each other are persons who know and love you, and who know that we are marrying for love and not because you're going to have my baby soon." He tipped my chin upwards and brushed my lips with his.

"I really, really don't like you," I said with forced annoyance.

He laughed outright at my attempt to cover up how much his words affected me.

"As long as you love me, I'll be more than content with you not liking me," he quipped haughtily.

"Ugh, get off me. I have an appointment to get to," I said with a gentle shove and a fake scowl.

I spent the remainder of the morning with the girls and the twins. My aunt and Lia's mother met up with us for lunch, cooing and playing with the babies while occasionally helping us (Lia and Kim) make decisions regarding the wedding. Lia was really taking her wedding planning duties seriously. I got the distinct feeling that Zandre was glad I had given up the right to plan my wedding, especially since it left more time for us to be together without that particular worry. He still wasn't happy about me also giving up the right to name our first child. He and Lia had reached an agreement that he could object to the name if he didn't like it and that he would get to choose one of the baby's middle names. I, on the other hand was barred from all input since I had given up the right in the first place. In my defense, I really didn't have a choice because Lia was about to revoke our friendship, if I didn't agree to her terms then I'd be best-friendless and planning my own wedding.

That night, as I laid in the arms of the man I'd be marrying in less than a month, I couldn't help but be quite pleased with how everything worked out in the end. My dad was now a permanent fixture in my life, we had reconnected with the rest our family, my friends were safe, I was going to be a mother and wife and most importantly, Zandre was letting me have a chocolate wedding cake and not that icky fruitcake stuff.

Life was good.