Marriage Of Convenience

Chapter 6: King And His Princesses

Jae's POV...Part 1

I sat on the living room floor on top of a pink and purple Disney Princess blanket between my two beautiful princesses. Their boisterous laughter echoed in the room all around me as they picked and prodded at my face and hair. Raleigh was putting miniature ponytails all over my head while Hannah rubbed a glob of lotion onto my face.

"Daddy, do you want to have any more kids?" I hear Hannah asked as she rubs some more lotion onto my face. Raleigh suddenly stops playing in my hair and walks around in front of me.

"Yes, someday precious," I answered while squeezing both Hannah and Raleigh's small hand in the palm of my larger ones.

"Dada?" I hear Raleigh hesitantly blurts out. That one small, heartwarming word fell from her mouth sounded more like a question than a statement.

A protective fatherly instinct prowled through me like a runaway train after seeing a fearful and saddened look began to form in Raleigh's observant eyes. Instantly I began to realize that McKenna and mine's little childish squabble was taking an emotional toll on Raleigh's happiness and peace of mind. It was slowly but surely changing her lively personality into something that I didn't want to ever see again. I knew at that precise moment that I would willingly concede to McKenna every whim any day if it would shelter Raleigh from any unnecessary pain. 

The look of wariness of what Raleigh feared my reaction to her question would be shone clearly through her once dazzling eyes. That very look tugged furiously at my heart, picking it raw by the seconds. My heart was slowly shattering into tiny pieces because of the emotional pain and suffering that I've been unknowingly causing her to undergo. "Yes, I'm your daddy sweetie," I say taking her tiny body into my arms hugging her tightly while a few tears fall from my eyes.

The world around me began to crumble when I feel Raleigh's own tears fall onto my shoulder as she clasped her arms around my neck tightly. A loud wail promptly fell from her lips, piercing my already broken heart. I've never heard my princess cry like this before. Suddenly out of nowhere, I hear another booming fit of wailing coming from Hannah. She then flings her arms around my neck, trapping Raleigh in between the two of us.

My world was being rocked to its core as I feel tear after tear fall onto each of my shoulders. These two young ladies were bringing out an unfamiliar emotion, one that I've never experienced before. 

I've always known I wanted to be a father but never in my wildest dreams did I imagine it would have happened this soon. My brain and heart were at war with each other. In my mind, I knew I wasn't Hannah and Raleigh's biological father but my heart didn't feel the same way. Deep down in my soul, they felt like they were my own flesh in blood. They have become my number one priority.

I vowed right then that I would love, protect and cherish them as though they were my very own kids. My two princesses will always know they have a loving and devoted father that loved them more than anything in this world.

"Daddy, I have a little sister now." I hear Hannah exclaim very excitedly as she wipes her tears and then kisses Raleigh on her tear-stained right cheek.

"You sure do sweetheart," I said while tugging on both their rosy cheeks tenderly just before wiping my own eyes.

"Dada...mommy." Raleigh squeals as she points a finger behind me. I sat on the floor frozen in place. My heart was beating rapidly in the closed confines of my chest. I knew instinctively that McKenna's eyes were flashing red like fire after witnessing the scene that was set before her. I slowly stood to my feet allowing myself ample time to get my emotions under control before turning to face her.