Chapter 204

Julian

Some days I had to be nothing but king. I was meant to lead and rule and order people around because that's what kings had to do. They had to make the hard decisions.

Most days I wished I could just be Julian and not King Julian but neither of those things even crossed my mind today.

Today I was Julian , husband and father and it was everything I didn't know I needed.

It was more than making love to my wife for hours, until we were both completely spent and boneless in each others arms covered in sweat.

It was the fact that our boys, our sons, had joined us in the bed right after our showers. Their matching pjs and curling dark hair and laughing faces between us in the big bed as we watched movie after movie together.

Never in my life had I thought about having a day like this. A day free of stress and full of laughter but now I didn't ever want to leave the bed.

Even when I knew I had to at some point to finish off preparations for Cassie's welcome home party.

"This has been nice." Reaching across the twins Cassie took my hand in hers. Half turning from my place propped up against the pillows I smiled. Bringing her hand to my lips I nodded.

"Nice doesn't even come close to how much I've enjoyed today." Another kiss on the back of her hand. "All of it." I winked and was rewarded by a slight blush.

I loved that about her , how I could still make her blush.

"Me too." She whispered back, her eyes shining and I knew what she was thinking because I was thinking it too. That if Noah and Niall hadn't been here then we would have been back in each other's arms.

I was like a man obsessed when it came to her and after four years of not being able to touch her, who could blame me. We had only been married for such a short amount of time before the accidents , and that time hadn't been entirely happy. So it felt like we were newly weds again and in a way that's exactly what we were.

"When the party is all over." I said softly because an idea was beginning to filter into my mind. I didn't know why I hadn't thought about it earlier. Maybe because I was so busy. Not that that was any excuse. Busy or not I should have taken time away the moment she woke up. I was a king after all.

Cassie turned her face to me and waited.

"I think we should go on holiday , somewhere warm and sandy. Somewhere we can be a family. I have a villa in-"

Noah grumbled and Cassie's eyes drifted from me to him , the smallest of frowns on her face. "What's wrong little man." She ruffled his hair playfully. "Don't you like the beach?"

His smooth face creased up in to a scowl and he turned to me. "Is Meg coming as well like last time? I like the beach when she's not there and you can play with us."

His look was a challenge and it wasn't one I was sure I could win even if I was king and he was a four year old.

The breath lodged in my throat.

On the other side of the bed I felt Cassie stiffen and a tight metal band wrapped its way around my chest.

Holding my breath I waited for her to explode , like she had earlier. Like she did every time Megan was even mentioned but nothing happened. Sliding my eyes up towards her face, I found her staring straight at me. A look of apprehension on her face.

She was waiting for me to speak.

Clearing my throat I smiled and shook my head. "No, Noah." I was speaking to him but I was looking at my wife because my words were for her. "Megan won't be coming with us. It will be for our family only. Me." I stabbed myself in the chest with my finger. "You, Niall." I ruffled their hair. "And mummy. Because that's our family." I stared at Cassie and saw her shoulders relax as she sighed. Finally I could breathe again.

Smiling, I winked. "Maybe we can take Miss Cathy with us though, what do you think?"

Both twins clapped their hands in delight but Cassie just remained staring, the smile still locked firmly on her face but it no longer reached her eyes.

Turning to her I frowned. "What's wrong?"

Opening her mouth to speak , she snapped her lips shut again and shook her head. "Nothing. It's just-"

She didn't need to finish. I could see what she was thinking. She was overthinking the fact that Megan had come on holiday with us. That any memories we now made would be tainted because I had taken Megan there first.

"I'm going to buy us a new place. Somewhere just for us. So we can make memories. Good ones."

She shook her head again. "No, it's fine. You don't need to go to so much trouble for me."

My frown deepened. "You are the only people in the world I would go to so much trouble for Cassie. The only people in the world that matter." I stressed the last word and her eyes widened.

"It wasn't a romantic escape, Cassie." I whispered. "I took all of my staff."

That wasn't a lie at least.

"Julian-"

"You are the only one I want and need Cassie. Megan is nothing but my doctor and hopefully by the time we come back from this trip you will finally believe me." My eyes locked with hers as I waited for her to reply. She was the one who looked away first and her voice when she spoke was a tiny whisper.

"I hope so, Julian. I really do."

So why did it sound like she didn't believe me?