Chapter 231

Pearl heard a knock on her door. She opened it to find Sebastian standing there.

"Bash. What's wrong? Are you alright?" She asked.

"Yes, I'm fine. Do you have a moment?" He asked.

"Yes, of course." She said, letting him in.

"Erik came to me tonight. To apologize. To tell me he knows I'm a good man. Even a better man than he is." Sebastian said.

"He's not wrong." Pearl said.

"He told me he wanted me to be in his life more. Your life more. He asked me to be godfather to the child you carry."

"I can't disagree with him. You mean a lot to me. What you did for me, were willing to do for me, I can never thank you enough." She said.

"I told him not to trust me. I told him that if he ever hurt you like Mara or in any way, I would protect you and would do everything in my power to take you from him." He said, looking at Pearl. She paused and looked down. She didn't know what to say.

"I wanted you to know that. I told him he didn't deserve you. But I also told him I would be wiling to try to put it behind us. But I can't agree to be around you without you knowing the risk. I think you should advise against it. I don't want to agree to be a part of your lives without you knowing my feelings toward you." Sebastian said. "It's not honorable."

Pearl looked at him and shook her head.

"You may not trust yourself but I trust you. And you are honorable. And I don't want you to be anywhere but in my life. And this child's life. And Erik's. And if the risk is there that lines may be crossed, it's a risk I'm willing to take because you have proven that are worth it." Pearl said, feeling the tears build. "You mean more to me than just a filler while Erik was gone. You are a good man. You stepped up and defended me, a stranger, when you didn't have to. You were willing to give up your life to make my child legitimate. I haven't had many people in this life that I can rely on. My entire childhood was spent in fear and insecurity. And the few men I have known prior to Erik deceived me and used me. There are not many people that I love, that I trust. But the ones I do, I love and defend fiercely, with all that I am. And I will never let them go. And you, Sebastian, are now one of those people. I don't want to lose you." Pearl said. He looked at her and took her into his arms, hugging her.

"And I will do the same." He said. "Because you are that for me, as well."

He let her go and opened the door. Looking back, he smiled and said, "Thank you." And left.

She sat in the bed and finished crying. She knew now when people were good. She knew who to allow in and who to push away. She had been wrong before but not this time. And not ever again. Sebastian would stay in her life, always. And little did she know how right she would be.

Erik took his clothes off and quietly curled himself around Pearl in bed, trying not to wake her. He moved his hand to her tummy and kept it there, holding her as well as the little life he had created, growing inside of her. He was grateful to be home. To have her back in his arms. And it would take death and only death, to keep him from her ever again.

*********************

"Good morning, nightingale." Erik said as he opened his eyes. Pearl burst out into tears.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"I never thought I would hear those words again. I kept repeating your voice in my head, saying those words." She said, sobbing.

He pulled her into his arms and held her until she calmed, rocking her and smoothing her hair.

She looked up and kissed him, kissing him and nearly devouring his mouth. He fumbled with his underwear and then moved her panties down and off of her legs. "Fuck the foreplay." He said and pushed himself inside of her.

She cried out and wrapped her legs around him, moving her body with his every thrust, clinging to him as he took her. She felt the tears stream down her face as she cried from the sheer pleasure and joy of being this close to him again.

"I can't get close enough to you." He said. "I've missed you so much."

She pulled his shoulders to her and wrapped her arms around him. Feeling his body over hers and holding him as tight as she could.

Her climax came over her and she said his name over and over again, begging him to cum.

He tightened his arms around her and lifted her to him, his orgasm filling her and giving him the release he had been needing for so long. "I love you, Erik. I love you so much." She said.

He held her in his arms until he caught his breath, panting her name and telling her how much he loved her.

*******************

"Before we go down for breakfast, this is for you." Pearl said, handing him a small square box.

"What is this?" He asked.

"I bought this for you, the day you left. I went shopping and wanted you to come home to a gift, an "I miss you gift." Pearl said.

He smiled. "Well this definitely is an appropriate time for that kind of gift." Erik said.

He opened the box and looked at the hand-painted cuff links. He smiled and took one out and looked at it up close. "Nightingales. Diamond nightingale cuff links. How did you find such a perfect gift?" He asked.

"Must have been fate." She said. He looked up at her and smiled so adorably she had to hug him.

"I'm glad you like them." She said.

"I love them so much." He said. He put them through the cuffs of his neatly pressed shirt that barely fit him now after losing so much weight. He put on the suit jacket that he had to borrow from Auggie and they went down to breakfast.