Ever After

Chapter 3: Tiara's, Feather Boas, and Intruders Alerts!

– Bella's POV –

When we arrived home, I got the girls out of the car and ushered them into the house. I was following behind when my little nudger gave me another kick to the kidneys, and horrible pain, like knives piercing through my heart, surged through me.

I came to a stop on the porch steps, grabbing the railing as I doubled over, gasping for breath.

The pain was excruciating. I couldn't tell if it was coming from my bloated belly or my heart. Possibly both. Little nudger was kicking. My heart was racing. Sweat dripped down my back.

Maybe it was the stress of the day? Maybe it was something else. Whatever it was, my little nudger was not happy. I felt her twist inside of me as her tiny foot pressed against my belly.

My back arched as I let out a cry. I was panting and fumbling with my purse to find my cell phone when an arm wrapped around my back. Electricity surged through me as I was brought into a solid, warm chest.

"I've gotcha, Darlin'."

My eyes locked with his. "Jasper." I breathed, speaking his name for the first time in seventeen years.

I heard the girl's gasp as I was lifted into his arms.

That's when I felt it. Well, more accurately, when I stopped feeling it. The pain vanished. The moment he touched me—as quickly as it began—it disappeared.

"Is that you doing that?" I whispered, looking down at my belly as little nudger calmed and settled. "The pain is gone . . ."

"No, Darlin'," he drawled, "that would be our matin' bond manifestin'. The pain occurs when a human strays too far from her mate. It's the bond's way of pullin' us back together."

"Oh." I breathed. "I didn't know that."

"He's like Prince Charming from Cinderella," Jas whispered.

"Uh-huh." Lottie nodded her little head. "And Mommy is Cinderella."

"More like the Beast, I think," Jasper whispered, too soft for the girls to hear him.

I shifted in his arms, leaning into him. He was warm to the touch. Not human, by any means, but not ice cold, either. Was that our bond?

"Oh, I dunno." I smiled. "I always preferred the Beast," I told him, lightly brushing my fingers through the soft hair at the back of his neck. "The way he saves Belle from the wolves. How protective he is . . . and he gives her an entire library . . . now, that's my kinda man."

Jasper looked a little shocked. "Really?" He cocked an eyebrow.

"Oh yeah." I nodded. "The Beast is much sexier than a glorified shoe salesman."

He chuckled. "Can't say I remember that part."

"Oh, it's there," I assured him. "Trust us. We're Disney experts around here."

"Momma, it's cold." Lottie shivered.

"And I'm hungry," Jas complained.

"Me too!" Lottie nodded.

"All right, set me down, handsome. Our little princesses have spoken." I smiled down at them.

"Anythin' for you, my Belle." Jasper purred and carefully set me back on my feet, though he didn't let me go. His large hand slid around my front, to rest on my bloated belly.

I have this feeling, deep in my heart, that it was going to be a lot easier to forgive him than I'd previously anticipated.

And I wasn't sure if I liked that or not.