"Oh.." My wife's soft moaning further encourages my actions. "Cameron." She breathes deeply through her nose. "We should have been doing this the whole time."

I laugh, my hands increasing the pressure on her back. She's laid out on a gliding ottoman, a thin tank top on as my hands work to massage her aching muscles.

"I'm sorry, baby, I'm sorry I've been distant." I whisper against her skin and she moves, starting to sit up. "Bet I'll be your private masseuse from here on out."

"You have nothing to apologize for." When she stands, I sit back in the rocker allowing her to move to my lap, her arm resting on my shoulder. "How are you so prefect? Even Nora agrees." She grins, when our daughter energetically kicks to the side of her stomach, I span my hand across her stomach, feeling my daughters movement. Two months can't come quick enough.

"I'm far from perfect." I whisper, my lips brushing against hers.

"Well," She shrugs before kissing me soundly. "You know what they say, 'love is blind'."

We've spent the past two days holed up in a hotel suite, living off room service and hotel amenities. The word love being swapped back and forth so much more than usual. We're suddenly normal with each other for the first time in six months.

"Let's go for a walk." She mutters, pulling away from me breathless. "Now."

"It's midnight."

"So?"

She's still the same person she's always been.

-

"Let's do this more often."

"Go out of town?"

My wife shakes her head. "Well, occasionally that too, but I was thinking more of this." She motions ahead of her. "Midnight walks, in an empty park, under the stars."

"Hmm." I hum my agreement, motioning to a park bench, dimly lit my a post light. "That can be arranged."

"Are you ready to head home?" I question once we've settled down comfortably. "Maybe tomorrow?"

"I like that idea, I miss the kids." Then she lifts her head from my chest, looking at me with a frown. "You've been away long enough, come home."

Ten days, seven of which were excruciating hell, but the last three... these past three have been almost heaven.

"Tomorrow." I kiss her quickly. "We'll go tomorrow."

A small shiver passes through her as she snuggles up against my chest.

"Cold?"

She shakes her head against my chest. "You smell good."

"You bought this for me, our first Christmas together."

"When I was with Meghan last week," My girlfriend tucks her legs underneath her as she gets comfortable. "Well I smelt that and..."

I look at the black bottle of some unknown fragrance company. Cedarwood.

"And..?"

"I thought it would smell very sexy on you."

Sexy. Sexy. Sex-

Amelia's cheeks flush and draws her bottom lip into her mouth, biting down.

"Don't bite your lip, Lia."

"Merry Christmas." She whispers, releasing her lip, as I set the bottle to the side, preparing to give her her own gift.

The set of rings, each covered in the precious gem that shares a birth month with my adopted children. One is encrusted with rubies, another with diamonds, and the third with emeralds.

But, before I can give them to her, a small voice enters the room.

"Daddy, has Santa come yet?"

"I have good taste." I can feel her lips curl into a smile. "Can we just freeze this moment?"

I'm about to respond when there's a noise from behind us followed by a gravely voice.

"Don't get too comfortable."

Amelia and I both jump from the bench and turn to see two men standing close... too close.

I'm quick to push my wife behind me as the taller, more menacing one steps forward.

"A little late for a stroll." He grins drawing my attention from the gun in his hand to his face, a long scar from his left ear to the center of chin capturing my focus.

"You're right." I agree slowly as I reach for Amelia's hand. It's shaking when she reaches for me. "We were just headed back to our hotel."

"What's the rush?" He questions just as his friend pulls back his black hoodie, showing his gun.

Amelia's grip on my hand tightens as panic starts to fill me.

"I don't want to cause any trouble."

Especially since I fired my bodyguard and left my own weapon sitting in my office.

"Good, neither do we. My friend here," He motions to the man of his right, a dragon tattoo wrapped around his neck. "Is gonna make sure you stand extremely still while I get your wife's jewelry."

I move to pull Amelia closer which causes the guy to pull his gun. He's short but it doesn't matter, a gun is a gun.

"I thought you were gonna stand still." Scarface says with a malicious smile as he walks toward my wife. "Let's start with the rings."

"Amelia, give him everything, it's okay." I squeeze her hand quickly before letting her go and stepping to the side.

She's quick to take off her wedding band and engagement ring. You can almost see dollar signs flash in the man's eyes as she reaches for the thin bands encrusted with the children's birthstones.

"The necklace." He motions toward the small stud hanging around her neck. "And you-" he glances at me. "Slowly toss your wallet to my buddy."

I do as he says, doing my best to keep my movement slow and fluid.

My wife's eyes connect with mine as she slowly reaches to unclasp the dainty chain made of white gold.

"You're quite pretty." Scarface grips my wife's chin yet her eyes don't move from me. "I said." His grip tightens on her face which causes her to squeak. "You're quite pretty."

"Thank you." She whispers, her voice trembling, blinking, causing a tear to fall.

"Yeah, too bad you look about ready to pop, we could have had fun." The barrel of his gun runs down her cheek.

"Watch it." I growl stepping forward. "You have everything we have, why don't you let my wife go and you and I can discuss getting you more."

"I may not own a suit," He snaps, waving his gun at me. "But I am not an idiot. She's not going anywhere." He suddenly shoves Amelia, who, not expecting it, stumbles back. I reach for her but she's too far as she falls backward.

There's the sickening crack as her head smacks the pavement. I want to yell but I can't. I can't speak, I can't move, I can't breathe. I can only watch as my wife's head bounces off the concrete.

I've made two promises to her- to love her unconditionally and to always protect her.

I've failed twice now. First the accident, now this. She lies on the ground, unmoving, as panic seeps through my veins.

"Now I didn't actually want to do that."

No sound leaves me as I swing at the man, my first hit knocking the gun from his hand while my second knocks him to the ground.

Unfortunately, before I can grab the gun from the ground, four shots ring out and searing pain repeatedly jolts into my chest.

The world blurs as I fall to my knees. I can hear the men running away as sirens start in the distance.

My focus is on Amelia, how she's groaning as she rolls over. When I look at her eyes, they're glazed over and widened in immediate fear as they zero in on my chest.

"Cameron!" She's cries out, scrambling to her knees, stumbling slightly. "Cameron! Oh, god, please." Seeing her move, all the fight leaves me and I feel myself crumple to the ground.

Tears start falling from her cheeks as she kneels over me. Her forehead is already bruising, the skin torn open and blood appearing.

I take a moment to memorize her face, the color of her eyes.

I knew. I knew the day to met her that she was the last thing I wanted to see in this life.

The pain I feel in chest is slowly ebbed away, as lights appear behind her.

"Amelia," I reach up for her. "Amelia, I love you, I love you so much, baby."

"Cameron, don't you dare! Open your eyes!" She screams, tears mixed into her voice. "Open your eyes!"

And as much as I'd like to oblige her, I simply can't find the strength.