Fear gripped Ben until he realized the large, dark figure was Armitage, his gun shifting toward Kylo Ren as he slowly stood with his hands up. He watched in relief as Rey moved to his cousin's side and wrapped her arms around him as he shifted her behind him, his gun and eyes never leaving Kylo Ren.
No longer needing to be discreet, Ben made his presence known as his black combat boots trampled a path through the flowers and plants that stood between him and the woman he thought had died. When their eyes met, the smile that he missed so much brightened her face as she pushed away from Armitage and ran into his arms.
"Thank God... I really thought I lost you..." Ben whispered against her ear as he held her tightly before pulling back to take her lips.
Rey returned his kiss with more passion than he anticipated, but thoroughly enjoyed it until he pulled away with a chuckle.
"Missed me that much, huh?"
"Not as much as I missed your dick," she whispered, cupping him with a sultry smirk before laughing.
"Fuck, Rey..." he started with a frown as his eyes roamed her beautiful face. "I'm so sorry... I... If I hadn't... This is my fault...."
She shushed him by placing her fingers on his lips before kissing him briefly. "This wouldn't have happened if it weren't for me so I should be the one apologizing."
"And none of this would have happened if I hadn't forced you into loving me."
"Forced? I was never forced into loving you, Ben. Sure, you didn't give me much of a choice in the beginning," Rey laughed, "but ultimately, I could have left whenever I wanted if I really wanted to leave you."
"But..."
"No buts, Ben. Unless yours is naked."
Laughing, Ben wrapped his arms around Rey again as his eyes glared daggers at his twin.
"Is this why you asked for time, brother?"
Kylo Ren merely shrugged nonchalantly before he disarmed Armitage easily, pointing the gun at Ben. "Don't move a muscle," he smirked at Armitage who stood frozen in place with a murderous glare directed at Kylo Ren, "or I'll shoot him between the eyes before you can even think of taking a step."
"Kylo Ren! Don't!" Rey yelled as she spun to stand in front of Ben. "Give me the gun, please."
"Get out of the way, woman!" Ben yelled as he tried to pull her back against him and out of the path of the gun, but she stood firmly between the two brothers – her eyes pleading with Kylo Ren's.
Kylo Ren's arrogant gaze moved to Ben's. "How were you able to find us?"
"Everyone has a price for information."
"And what were you able to learn?"
"Quite a lot, Supreme Leader. With just that piece of information, we found out you were an elite assassin for the Palpatine family, and the invisible right hand man of the don himself for many years."
"You must have spent quite a bit of money to learn all of this, but now you're unarmed with no way to protect the one you love."
"Yes, but I know you will not harm any one of us."
"And why do you think that?" Kylo Ren asked with a chuckle as he lifted the gun higher. "I could shoot you and run away again with Rey."
"Because you love her, and I know you were telling the truth when you said you wanted out of Palpatine's family and into ours – even though I want to kill you for keeping Rey away from me for this long."
Smiling, Kylo Ren nodded before he dismantled the gun quickly, each piece falling to the ground with a thud until the empty cartridge was the only thing in his hand – tossing it to Armitage who smirked knowingly back at him. "No bullets... Why did you act as if it was loaded?"
Ben answered with a grin. "I would never endanger my woman and our unborn child by bringing a weapon that could possibly harm them in case things went awry."
"Unborn child?" Kylo Ren's eyes widen as they lowered to Rey's belly before meeting her eyes. "I... I didn't know you were pregnant."
Rey stepped forward with her hand lifted to cup Kylo Ren's cheek, but she was pulled back by Ben, his arm snaking around her waist to keep her flush against him.
"Don't touch him," Ben growled.
"No wonder you ate so much..." Kylo Ren continued with a chuckle as if he and Rey were the only ones there. "And here I thought you weren't being fed enough elsewhere."
"For your information, I was fed very well in every aspect when I was with your brother before you kidnapped me."
With a snort, Kylo Ren turned toward the house. "Come on, Armitage. Let's give the couple some time alone, and I'll show you to the guest rooms you can use for the night. I sense we will have a lot to talk about in the morning, and those two look like they are about to maul each other."
Armitage pulled Rey into his arms for a bear hug and kissed her temple as he passed before he followed Kylo Ren indoors.
Once alone, Rey spun and launched herself into Ben's arms, burying her nose into his chest to take in the familiar scent of him before he held her back by her shoulders – shaking her gently.
"Dammit, woman! Never do that again! You should never stand in front of a gun to protect anyone, especially me."
"Ben... It wasn't a loaded gun...." she whispered as he drew her back into his strong arms, dropping to his knees suddenly to press his face and lips against her belly.
"Why didn't you tell me you were pregnant?"
"I only found out myself the day before I was supposed to leave for home without you. I was going to tell you the night before, but you barely let me speak during our marathon of sex. And I wanted to tell you face to face and not over the phone so I could see your reaction firsthand, but I guess Rose told you since she was the only person I told."
"Yes, she did. When we thought you were on that jet..." Ben took a moment as he stared at her, clearing his throat several times before continuing. "We told her you had died in the crash, and she was devastated. Armitage consoled her as she broke down, and when she could speak again, she told us you were carrying my child. I thought I couldn't feel any more pain after the loss of you, but at the thought of losing a child we were able to create together, one I thought I would never get to hold..."
Cupping his face, she smiled weakly as he returned a similar one.
"How far along are you?"
"Almost 16 weeks now."
"You're barely showing, but your breasts do look larger from this angle."
Rey laughed. "Trust me. If I weren't wearing any clothes, you would definitely be able to tell I am almost 4 months pregnant. My baby bump is starting to show."
"16 weeks... That was around the time we were on the yacht..." Ben trailed off as his eyes darkened with passion, causing her panties to dampen again.
"I need you, Ben. I need you inside of me, all over me. If you think I was insatiable before, this pregnancy has made me tenfold. You have no idea how many times I've touched myself at the thought of you while I was here, how many times I screamed your name as I came."
He groaned as he lifted her into his arms as her legs wrapped around his waist, causing his erection to press into her core. "Then take me, Rey. Have your way with me because I am wholly and irrevocably yours."
Rey lowered her lips to his, but froze and turned to stare at the dark house suspiciously. "We should head to my room. You never know who might be watching, and I don't want to give anyone a show."
"What does that mean?"
"..."
"Rey."
"..."
"If you don't tell me, I'm going to rip your clothes off here in this garden and fuck you."
"Kylo Ren might have put on a... show right before you and Armitage showed up."
"What. Kind. Of. Show?" Ben snarled through gritted teeth.
"One where he was naked and jerking off... knowing I could see him."
"I'LL KILL THE BASTARD!"
Rey tightened her arms and legs around Ben as he stomped his way toward the house, moaning as her body slid against his hard one with each step he took until he froze and gripped the back of her neck – pulling her head back as his icy glare bore into her eyes.
"Is he the reason you want to fuck? Did his little show get you all hot and bothered?"
Rey stiffened, initially shocked at his words – her fingers threading through his hair before she tugged none too gently. "Is that what you really think?"
His grip on her neck loosened as an apologetic look appeared on his face. "Fuck, sorry. It's just... You've been under his... care for a while, and we are twins so I thought you might have developed feelings for him... It's stupid, I know, but I can't help thinking that you might fall in love with someone else... Especially someone who is identical in looks to me."
"He is a very good looking man."
A look of hurt flashed across his face before it turned possessive, and she immediately regretted her playful words. "I'm sorry. You know I was joking, right? You are the only man I feel this way for, the only man I've ever loved with my entire heart. I love you and only you."
He released a heavy breath as his arms encircled tightly around her. "And I love you. You have no idea how crazed I was when Kylo Ren told me you were alive and wouldn't tell me where you were."
"Believe me, I know how you felt. I begged him to return me to you every chance I had."
With a huff, Ben sat on a nearby bench, Rey's legs dangling off the opposite side as she sat on his lap.
"I know you might not want to hear this, but you need to know because we promised we wouldn't hide anything from each other, even though I know you still keep some things from me for my safety. Do you know what I felt when I saw him jerking off?"
He stiffened underneath her as his hand gripped the back of her neck possessively again – her body visibly shuddering at the feel of it tightening.
"I felt absolutely nothing, but sadness because he wasn't you. No spark. No tingle. Nothing like what I feel when I'm with you."
Rey kissed his temple and couldn't help the smile that curled her lips as he smirked in a way she knew meant trouble.
"What are you thinking of in that head of yours, Benjamin?"
His hand tilted her head to the side as he trailed his lips from her shoulder to her ear. "Since he gave you a show, I think it's only fair we give him a show to demonstrate how I, the man you love with your entire heart, can elicit pleasure from you with just one word or touch."