Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 83216 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83216 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Seconds drag by like hours before I hear the sound of scraping metal. The lock turns and the deadbolt pulls back with a reluctant clunk before the door is jerked open.
Rina stands in front of me with her long, dark hair a tangled mess, eyes shadowed with exhaustion, and her normally olive complexion a shade too pale. Before I can say anything, she reaches out and grips my shirt, yanking me inside with a surprising amount of strength. The door slams shut behind us with enough force to rattle the hinges.
“Happy now?” she snaps.
The apartment is dimly lit, the blinds drawn tight against the afternoon sun that still manages to burn faint streaks around the edges. The air hangs heavy, laced with a lingering trace of her perfume. It’s something dark and sultry that settles deep in my chest.
I take in her appearance carefully, trying to figure out what’s wrong.
Although, even like this, she’s still the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on. Hell, she could wear a trash bag, and I’d still want her. But there’s something raw in her expression that makes her look strangely fragile. Almost as if one wrong word could break her into a million pieces.
And that’s not the Rina I’ve grown to care for.
“Tell me what’s going on.” The words come out rough, pulled tight with concern. “Are you sick?”
It would explain why she skipped work today and looks so pale. There’s a hollowness to her eyes that has me worried.
Her gaze darts away as her hands twist together before finally falling uselessly to her sides. Without responding, she turns and walks into the living area. Her body seems to fold in on itself as she sinks to the couch, as if gravity is suddenly too much to fight against.
I’ve never seen Rina like this.
Not the woman who’s all fire, fight, and stubborn pride. The woman who never lets anyone get the best of her or see her in a moment of weakness.
And now she looks… unbearably delicate.
Silence stretches between us until it becomes suffocating.
If I was worried before, it’s nothing compared to the cold pit of dread forming in my gut.
Unsure what to do, I crouch before her, my knees hitting the carpet with a dull thud. “Talk to me, baby. You’re starting to scare me.”
She opens her mouth before slamming it shut again. Her fingers tangle tightly, draining the color from her knuckles. For a second, I think she’s going to tell me it’s none of my business and to get out.
“I’m pregnant.”
Her admission slams into me before I can brace for it. Everything inside me goes still as static roars in my ears.
Pregnant.
The reality of it barely registers.
I try to picture it. Her stomach rounding as she wears one of my shirts, her hand resting where our kid kicks, and something detonates deep within. Awe and fear tangle together until they’re too big to separate.
A family I never thought I wanted until her.
Holy fuck.
Rina’s carrying my baby.
She rushes to fill the silence. “You don’t need to do anything. I’ll take care of it myself.”
“Are you out of your mind?” The question tears out of me as my hands lift to cradle her face, tilting it until she has no other choice but to meet my stare. “Like hell you will.”
“I’ve seen what happens when men walk away,” she whispers, tears slipping down her cheeks. “My mom. Callie. I won’t depend on you.”
She says it like it’s already a foregone conclusion. As if she’s decided I’ll be the next one to leave, that I’ll be another man who just disappears. The thought of her believing that about me shreds my insides.
“You still don’t get it, do you?” My voice breaks even though I try to fight through the emotion. “This isn’t just about the baby. It’s about you. It’s about us.” The words come out sounding ragged. “There’s no way you’re doing this alone because I’m never letting you go.”
She falters, and a small, raw sob slips free as she squeezes her eyes shut, as if it’s possible to hold it all in by sheer force of will.
I ache watching Rina try so hard to be brave. I want to tell her she doesn’t have to be strong for me.
Not now.
Not ever.
Instead, I press my forehead against hers as the tremor in her body vibrates through mine. Our tears mingle as a quiet, unshakable certainty takes root deep inside me. It’s almost as if something intrinsic has finally fallen into place.
“Pack your bags,” I say, my lips against her hair. “You’re coming home with me.”
She doesn’t respond.
Not right away.
Her forehead drops to my shoulder as her fingers curl into my shirt like she’s trying to keep herself together one thread at a time.
For once, I don’t try to fix it. I just hold her, allowing the silence to stretch until it feels less like a punishment and more of a surrender.