Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 64320 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 322(@200wpm)___ 257(@250wpm)___ 214(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64320 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 322(@200wpm)___ 257(@250wpm)___ 214(@300wpm)
I won’t let her go, and I’ll destroy anyone and everyone who gets between us.
My head lifts when I hear her coming down the stairs, and my feet move of their own accord.
They don’t move for long, though. The second my eyes land on the white plastic stick in her hands, my body freezes.
My mouth hangs open slightly as I glance from the pregnancy test to Kat’s face.
She stops in front of me, barely looking at me and holds it out. “I’m sorry,” she whispers in a cracked voice. As if this is bad. As if she’s done something wrong.
“Baby, why are you sorry?” I look between her and the stick. I can’t will myself to take it or to even believe it’s real. “You’re pregnant?” I ask her. She covers her mouth with her hand and nods.
A baby. A little life just like my Kat. Tears prick at the back of my eyes.
It’s the best damn thing I could have ever asked for.
And then it hits me. Jacob Scott. I looked into him after that … ‘meeting’ we had. My breathing picks up as my blood heats. I don’t have the nerve to ask her, but the words are on the tip of my tongue.
I’ll kill him.
“I’m pregnant,” Kat says and draws in a steadying breath, taking a few steps backward.
I almost ask her, but I can’t do it. Even if the baby isn’t mine, I don’t care. I’ll take care of both Kat and her child.
“A baby?” A swarm of emotions courses through me. “This is why you’re going to the doctor’s?”
“Yeah, a baby,” she says and chances a look up at me. Her long, dark lashes glisten with what’s left of the tears before she wipes them away.
“That’s wonderful,” I tell her and close the distance between us, reaching for her hands. She leans into me and I rub the pads of my thumbs against her knuckles. “Kat, why are you sorry about something so amazing? Don’t be sorry; I’m so happy.”
I can see her expression fall as she tries to stay strong.
“It doesn’t change what’s going on, but I just found out and I don’t know.”
“Don’t know what?” A numbness creeps up the back of my legs.
“How we’re going to handle all of this,” she says and starts to pull away from me.
“Kat, you’re mine,” I tell her.
“You were just in jail hours ago and we’re separated. How are you going to take care of your baby?”
“I’ll be the best damn father I can be.” Thump, thump. My heartbeat slows as what she’s saying settles in.
“You said that about being a husband too and—”
“And we’re going to be fine,” I say, cutting her off. “Better than fine. We’re having a baby.”
I finally look at her stomach. I wrap one of my hands around her hip while the other splays against Kat’s belly.
“I love you, and that’s what matters.”
“It’s not the only thing that matters,” she tells me back.
Her emerald eyes swirl with so much emotion, I can’t stand it. “I’m telling you right now, Kat. Me loving you is the only thing that matters.”
Chapter 5
Kat
I don’t know what to think or do.
I don’t know what’s right and wrong.
But I’m so aware of how I feel.
Every inch of my skin burns with need against Evan’s touch. He’s got a hold over me that’s like a spell. It must be some kind of dark magic because he makes me forget reason. He makes me forget how angry I am at him.
I melt into him as if I was meant to be held by him from the very start.
The worst part is that I don’t want him to ever let me go. Because the second he does, I’ll remember. Reality will intrude, and the moment will be ruined.
One of these times, I’ll let him go and never be held again. I can feel it down in my very soul.
His hot breath tickles my neck as he whispers, “I love you, Kat.”
My soul quiets, the pain soothed. For the moment, I grip him just as tightly as he holds me.
My heart clenches in my chest as I swallow the lump in my throat.
“I’m so happy,” he murmurs as he brushes his hand against my belly. “We’re going to have a baby,” he says reverently.
How can I not fall back into his arms when I know he loves me? How can I not cling to him when he talks to me like this?
I’m exhausted and wretchedly weak. Nothing feels better than this.
Every reason this is a bad idea comes to me one by one, the truth too real to ignore. I don’t know if the extreme swings of my emotions are from the pregnancy, or from the craziness of Evan’s life.
My nails scrape against his shirt as I push away from him. “We need to talk.” I push out the words as he reluctantly watches me move away.