Minutes later, I finally spoke. “Button.” My hand moved into her hair, and I kissed the corner of her eye, absorbing the moisture onto my lips.
She released the breath she was holding, obviously relieved by my soft reaction.
I kissed her other cheek before I pulled away. “Everything is going to be okay.”
“You aren’t angry?” she whispered.
“How could I be angry?” My hand moved to her flat stomach even though there was nothing to feel. She was just as slender as always. But deep down inside, there was life in her. Our love had created something, something that would soon have a heartbeat. “You know how sexy you’re gonna look pregnant?”
She finally smiled, her eyes still wet.
I smiled back. “Nothing to be scared of. We were going to start a family someday anyway.” I had mounds of stress on my shoulders. I was afraid for my life as well as hers. Even without Tristan in the mix, I had the Skull Kings to worry about. But I wasn’t going to put that stress on my wife. Many women waited their whole lives to be pregnant. I wasn’t going to take this glowing happiness away from her.
“But the timing—”
“It is what it is.” I rubbed my hand across her stomach.
“It was an accident…”
“I know.” I brushed my lips along her hairline. “It’s a good accident. In nine months, we’re gonna have something we love more than anything in the world—including each other.”
She nodded, new tears bubbling. “I was scared of what you would say…”
“You’re giving me a gift, Button. All I feel is happiness.”
“Really?” she whispered.
“Yes.” I pulled her into my lap and placed her legs over my thighs. She was the same weight as she’d always been, but now she seemed so heavy. I was carrying my wife and my baby, a baby that couldn’t be seen. I buried my face in her neck as I held her, comforting her. “It’ll be alright, Button. I promise.”
* * *
“What’s up?” Cane walked into my study later that night, a pistol on each side of his harness. He was ready for the ambush even though we had a whole day ahead of us. He helped himself to the booze on the coffee table and took a seat.
The fire was roaring, and there was a bucket full of ice cubes. Button had gone to bed, and now I could finally be alone with my thoughts. I’d made love to her slowly, my eyes on hers the entire time. With every thrust, I buried myself inside her. I loved her in the way she needed to be loved. I told her everything would be okay without words. I promised to take care of our family, all three of us. “I can’t help you, Cane.”
He stared at me with his glass in his hand. “You changed your mind?”
I nodded.
He sighed in disappointment before he downed his entire glass. He set it on the table then wiped his mouth with the back of his forearm. He stared at the fire, his face a mask of annoyance. “I respect your decision, but you should have told me sooner. I’m gonna have to rework this plan.”
“I told you as soon as I could, Cane.”
“Did she change her mind about the whole thing?”
“No…I did.” I rubbed my hands together before I told him the news. “Pearl is pregnant.”
His face completely changed the second the words were out of my mouth. He turned from disappointment to shock. The surprise slowly faded away from his face as the news hit him in the heart. He visibly softened, and soon enough, a smile emerged. “Shit…congratulations.”
“Thank you.”
“I… This was an accident, right?”
“Completely.”
“Wow.” He ran his hand through his hair before he dragged it down his face. “I mean…wow.”
“Yeah.”
“How do you feel about it?”
“The timing is terrible. But that doesn’t matter. We’re having a baby, and I want her to be happy.”
“But are you happy?” he pressed. “Come on, it’s just us.”
“I am happy,” I said honestly. “I’m not ready to raise a family right now, but that’s my son or daughter. I already love whoever they are. But now that there’s a baby in the picture…I can’t help you with Tristan.”
He gave a slight nod. “I understand, Crow.”
“I can’t leave my child fatherless.”
“You’re right. I understand why Pearl feels that way too.”
“I haven’t told her I’m staying with her.”
“Why not?”
I shrugged. “We haven’t done much talking since she told me…”
He chuckled. “Gotcha. Then what are you going to do?”
“I don’t know. I think I’m gonna take her to Santorini until this blows over. I don’t want both of us to be stuck in the cross fire.”
“That’s a smart idea…just in case things go south.”
“I’m sorry I can’t help you, Cane. You know I would be there—”
“Don’t worry about it.” Cane raised his hand to silence me. “You belong with Pearl. I don’t think less of you.”