The Girl Who Always Wins (Soulless 13)

We both cried, looking at each other.

Her hand reached for mine, and she squeezed it.

“We’re having a baby…”

She nodded, smiling through her tears. “Yeah, we are.”

My arms wrapped around her, and I hugged her, holding on to her on the table, breathing through my tears, treasuring this moment. “We’re having a fucking baby.”

22

Daisy

Atlas was a whole new man.

A man I hadn’t seen for a very long time.

Maybe not ever.

He lay beside me in bed, his hand on my slightly distended stomach, his fingers spanning all the way across it. He would study it, rub it with his fingertips, feeling for a kick or movement, even though it was too soon for that.

I watched him worship my belly, watched him press kisses over the skin, love our baby with all his heart.

“I just can’t believe this…” His hand rested on my stomach. “It’s been a couple days, but I still can’t believe it. With the others, they never made it past the early development stages. They couldn’t grow limbs or defining features because…that chromosome was incomplete. But this person…did it. I just…” He shook his head. “I can’t believe this is happening right now. The Hamiltons can really do anything, I guess.”

I gave a light chuckle. “Oh, come on…”

“I saw so many doctors. They all said it wasn’t possible.”

“Doctors are wrong all the time.”

“But not multiple experts in their field.”

“Whatever. Doesn’t matter. God proved them wrong.”

“Yeah…” He released a sigh. “I guess He did…” He leaned down and pressed another kiss to my stomach. “I haven’t been this happy…in a very long time.”

“I can tell.” My fingers moved into his hair, lightly brushing it back, seeing the unconditional love already in his eyes.

“I’ve been so miserable these last three months, just waiting for the shoe to drop.”

“I noticed.”

“But then I was wrong… And it feels so good to be wrong.” His hand remained on my stomach as he shifted his head to me, getting close to me, those bedroom eyes coming into focus.

We’d been having sex like we used to, but it wasn’t quite the same. There was always something holding us back a bit, always something in the back of our minds. But now, he looked at me with an inferno in his eyes, the kind that could take down an entire city. One hand moved into my hair, and he leaned in and kissed me.

Kissed me good.

“Honey, we’re both so happy.” Mom put her hand on my stomach, feeling nothing but a slight little bump. “We’ve got another family member on the way. I hope it’s a girl. We have enough boys.”

I chuckled. “I bet it is a girl. Only a bad bitch could make a miracle happen.”

Dad smiled as he stood in front of me in their living room, watching my mom feel my stomach. “Our miracle baby. That’s what I’ll have to call her as a nickname…Miracle.” His arm moved around me, and he placed a kiss on my temple.

Bear sat there too, looking up at me like he knew I had a litter of puppies in my belly.

“When Atlas told me at work…he could barely keep it together. I’ve never seen a man so happy to be a father.”

“I know,” I said with a smile. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so happy.”

“So, what are you guys going to do?” Mom asked.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Gonna raise your baby in a penthouse or move outside the city?” Mom said. “Get married now or later?”

“Oh, right,” I said. “Shit, I’m having a baby.”

Mom chuckled. “What are you going to do about childcare?”

I stared at her.

She shook her head. “We’re happy to babysit whenever you need us, but nope. Not gonna happen.”

“Shit…I guess I have to get a nanny.” I’d never thought I’d be one of those moms with a nanny, but I couldn’t step down from the position I’d just started, and I couldn’t ask Atlas to cut back on his hours either.

Dad patted me on the arm. “You’ll figure it out, sweetheart.”

“Maybe I can work from home a couple days a week…” Or maybe I should just hand off the job to someone else because if I worked from home, I wouldn’t even be able to handle a single patient. As strong-willed as I was, I knew I couldn’t do it all. I’d have to make a sacrifice somewhere. “I think I’ll step down and have Anthony take my place. His kids are grown, his wife works, he has more time.”

Dad didn’t show his opinion on his face, just accepted what I said.

“Because I still want to see patients, and between being a mom and being the director, I can’t do both. At least this will allow me to do what I love.” Months ago, this sacrifice would have stung, but now it didn’t sting at all. I was giving up my life for something better than all those things.