Savor (Bad Boy Rockers 4)

My intention was always to tell him. No matter how much it hurts, I don’t have it in me to keep him from his daughter. He should, at least, have the decision to make for himself instead of me making it for him because of my broken heart, and his fear of rejecting his child.

Struggling up from the bed, I’m happy that the morning sickness everyone talks about stayed well away from me. I seriously don’t know what I’d have done if I’d suffered with that on top of everything else.

In the bathroom, I splash cold water on my face to wake me up, and brush my hair before clipping it up on the top of my head. After relieving my bladder and washing up, I head to the kitchen, which is where I can hear the clatter of pots.

Max loves to cook, which has been a godsend, because I don’t and when I do, it doesn’t turn out very well.

“Morning, sleepyhead,” Max chirps from the stove, making his usual, blueberry pancakes.

“Morning.” I sit where he points with the spatula.

After the first morning we met, he’s always happy first thing in the morning, and at first, he’d start going into himself during the course of the day, but now he stays smiling throughout the day. Occasionally, I’ll catch a glimpse of his sadness, but it isn’t ruling his life, at least it doesn’t appear to be. Just like Ryder isn’t in my every waking thought.

I do think about him on a daily basis, and I miss him even more than I can ever say, but I have our baby growing inside me. I need to keep my emotions and wellbeing in the feeling good bracket. It isn’t easy, but nothing in life is, and I know after I’ve seen Ryder that the pain is going to be at the front again.

“Why do you look as though you have the world on your shoulders?” Max finally asks, placing my breakfast in front of me along with a small jug of maple syrup.

Taking a sip of the juice he passes me, I admit, “I’m going to book a flight to see Ryder and tell him.”

He pauses with the fork halfway to his mouth.

“I’m going to go now before I get any bigger, and so I don’t have the worry about telling him on my mind any longer. It worries me and it’s at the back of my mind all the time.”

“You know this makes me happy.” He continues with his breakfast. “Do you want me to come with you?”

My eyes fill with tears at his offer. “Thank you, but I’ll be okay.”

He shakes his head. “Sorry honey, but I’m not going to take no for an answer. I’m going with you. We’ll book our flights after breakfast, and I’ll get a rental to get us around while we’re there.”

“I don’t know what to say.”

“Don’t say anything.” He pats my hands. “I’m your friend and not exactly doing anything right now, and you’re pregnant and might need a back rub or a foot massage . . . or, you know, I may have to pick something up off the floor for you.”

Just about to shove a huge chunk of pancake into my mouth, I try to scowl at him. Finally, giving up, I smirk. “Well, how can I say no to that?”

As I accept, I realize I do want him with me. He’s become a good friend since we met, and if it hadn’t been for him, I’d probably still be wallowing in self-pity.

“Are you going to let Reece know you’re coming back?”

“I’m not going to tell him beforehand, but I will call and see him after I’ve talked to Ryder. No one back home knows I’m pregnant, apart from Mia. I trust her to keep it to herself, but I didn’t want to risk anyone else slipping up and telling Ryder.”

“Good choice. Okay.” He points his fork at me. “Hurry up and finish your breakfast and then go and look flights up while I sort the dishes out. Once that’s done, we’re going to pay a visit to Theresa in the hairdresser’s next door to the café and get that head of hair glossy and sexy.”

I raise a brow. “We are?”

“Yes. And we’re going to go and get you a sexy, little dress.

Well,” his gaze sweeps over me as he tries to hide the smirk, “as little as your baby will allow.”

He laughs and I start laughing with him. I’ve known him long enough to know that these little jokes are there to make me laugh. “Honestly, you are beautiful Dahlia, but we are going to make you look your best so you can go back there and knock him on his ass so he sees what he gave up.”

“Okay,” I mumble, feeling choked on tears.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Ryder

“You have to fuckin’ stop this.” Jace stands before me looking ready to knock my head off.