Like me, he was naked, so I zeroed in on his eyes before I could get distracted.
“I’m calling to tell you that Karson has decided to ‘put a man on me.’” I made sure to mimic his voice and use air quotes for the last part, still glaring at Karson. “Therefore, we are breaking up.”
His glower deepened when I spoke the ridiculously dramatic sentence that I didn’t really mean but my fury forced me to say. He pushed off the door jamb and stalked toward me.
“Wren, hang up the phone,” he demanded.
I scowled at him. “I am talking to my best friend, I’m not hanging up the phone.”
“It’s three in the morning,” he needlessly pointed out. “Hang up the phone.”
“She keeps villain hours now,” I snapped. “So yes, Karson and I are breaking up, and I’ll talk to you at brunch tomorrow,” I said to Stella.
She chuckled over the phone. “Okay, babe. Love you.”
“Love you too,” I murmured before hanging up the phone.
Karson’s gaze was stormy. “Callin’ up your friend at three in the morning to try to play some bullshit game with me is going too far, even for you.”
I huffed in annoyance, hands raking through my hair. “Having some bodyguard follow me around all day is toxically alpha male, even for you,” I spat back. “And my normal go to would’ve been to travel to my wine cellar and grab a nice Pinot to take the edge off my anger, but I can’t do that, can I?” I was yelling now.
“Why can’t you have wine, Wren?” Karson asked quietly.
I stared at him, breathing heavily, my blood boiling. I couldn’t be sure if this was the excess hormones or plain old female fury. It didn’t much matter at that point.
“What?” I demanded.
He stepped forward. “Why can’t you have wine, Wren?” he repeated.
“What kind of question is that?” I shot back, watching his approach with a thundering heart. “You know why I can’t.”
His hands settled on my hips when he stopped in front of me. “Because you’re carrying my baby.” His voice was still low. Deadly. “Because anyone who wants to hurt me can do so through you.”
His hand moved up to my stomach. “Because I couldn’t fucking live with myself if something happened to you because of me. You’re fighting because you want your freedom. Have it, baby. I’m not telling you that you can’t live your life however you want to. But I am telling you that when I’m not with you, you will have a highly trained, heavily armed man protecting you and our baby.”
I pursed my lips, still pissed. But I couldn’t really argue. Not when it wasn’t just me anymore. Not when I knew that the dangers of Karson’s life were real. He was not prone to dramatics. He wasn’t insisting on this to be a controlling asshole. He was doing it because he was worried. Because he was terrified. I could see it now that the red film had left my eyes.
All remaining fury drained out of me.
“I’ve never had a family, not a real one,” he continued quietly. “I never thought I’d have one. I made my peace with that. The second I met you, I knew you were mine. I knew you were all I needed. All I’d ever need.” He looked down at my stomach. “Then you told me you were carrying my baby. You gave me a gift. A treasure. A fucking family, Wren.” His other hand cupped my cheek. “I’m gonna need to do everything I can to protect you. And our child. It’s gonna piss you off because you’re strong-willed. Because you have gone through your life on your own terms. Because you fucking hate anyone telling you what to do.” He brushed my bottom lip with his thumb. “But I’m not telling you what to do, babe. I’m just saying there will be an armed man there while you do it.”
My eyes filled with tears at his words. The vulnerability in it.
He had never had a family. His terrible, horrific father had made sure of that.
“I’ve never had a family either,” I whispered. “I mean, I’m insanely lucky to have parents willing to give me the world, but only if they could buy it.” I glanced around the room, noting the warmth of it, imagining a little child running around, Karson holding it in his arms.
“I want to give you that,” I proclaimed. “Want to make that with you.”
Karson’s eyes were shimmering, and I was in danger of turning into a bawling mess if this beautiful, honest moment lasted much longer.
“Can my guy at least be someone who loves to shop and talk about skincare?” I asked hopefully.
Karson’s lips stretched into a grin before he kissed me on the forehead. “I’ll see what I can do, darlin’.”
A man named Phillipe accompanied me to drinks the next day.
He did have amazing skin and was happy to talk to me about alternatives to retinol now that I was pregnant, so I was happy.