I’d thought I could be brave and do what had to be done on my own, but the truth was, I was a scared little girl. I’d chickened out at the last minute and run.
I loved Maverick more than life. All I wanted to do was protect him, but I couldn’t do what I knew I needed to do to ensure nothing happened to him. Not this time…
Now I had to face the consequences and pray everything would be okay.
As I washed my body, I saw the small bruise and tiny pinprick mark on the inside of my arm where the IV had been. The nurse had been seconds away from giving me the medication that would sedate me when I’d freaked out and jerked the needle out of my arm. I’d grabbed my clothes and gotten the hell out of there.
Holding back a sob, I touched a trembling hand to my flat belly. “I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I’m so sorry. I love you. I do. But I love your daddy too. I thought if I… That…” I clenched my eyes closed and sucked in a deep breath. “I just didn’t want them to kill him. But in the end, I couldn’t. I haven’t even met you yet, and I love you more than I’ve ever loved anyone. Maybe even more than Maverick.”
I’d never thought that was possible. That I could love anyone as much as I loved him. But this was a different kind of love. This was a feeling that came straight from the marrow of my bones. There was life growing inside me that I’d created with my soul mate. Part of Maverick was sleeping right under my heart.
I’d been minutes away from ending my pregnancy, because I knew that was the only way to truly protect Mav from my father.
But I couldn’t.
I couldn’t choose between the man I loved and the baby that already owned my heart.
Four
Maverick
My alarm woke me at noon, telling me it was time to get my ass up and start the day. Groaning, I turned it off and just lay there for the longest time.
There was a pressure in my chest that was alien to me. A heaviness that kind of hurt—only it wasn’t an actual physical ache. It felt deeper, and I didn’t understand it.
Rubbing my hand over the spot that seemed to ache the most, I reached for my phone to text River. This time of day, she was in class, but she typically kept her ringer off, so I knew texting her wouldn’t get her into trouble.
Me: I think I need a hug.
Rolling my eyes at what a pussy that made me seem like, I got out of bed and walked into my kitchen to start a pot of coffee. I’d moved out of my parents’ house right after my sisters got married. My apartment was a small one-bedroom, but I didn’t need much space.
That would change when River moved in. though, and I knew I needed to find us somewhere bigger to show her dad that I could take care of his baby girl the way she deserved. Scrubbing a hand over the scruff on my face, I pulled up the local real estate sites to see if something bigger was available for rent.
When I didn’t see anything I knew my girl would like, I groaned and texted River again.
Me: Maybe we should just buy a small house for now. Like a starter house or something. Check out the site and let me know if you see anything you like, baby.
I included the real estate site I’d been looking at, but when the message went unread, I figured she was just busy with class.
While I got ready for work, that heavy feeling in the middle of my chest only intensified, making me feel sick to my stomach. The fact that my texts to River were still unread was only making the sensation worse. When I got to work and saw that her car wasn’t where it should be, I nearly puked in the parking lot.
Something was wrong. My girl wouldn’t torture me by not answering my messages and then being late for work without a reason. In my gut, I knew something was wrong.
Fuck, I’d known something was off with her for a few weeks, but every time I’d asked her what was going on, she would just say she was worried about what was going to happen on her birthday. No matter how hard I tried to reassure her I would handle the dads, I hadn’t been able to alleviate her fears.
Seeing my mom’s SUV in the parking lot, I walked into the shop to see if she knew what was wrong with River.
Mom didn’t handle the shop often. Like River, she got jealous as fuck when Dad had to ink some chick, and it was just better for everyone if she wasn’t around. That was why I was all for River opening a store with my sister.
“Hey, honey,” she greeted from behind the counter where she sat, looking bored to tears.
“Hey,” I muttered, bending to kiss her cheek. “River meeting Mila and the real estate agent?”
“No, she called me this morning and said she was sick…” I was already on my way back out of the door. “Mav, you have an appointment in two hours,” she called after me. “If you aren’t here for it, your dad is going to wonder where you are.”
“I have to make sure she’s okay,” I told her from the door.
Her eyes softened. “Just be back before your appointment, or James is going to ask questions. He’s not stupid, Maverick. With River out sick and you not here, he will put two and two together.”