Lover (Betrothed 3)

I didn’t want to think about the possibility, but I knew how Sofia felt about it without even asking her. If abortion were an option, she would’ve confronted me sooner, asked for a test, and then aborted it if it was Maddox’s. The fact that she didn’t do that told me she wanted this baby no matter what. That was fine with me. It was half her, so of course I would love it. “Even if it’s not mine, I’ll still love it like it is. But that doesn’t matter because I know it’s mine.”

“How can you be so sure?” Ash continued to press the topic.

“The gypsy told me I would have two sons with Sofia,” I said. “And the timing makes it possible.”

Damien was still quiet from his seat at the table.

Ash stared at me like it was just the two of us. “You can’t trust gypsies. She said you would have two sons with Sofia. She never said Sofia wouldn’t have children with somebody else. This is your fortune, not hers.”

The thought made my fingertips cold, but it didn’t change my faith. Sofia was my soul mate, so I knew we would work it out in spite of everything. If she were someone else, my reaction would be very different. If I were married to someone else, I probably would ask for an abortion if it wasn’t mine. But with Sofia, it was totally different. “I accept whatever happens. If she wants to keep this baby, then I will be the father. Period.”

Damien held his glass as he stared down at the contents. He’d mentally removed himself from the conversation. He used to be the guy in whom I confided all my secrets, but now my brother had taken his place.

“And not to be insensitive…” Ash wasn’t going to let this go. “She should get tested, make sure everything is okay, you know?”

I nodded. “She already did that.”

“And Maddox is a psychopath. His kid would probably be demon spawn.” He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. “I couldn’t do it.”

“You could if you were in love.” We were gathered there to discuss our plans for Maddox, but the conversation had turned into gossip hour. When I’d realized Sofia was pregnant, I knew I was happy. I didn’t think about anyone else besides the two of us. It was a moment between lovers, a beautiful moment that changed our lives forever. In my heart, I believed she was having my first son and we were beginning a long life together. I’d given up on the idea of her loving me, and now I realized I didn’t need it. She would love our son as much as I did, and since her son would be half of me, she would love me…in an indirect way.

That was good enough for me.

When I got home, it was late.

I shed my heavy coat and then stripped off everything else. My watch was slipped off my wrist and returned to my collection in the drawer. When I approached the bed, I realized she was awake.

In one of my white t-shirts with the sheets pulled to her shoulders, she looked so comfortable, but also wide awake.

I volunteered my whereabouts. “I was with Damien and Ash.” I got into bed and lay beside her.

“I assumed.”

I was glad she hadn’t assumed I was doing something else. I came close to her and slid my hand underneath her shirt. My large hand covered her entire stomach, and I felt the little bulge that was full of life. When I saw her in the shower, it was the first time I’d seen her naked in months. It was a beautiful sight, but instead of focusing on her tits and curves, my eyes were focused on the way her stomach was slightly swollen. In that moment, that was all I cared about.

And she’d never looked sexier.

I wanted her more than I ever had before. Knowing she was pregnant with my son was such a carnal turn-on. My arousal was biological, evolutionary. It must be something all men felt when their woman was growing a child. The differences in her body were subtle, probably unnoticeable if you saw her every single day. But since I hadn’t seen her beautiful skin in so long, I noticed the changes immediately. Her tits were a little bigger, her hips a little wider. There was more mass around her thighs and ass. Her body was changing in preparation for motherhood. And it was so damn hot.

She didn’t flinch at my touch or seem uncomfortable with my desire. I couldn’t pretend I wasn’t deeply attracted to her. My dick had a mind of its own, and I couldn’t quiet it if I tried, couldn’t stop looking at her like I wanted her. She couldn’t hold that against me.