“I don’t know if I can do this, Enzo.”
My heart shudders and I immediately know I can. I’ve survived everything Enzo put me through and I made it throughwhatever the fuck happened in the temple. I’ve more than survived. I’ve flourished. And the thought of doing anything else isn’t something my heart’s prepared to entertain. It won’t accept a reality without this child—without Enzo’s child—and it’s decided my head’s going to have to get on board.
“I’ve never met anyone quite like you, not in all my days and nights. You’re remarkable, Adriana. You’re special, and not just because you’re an Altair. You’re strong, resilient as fuck, and only a fool or a madman would be idiotic enough to get in your way. You’re brave enough to stand up to Lucifer and you’re going to be a great mother. A perfect mother.”
My lips twitch and he smiles.
“This is still a shock. For both of us. I’m prepared to accept things for what they are, whereas you insist on railing against them, Adriana.” Enzo kisses my stomach again and lingers. “Sometimes the fight is what keeps us going, and sometimes it is better to accept the things we cannot change. This is a gift, baby. A miracle.”
“I’m not ready,” I mumble.
“I know,” he replies.
He draws a deep breath and pulls me against him. His strong arms wrap around me and hold me against his chest. The vicious, violent wings that used to terrify me wrap around me and I close my eyes, safe and protected.
“Are you disappointed?”
“No,” he replies.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
His fingers stroke my face, and I lean into them.
“You have a little under nine months. That’s time enough for you to figure out how you feel about this and everything else that’s happened.”
“What do you want to do now?” I mumble.
“It doesn’t matter what I want, baby. This is about you. What is it you want, Adriana?”
My head’s a mess, and nothing makes sense anymore. Least of this. I’m still grappling with who and what I am. With what happened in the temple. With what I did in the temple.
I’m not ready.
“I want time.”
I don’t even know who I’m talking to anymore. I’m telling myself what I want as much as I’m talking to Enzo.
“I’m not sure what I want. It’s too fucking hard to figure it out and I just want to be left alone.” I swallow, staring at the wounded expression on Enzo’s face. “By everyone except you. I’ve had as much of this as I can take and I can’t think straight. I’ve been trying to work out how I feel about being pregnant for the past three days and I’m going round in circles.”
We stare at each other and meet. Unequal. Far from even. But together. In balance.
“You’ve been through Hell, Adi.”
Enzo kisses me and it’s a world of heat and fire that catches me by surprise. He’s rough again, dominant. His tongue demands I give him what he needs, and I moan into his mouth, letting his excitement wash over me. I feel it too. I want it. But I want something else and I break our kiss, determined to tell him.
“I want to go home, Enzo.” I look down at my hands and wonder why they seem so small. “I don’t like it here. I can’t think… I can’t sleep… I can’t breathe…”
“We’ll leave.”
Enzo gets up and marches to the doorway, throwing the heavy doors open like they’re weightless, and yelling for Byron. The glass in the room reverberates as he roars again and I curl my legs up underneath me.
Enzo’s heard me and now he’s going to make damn sure I get what I want. What I’ve asked for and not just because that’s the deal we made. He wants me to have everything I want, for no reason other than I want it and it makes me happy and he’ll tear down anyone and anything that gets in his way.
It's romantic. As romantic as a demon cursing his way through Hell can be.
“Where the fuck have you been?”
