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“No, sir,” the doctor replied before sending a glance Ace’s way. “However, we ran several tests so we would know what medications to give her,” he continued before he paused again.
“Can you just spit it out?” Lucian demanded. Ace was beginning to respect the man, though he kept quiet.
“Your daughter is pregnant,” the doctor said. He again glanced at Ace before turning away to look at Lucian again. “The baby appears to be fine.”
The room went deathly silent as Ace stared down at Dakota. They’d been so cautious, had taken precautions. How in the world could this have happened? Well, he knew how it could happen, but he didn’t understand when it had happened.
Ace could feel the burning gazes of Dakota’s family focused on him now. As he was the only unrelated man in the room, they were easily putting two and two together.
“You are sure both my daughter and the baby are fine?” Lucian asked.
“Yes, we are sure. She should be waking any time,” the doctor told them.
Much to Ace’s surprise, her father looked up and smiled at Ace. That wasn’t the reaction he’d been expecting at all. He looked from her father to her brothers. They didn’t hold the same expression in their eyes at all. He had a feeling they’d like to draw and quarter him if they got the chance.
“Our first grandchild,” Juliana said as she placed her hand on her husband’s arm and looked down at their daughter. “This certainly isn’t the way I would have liked to have heard the news, but how can I not be happy about that?” She spoke so quietly, with a slight accent Ace couldn’t quite place.
Ace’s head was spinning. A baby certainly hadn’t been in the cards for him. Actually, it was the farthest thing from his mind. But as the doctor’s words settled in his brain, something inside his chest expanded, making him ache with overwhelming emotion.
A child. His child. He couldn’t even comprehend it. There was fear inside him, but it was drowned out by the overwhelming love taking its place. He was going to be a father. Just last night he’d almost lost the woman he loved, and now all of a sudden, he was being told he was going to be a father. And his baby’s mother was going to be just fine.
It was almost too much for him to take in. His blissful moment was soon interrupted, though, when Dakota’s oldest brother stepped forward.
“You have some serious explaining to do,” Kian said. There was definitely murder in his eyes.
“I think you need to wait for Dakota to wake up. It’s not my place to explain,” Ace told the man. He could certainly understand her brother’s wrath, but Ace feared her, not her family. And if he told them about their affair, she was going to kill him.
“I can certainly beat the information out of you,” Kian said. Her other brothers nodded, indicating they liked that idea.
“Want to go outside?” Ace asked, smirking at the man. He saw fire explode in his eyes before his lips turned up in a menacing smile.
“Let’s go,” Kian said, holding out his hand.
“You both need to calm down,” Juliana said, glaring at all of her sons before turning her disapproving look to Ace. “I’m assuming the child is yours.”
Ace didn’t want to look away from Dakota’s brothers, but he couldn’t disrespect her mother and ignore what she was saying to him. He slowly glanced at her, suddenly feeling shame as she gazed at him with a knowing look.
“Yes, ma’am,” he replied, with a lot more respect than he had given the brothers.
“And do you love my daughter?” she asked, her intense, nearly purple eyes not allowing him to look away, though he did shift on his feet.
“Yes, ma’am,” he said quietly. He’d realized it the night before, and the feeling had grown while he’d prayed at her bedside. He could try to lie to these people, but they needed to know he would die for Dakota. Maybe it would ease some of their tension.
“And I’m also assuming you have something to do with this mess,” Juliana continued.
“Yes,” he said, not elaborating.
“Since my daughter makes wise choices, I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt and let you tell us what is going on,” Juliana said as she accepted the chair her husband offered her. She sat next to her daughter, never taking her eyes off Ace.
“Mom, this douchebag touched Dakota,” Kian said, obviously still wanting a fight.
“Your sister is an adult and can choose who she wants to be with,” Juliana told her son.
“But . . .” Juliana held up her hand, and Kian instantly stopped. He obviously resp
ected his mother, which made Ace think a lot more highly of the man.
“Are you in trouble?” Juliana asked Ace.
