“He did, and he has to be nice to me since I’m building the apartment at his house.” His thumbs catch my tears that are now leaking for a whole different reason. “Roman said he would inject insulin between my toes while I slept, so no one would find out how I died.”
“That’s so diabolical.” I put my hands on his chest, my finger rubbing back and forth nervously. “I haven’t had a lot of experience with what love is. But I know I love our child more than anything already and, well, I think I love you just as much.” His heartbeat thumps under my hand, and it’s everything. I tap my finger, forcing mine to beat at the same rhythm.
He smiles as his lips touch mine. “I’ve never wanted anything in my life the way I want you.” He kisses my lips again. “You going to move in with me?”
“Theo, I have a house.”
“No, you have a death trap.” That makes me giggle for the first time in what feels like forever. “I’m not kidding, Collins, that place is probably not even up to code.”
I roll my eyes, moving my hands to his sides and gripping his shirt in my fists, making sure he doesn’t leave me. “It’s fine.”
“Your wiring is all fucking shot. I went to check, and there are some breakers that look like they don’t even work. And don’t get me started on the plumbing.”
“I live in it just fine.” I mean, I know there are technically lots of things wrong with it, but it’s mine, so it’s been perfect in my eyes.
“Well, how about this?” His hands drop from my face, and he pulls me to him. My arms go around his waist. “I’ll go with you to your house, and we’ll check everything, and if it passes code, then I won’t say anything to you.”
I bite my lower lip. “What happens if it doesn’t pass code?”
“Then you move in here. We get your house up to code, and you rent it out.”
The doorbell rings, and my body goes tight. My mother must be back. He lets me go and stomps to the door. I hear voices and then . . . his parents walk into the room.
The smile on his mother’s face fades when she sees me. “Why is she crying?” Her voice rises when she turns to Theo. “What did you do to make her cry? Blake, she’s crying.”
“I’m okay,” I say quickly, my hand on my stomach, “or I’ll be okay. I swear, it’s just?—”
“What did you say to her?” Samantha asks Theo, coming to me and wrapping one arm around my waist. “You said something insensitive, didn’t you?” She looks at me. “You can tell me what he said.”
“He actually didn’t say anything,” I say, defending him. “It’s just a couple of things that happened.” I feel her tighten her grip on me. “It’s a long story, but you might as well hear it from me first.”
“Before you do that,” Blake cuts in, “how about we sit down and get you some water?” His smile fills my heart even bigger. “Maybe a snack.”
“I’ll get her some juice.” Samantha ushers me to the couch, basically pushing me into it. “Maybe we can get you some fruit?” I can see her own tears in her eyes. “Or do you want pizza? Maybe fried chicken or a burger? Whatever you want to eat, we’ll get it for you.” She looks at Theo. “Have you fed her recently?” She folds her arms over her chest, and her eyes go into slits. “I thought I raised you better than this.”
“Mom, you’re freaking my girl out.”
“She’s not freaking me out.” I glare at him, then turn to Samantha. “You are not freaking me out.”
“I’m not freaking her out.” Samantha puts her hand to her chest.
“I think we need a time-out.” Blake puts one hand up and then the other hand on top in a T. “We’ll get her something to drink.” He grabs Samantha’s hands. “You tell her it’s going to be okay,” he tells Theo, “and we’ll be back.”
I watch Blake drag Samantha to the kitchen. “You don’t have to tell them anything,” Theo says as he sits next to me. “No one has to know.”
“But then if they find out, it’ll be like I was hiding it from them, and I’m not going to be that person who lies.”
“It has nothing to do with you.” He’s just trying to make me feel better.
“It has everything to do with me.” I don’t say another word because they come back with a glass of water for me. “Thank you.” I smile at her, accepting the glass. Theo wraps an arm around my back, pulling me to him.
“We’re going to have to get this moving,” Theo whispers to me. “I want everyone out since we just got back together.”
“Got back together?” Samantha gasps. “You broke up with her?” He ignores her and looks at me, waiting for me to take the lead.
“I sort of broke up with him.” I don’t want them to be mad at him at all.
Samantha sits down, and Blake follows to sit beside her. His arm goes around her shoulders, holding on to her arm. “It’s—” I start nervously. Theo’s reassuring look calms me. “It’s my parents. They’re not the nicest people. They are definitely not good parents, and I’m going to be nothing like them.” He reaches over with his free hand to grab mine and brings it to his lips. “They’ve done horrible things, but someone told me recently that what they did has nothing to do with me.”
