Page 70 of Flawless

“No doubts where you or our baby are concerned,” I said, firmly. “So, get that out of your head, now.”

“Then what?” her voice sounded soft and broken, like she was trying not to cry and it was killing me.

“Sweetheart, I need to be with you.”

She let out her breath in a rush. “I thought you were going to tell me you couldn’t leave the life you loved to start over with me.”

“Not a chance.” But if this was going to work, she needed total transparency. She deserved that. “Austin called me today. Said a lot of things that made me think…”

“About?”

“Everything.”

“Am I gonna have to smack him for planting doubts in your head? Because I will. Just say the word.”

I smiled, hoping if we had a baby girl she’d be as strong and feisty as her beautiful mama. “He loves you, Ry. He’s been there for you. And he’s worried about you.”

“I love him too. Austin, Easton… so many of the friends I’ve made in this business are like the big brothers I never had. They’re family. And I know they’ve always got my back.” She giggled. “Speaking of which, did I tell you Easton ran Dean out of town?”

“How’d he do that?” I liked everything I’d heard about Easton, but it irked me that he got to be Rylee’s hero and I didn’t.

“Simple. Easton reminded him who my friends were. Told him he was going to start spreading the word about what he’d done and he’d never work in this town again.”

“And that’s all it took?” I was relieved, but skeptical. In my experience, guys like that didn’t slink away quietly.

“Honey, when Easton talks, people in this town listen. Besides, Dean’s from Atlanta. Even when we were together, he talked about moving back home. There’s a pretty big music scene there, so I’m sure he won’t starve. But he’s burned his bridges in Nashville. He knows that now.”

“I’d still like to see that dirtbag behind bars, where he belongs.”

“I would too, but let’s be honest. If he posts those pics of me online, I’m screwed.”

I hated that anyone had that kind of power over her, but I understood why she would want to put the mess with her ex behind her.

“As long as he has those pics, he has leverage, baby. Doesn’t mean he won’t crawl out of his hole someday, when he gets desperate enough and you get rich enough, so he can try to make you pay.”

“I’ve thought about that.” She chuckled. “But I happen to know he’s scared spitless of you.”

I grunted, wishing I’d worked a little harder to put the fear of God into him when I had the chance. “Where’d you hear that?”

“One of the guys in my band is still friends with him. Dean told him you stopped by his place the night of your sister’s engagement party.” Her throaty laugh turned me on before she said, “My friend said he whined like a little bitch about it. Thought he was gonna cry.” She laughed again. “I would have paid good money to see that.”

“He was still standing when I left, so it felt like a job undone.”

“Guys like you don’t have to use your fists, babe.” Her voice was low and suggestive when she whispered, “Not when you have so many other tools at your disposal, to one-up losers like that.”

“Enough about him.” Just the thought of that scum-sucker raised my blood pressure. “I need to talk about us. About how we’re gonna do this, because I’m going crazy being so far away from you.”

And once our baby was born? No way could I go a single day without kisses and cuddles and giggles. No doubt about it. This kid was gonna make me soft, and I was okay with that.

“I know it’s not easy, but we can figure this out, right? We have to. Like you said, maybe you can keep your place there⁠—”

“I’m not sure I want to.”

“What are you talking about? You have to.”

“I’m thinking of resigning. Selling my house⁠—”

“No!” She sounded alarmed, and a little breathless when she said, “Oh my God, are you crazy? What are you talking about? You can’t do that!”