Page 151 of Angel

‘Cannes, I think. My pill must have failed,’ was all she offered.

She staggered to her feet, rinsed her mouth at the sink, brushed her teeth, and walked into the kitchen.

I followed right on her heels, my protective instincts howling like a wolf.

I wanted to pick her up, carry her to bed, and shield her from the world forever.

Roxy pulled a 3D ultrasound photo off the refrigerator door.

She handed it to me, along with a small medical file from a nearby shelf detailing our unborn child’s stats.

I stared at the image and flipped through the paperwork, my hands shaking.

I took deep, ragged gulps of air to stop myself from losing control in front of her.

‘I’m a dad?’ I whispered, the words foreign and holy at the same time. ‘A father?’

‘You are, Angel,’ she murmured.

‘Fuuuck yeah,’ I grunted, as fiercer joy bloomed in my chest. ‘How far along are you?’

‘Thirteen weeks,’ Roxy muttered. ‘I’m in a world of agony trying to keep it, but I’m keeping it.’

‘Hell yeah, you are,’ I growled, matching her resolve. ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’

The look she shot me, one of utter irritated incredulity, shut down any need to seek a response.

I moved closer to her, my entire frame trembling and charged with intense longing.

‘Can I hug you, baby, please?’ I rasped.

Roxy narrowed her eyes, assessing my face for several agonizing seconds before she gave a small nod.

With a growl, I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her flush to my chest.

She remained stiff at first, but then she slowly relaxed into the hug.

I buried my face in her shoulder, breathing her in.

I was holding my wife again, and better yet, she was pregnant with our child.

A savage happiness surged through me, and I pulled back with a massive, idiotic grin.

Desire sparked in my veins as I stared down at her.

She was so beautiful.

I bent my head to kiss her, desperate to seal our connection.

Roxy placed a hand against my torso, pushing me away, shutting me down.

Fuck.

‘You need to leave, Angel.’

I gazed into her stubborn eyes for a long time, searching for reassurance, but found none.

With a sigh and my heart sinking, I crossed my hands over my chest and leaned onto the counter behind me.