Page 65 of The Decoy

She turns in my hold, twisting around until she’s facing me, her arms reaching up to wrap around my neck. She looks up into my face, her eyes searching mine with a profound intensity that makes my throat tighten.

“I love that I believe you,” she says softly. “I finally understand love because of you. That I know you’re not doing any of this to get something from me. That you want me here. That you want us here. That you want to build a family with me.”

I stare down at her, my jaw tightening as a wave of fierce possessiveness surges through me. I grip her hips, pulling her flush against me so she can feel every inch of my body.

“I’m not with you for any other reason other than I’ve realized I can’t breathe properly when you’re not around. I’ve fallen in love with you. The person you are in here.” I place a hand on her heart. “I don’t care what your last name is or what’s in our bank account. I care about you and this baby. Period. I want you in my life because you’re the only woman who has ever made me feel like there’s something bigger than football waiting for me.”

Ellis’s breath catches, and her eyes search mine, her lips parting like she wants to say something, but the words are stuck.

“Brody…” she finally whispers. “I love you too. I know this is all real, but sometimes it all feels like a dream.”

“You’re not dreaming,” I say firmly, dipping my head down to capture her mouth in a deep kiss that leaves no question of my feelings for her.

She kisses me back with everything she has, her fingers tangling into the short hair at the nape of my neck, pulling me closer, molding her soft body into mine. The world outside—the press, the upcoming months of training, and the season—dissolves into static noise. There’s only the weight of her in my arms, the certainty of the relationship we’re building.

When I finally pull back, both of us breathing heavy, I rest my forehead against hers, my hands smoothing down her back to hold her steady.

“Now,” I say, my voice thick, a playful smirk on my face. “Let’s get you something to eat, then we’ll go upstairs and figure out which bedroom will be the nursery.”

Ellis laughs, just as her belly rumbles. “That sounds like the perfect plan. Now…feed me.”

“Your every wish is my command, Princess.”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Ellis

Soft music and laughter float through the doors of Alie and Liam’s home, mingling with the brisk spring air. As the quarterback of the Titans, and Alie being the team owner’s daughter, their home is stunning. It’s a white estate nestled on a beautiful piece of property.

At thirty weeks pregnant, my body temperature is starting to go a bit off the rails, so I stepped outside a few minutes ago to cool off and sip my sparkling water with a splash of cranberry. I take in the view, thinking about how my life has changed and won’t slow down anytime soon.

When Alie, Presley, and Eva first approached me about hosting my baby shower, I thought it might be too much, but I’m really glad I did it now. They involved my mom, so that meant I did have to offer some input. My one clear directive was that I wanted this shower to be fun, relaxing, and comfortable for everyone. No formal place settings and stuffiness. I’ve spent my life navigating the performative, high-society circles of Manhattan’s upper crust without ever blinking an eye, but I wanted this day to be warm and inviting and carry the excitement of my son’s birth.

And my girls executed the vision flawlessly. I mean…they may have gone a little overboard with the florals, but it’s all so soft and stunning.

Floral installations of cream garden roses, soft sage greenery, and white hydrangeas drape over the archways inside the house. And the tables are set with linen, glassware, and gold silverware. A three-tier cake decorated with hand-spun sugar flowers sits on the table, along with enough food to feed the entire football team. Which…most of them are here today, so I guess it was necessary.

It’s sophisticated, no doubt expensive, but completely genuine.

I run my hand back and forth over my bump as I look around, and the baby moves. I swear he already has relentless energy.

Instinctively, I look for Brody.

Every time I see him, I swear my pulse jumps, and it’s been months now that we’ve been together, and a few months since we’ve been living together. I hope I never stop having this feeling.

He’s standing next to Aston with a bottle of the Lone Star beer that Aston insists on having at every family event or get-together. Brody looks every bit of the professional football player he is, even in the offseason. He and Liam, Aston, and Saint worked out this morning before coming over as the party was starting.

Standing near him are his mother, June, and his sister, Lauren. June has an iced tea and wears a navy blue dress, her short hair neatly styled as she glances over at her son with maternal pride. And Lauren is bright-eyed and wears a floral dress, gesturing wildly with a napkin while speaking to my mother, who looks entertained. They seem like kindred spirits.

When Brody flew to Ohio a few months ago to tell his mom about the baby and me, I couldn’t go with him because of non-negotiable business dealings. But I hadn’t spent any time worrying about how they would react, because the world, and even our own families, with the exception of my brother, only know one truth: this baby is Brody’s son. And we know what we are and what we’re building.

Since then, I’ve developed a relationship with both of them via FaceTime calls and texts. June loves to send me recipes when I tell her what I’m craving, and Lauren floods my phone with baby clothes and nursery ideas. Having them here with us in New Jersey makes the day, the weekend, even better.

Yesterday was Brody’s twenty-seventh birthday, which worked out well with the baby shower weekend. While he was working out with Aston, I went to pick up his mom and sister from the private airport my family uses. I handled the entire arrangement weeks ago without telling him or even dropping a single hint. I sent our family’s private jet to pick them up from Ohio, and set up the guest rooms, and Brody had no clue. I was honestly surprised Lauren didn’t spoil it. She was so excited to come.

When he came home from his workout, the first thing he saw was his mom and sister standing in the kitchen with big smiles on their faces.

Brody catches my eye from across the room. A breathtaking smile breaks across his rugged, gorgeous face as his gaze focuses entirely on me.