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He knew what the test had shown.
Pregnant.
She wasn’t happy about having his child inside her.
She shouldn’t be alone, shouldn’t have to deal with the results she hadn’t wanted to see, not alone.
“Madison, sweetheart, let me in.” Or he was going to knock the door down.
Checking the lock, he realized he could easily jimmy it with a credit card, and did so.
What met his eyes shattered his heart into a million pieces, would haunt him for ever.
Madison huddled on the floor, her arms wrapped around her knees, her face buried in the cradle of her arms, her shoulders shaking with silent tears.
Oh, Madison. I’m sorry. So very sorry I did this to you.
Only part of him wasn’t.
Part of him liked the thought of his baby growing inside her. A very male part that was full of pride. Probably some Neanderthal reaction to natural animal instinct, survival of the species kind of thing. But he did have a surge of unexpected pride.
A surge of pride that filled him with guilt when her sorrowful eyes lifted to his, full of disillusionment and pain.
She didn’t want their baby, didn’t want what he’d done to her. There shouldn’t be any part of him happy when she was so miserable.
Tears streaked down her splotchy face.
Lots of tears. And judging by her red, swollen eyes he’d say she’d been crying for quite some time.
Why hadn’t he insisted she let him in sooner? Popped the lock sooner?
Instantly, he dropped to his knees and pulled her into his arms. “Oh, Madison, sweetheart, I’m sorry.”
Sorry for his surge of pride. Sorry for losing his head and not protecting her. Sorry his father’s blood ran through his veins. Sorry that the way he’d felt about her had scared him, had prompted him to stay away from her for the past month. Sorry for the pain in her eyes.
For that he was most sorry.
He didn’t want her unhappy that his baby grew inside her. He wanted her to share that seed of excitement building within him, for them to build on this beginning and have a future together.
What had he expected? That she’d be glad he’d impregnated her?
When really he’d just been trying to protect his own sorry hind end because making love to Madison had been different.
She’d been different from the beginning.
He’d sensed that, had planned to immediately ask her out because he’d known she was different even if he’d wondered if his reaction wasn’t just related to his father calling him a chip off the ole block. But he’d overheard that conversation with Karen and had used it as a barrier to keep distance between them.
Because with Madison he’d be risking more than he’d ever risked with any woman.
His heart.
His heart that ached at the pain wracking her frail body. “Oh, sweetheart.”
She sucked in air between sobs and he tightened his hold, brushed his lips over the softness of her hair. “Shh, it’s okay, Madison. You won’t have to do this alone. I’ll be here for you and our baby. Always.”
Another sob wrenched her body, tearing at his soul.
She shook her head. “You…don’t…understand,” she got out between hiccups.
