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Something that I didn’t expect.
Not right away at least.
I thought I’d have to do more convincing, and I never thought I’d say it, but this is worse.
This is worse than the worst.
Because I’m not marrying Ledger. We’re not even together together. Yes, we will raise our babies together, but from a distance. It’s going to be a harmonious co-parenting situation.
Right?
Well, it has to be. Because there’s no other option.
“Listen, Callie, the thing is that —”
She slaps a hand to her forehead. “Oh my God, what are we doing? We need to get out there before my husband kills your future husband.”
Holy shit, yes.
And so we both rush out of there and by the time we get outside, I’m relieved to see that Ledger is alive but distressed at the fact that he looks wrecked.
His eyes are already swollen and there are bruises all over his jaw.
Plus his lips are bleeding.
And he’s pinned against his truck with Reed at his throat.
I rush down the front steps as I snap, “Reed, stop it.”
My plan is to physically separate my brother from Ledger if I have to. But it falls apart because Ledger snaps his eyes over to me and thrusts his hand out. “Stay back.”
I come to a halt with Callie at my side. “Ledger, you —”
“Stay the fuck back, Tempest,” he pants out, his chest heaving.
“But —”
My protests come to a halt when Reed pulls at Ledger’s t-shirt, jerking him away from the truck, before slamming him right back. Hard, making Ledger grimace slightly and me gasp.
Then, “Answer me, motherfucker. Is it because of what I did to Fae? Is this your idea of payback for getting your sister pregnant?”
“Roman, let him —”
Reed snaps his eyes over to Callie, his gaze full of venom. “Don’t.”
Callie bites her lip and stands down.
And I hate that I’m coming in between them. Reed never — not ever — denies Callie anything. He’ll walk through broken glass if it means he can watch Callie smile. So for him to say no to her makes my heart squeeze.
Painfully.
“Reed, please,” I implore then. “Let him go. Let him —”
“No,” Ledger says then, replying back to Reed’s question.
Ignoring me and Callie, Reed turns back to him. Then as if I hadn’t spoken, he tightens his grip on Ledger’s t-shirt and goes, “So what, you wanted to do it?”
Ledger licks his bloody lip. “Yeah.”
It’s the wrong answer because Reed decks Ledger under the jaw, making his head snap to the side.
I scream again for Reed to stop. Callie does it too.
But he doesn’t listen.
He doesn’t even turn away from Ledger. “Are you saying that you wanted this? That you did this to her on purpose. You knocked my sister up on fucking purpose.”
Ledger faces Reed again, wiping the dripping blood from his mouth. “Yeah. I wanted to knock your sister up on purpose. So I did.”
Again, it’s the wrong answer.
Actually it’s probably the wrongest answer in the moment because it sends Reed into a rage. And when he starts raining down punches on Ledger, he doesn’t stop. He keeps going and going and I don’t know what to do.
I don’t know how to make my brother stop.
Except to shout at the top of my lungs, “It was me, okay? I asked him to.”
I even try to ignore Ledger’s command from before and rush over to the pair of them. But this time, it’s Callie who stops me. She shakes her head at me as she whispers, “You can’t. Not in your condition.”
So helpless, I try again. “Reed, please. Stop it. Let him go. I told him to do it. It was me. My decision.”
Something about what I said penetrates through the fog and Reed finally stops.
Thank God.
Although if Ledger was wrecked before, he’s completely destroyed right now. His t-shirt is torn. There’s blood everywhere. Bruises and cuts are blooming left and right on his face. And not once during all this did he try to fight back.
Actually, not once did he try to defend himself even.
Not once did he try to dodge my brother’s wrath or protect himself in any way.
All because he made me a promise.
All because he’s my Beautiful Thorn and I’m his Lovelorn Firefly. And I stand here, watching him with all the misery and all the sorrow in my eyes, while he stares back with all the concern in his. Because of the bout of nausea that I went through and all the stress that I’m going through now in my condition.
Finally, I give in and put my hand on my belly. To tell him that they’re okay.
We’re okay.
“Your decision,” Reed says, still keeping a hold of Ledger but now focused on me.
I sniffle and wipe the silent tears off my cheek. “Yes, it was me.”
My brother’s jaw clenches. “Why?”
I rub my belly in short strokes. “B-because I always wanted a baby.”
