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Istared at her, equally mesmerized. “You’recrying,”IechoedPiya’swords.Brown, glossy eyes shined in the poorly lit room, more tears falling on her cheeks.Itwas beautiful, haunting, and utterly captivating.
Sheswiped her cheek with her index finger to gather a droplet, staring at the moisture dry against her fingertip. “Why?” she seemed to be speaking to herself, trying to determine the cause behind such an act.
Asmile tugged at my lips. “Haven’tyou figured it out yet, littleSpawn?”
Sheexamined me thoughtfully. “Yes,” she whispered, holding nothing back. “BecauseIlove you, andIcan’t live without you.”
Iyanked her to my lips, kissing her with such absolution in front of my new in-laws that it could only be viewed as disrespectful.Icouldn’t find it in myself to scale back whenPoppythrew her arms around my neck and nuzzled into me like she’d never let go, either. “Ilove you,”Iwhispered back, though she had heard it a million times already.
Thistime, her parents took the hint. “Whydon’t we give them a moment?”Piyasuggested.
“We’llgather everyone and bring them back here,”Zanesaid over his shoulders before disappearing out of the room.
Isaw the inquisitive look on my girl's face about gathering everyone, but she didn’t question it.Instead, her hands roamed my battered body, taking in my ragged t-shirt, the dried blood around my lips, and the finger that was still bleeding.
“WhatdidDevdo to you?Wheredid he take you?” she choked.Fuck, her tear-soaked voice made my dick hard.Icould get used to this a little too easily.
Iwanted to tell her everything but was distracted by the gauze wrapped aroundPoppy’swrist and her pinky finger encased in a mini cast.Ishook my head with rage.
Iheld my fingers over hers.Thougheven an inch of her pain caused me severe mental anguish, it was poetic that we now shared the same injury.Partof my pinky was shot off by herUncleDev.
“It’sokay.”Poppyrubbed a hand up and down my shoulders when she noted the darkness brewing in my eyes. “Theyare just scrapes.I’mfine.”Herfocus was on my finger instead. “Tellme what he did.”
Igave her another chaste kiss. “Iwill.I’llexplain once everyone is here.”
Fifteenminutes later,PoppyandIfinally dragged ourselves away from one another after she disclosed what happened to her finger and the subsequent hospital visit.Sheinsisted on calling a doctor to look at my wounds as well.Theywanted me to get admitted, but there was no way in hellI’dleave her side.Shewas still hooked up toIVlines, and unless they could admit me to the same room, it wasn’t happening.Eventually, a nurse took pity on the couple with separation anxiety and bandaged my superficial wounds.Luckily, it was a clean gunshot, and nothing was infected.Istood under the shower ofPoppy’sensuite bathroom to wash off any remnants of blood whileLukewas summoned to bring me a change of clothes.
Eventhe short separation while showering proved to be torture.WhenIreturned to the room,Isaw her browsing through a book.
“Whatare you reading?”
“WhatToExpectWhenYou’reExpecting.Momjust dropped it off,” she replied callously.
Ifroze.
Poppy’sgaze coasted to me. “Don’tlook so shocked.”Sheraised a challenging brow. “Givenhow careful you were being, surprised is the last thing you should be feeling right now.”
Shewas right.Itook her face between my hands. “Isit true?”Iasked softly. “Yousure you’re pregnant?”
“No, butIam,” a man’s voice drifted into the room.Anolder doctor wearing a stern expression, deep lines, and a furrowed brow examined my state.Hiseyes narrowed, and his mouth pinched in disapproval. “Youngman, has anyone told you that you look like shit.Youneed to get admitted right away.”
“I’mfine,”Iinsisted. “Iwant to be here when you tell us what’s going on with the baby.I’mthe father,”Itold him, puffing out my chest.
Hewas unimpressed. “Ofcourse you are.”Helooked me up and down, the frown stretching at the sight of my bruised face and injured body.
“Hedoesn’t like us very much,”Poppywhispered to me.
“Sheis right,” the doctor replied without looking up from his charts.
“That’sgreat.So, how’s our baby?”Iwrapped an arm aroundPoppy, beaming with pride.
Judgmentaleyes perused us, convinced we’d be disastrous parents.Nonetheless, he gave us the necessary update.Babywas fine.Noissues.
Myhand didn’t leave her stomach even long after he left the room.
Ipeppered her face with kisses, though there was some apprehension about how she felt about all this. “Ihope this is good news for you, too, baby.”
Poppy’sexpression softened, eyes locked on me. “Thebest news.”
