Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 87368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 437(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 437(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
She chose this rather than come home to her family?
To me?
What the hell?
My body is shaking with ire as I cut my gaze back to Audrina’s worried one. Her teeth sink into her bottom lip as she holds my gaze. It’s almost like she’s bracing for my wrath. I’m about to give it to her until my eyes fall on the child beside her. The little girl’s eyes are closed, her face red from the fever, I assume. Audrina keeps her hand moving along her small back as she holds my gaze.
Looking at her is like standing in the middle of a brush fire. Flames licking up my body, searing my skin, but I can’t move. If I’m standing in the fire with her, I’ll burn. Neither of us speaks; we just stare at each other. Tears spill over her cheeks and gather in her lashes, but I can’t react to them. The last time I lost my cool, I lost her. I can’t do that this time around.
I need answers.
But most of all, I need to figure out a way to get them home.
CHAPTER SEVEN
As I stare into the eyes of the girl I have known my whole life and loved just as long, I’m knocked back more than three years ago.
“Thatty, it isn’t—”
I don’t want to hear my nickname on her lips. I don’t want to hear anything from her. How dare she? I know we didn’t hash things out, but I gave her my whole-ass soul last night. Out of my mind with jealousy and fury, I snap, “And your ass better not be pregnant. If so, you better have proof it’s mine since you love to whore yourself around to the whole fucking team. I’ll need cold hard evidence it’s mine.”
I still remember how she whipped her head back as if I’d hit her, and shit, I might as well have. I know why she left me. I know what I said hurt her, but I was hurt and I was lashing out. It’s not an excuse, and I owe her the biggest apology imaginable, but damn it, why did she allow that one fight to keep us apart? To keep me from being there for her and my daughter?
I want to yell. I want to scream at her and demand she give me answers. Tears stream down her cheeks, and I see nothing but remorse and pain on her face. Audrina isn’t a vindictive person; she hid because she was scared. Of me. And I wasn’t there to help her. As much as I want to go off on her, I can’t. I have to tread lightly, or this could blow up in my face.
It’s not about us anymore. It’s about the baby. I have to get her home safe and sound. It’s the least I can do after being absent for three-plus years. She’s lived like this because I scared her mom off. I have to fix this. Then I’ll go toe-to-toe with Audrina.
God, this is a fucking mess.
She doesn’t move from where she is laid out beside our little girl. Audrina’s fingers stroke her back where she has removed the girl’s shirt, and she lies there in only a diaper. Not only is the little girl the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen, but she’s all chunky like how I love babies to be. All my friends are having kids, and my favorite are the ones with rolls galore. I want to munch on her like she’s a Texas Roadhouse roll, but that would be weird since I don’t even know her name yet.
Our parents are going to lose their shit.
Ingrid included.
They’re going to be livid, and a new round of fear hits me out of nowhere. I don’t want them to come at her. I want to protect her from their wrath. She deserves my wrath, but not our parents’. This is my fault. They should be mad at me—and they are—but I can’t have them come for Audrina. I can’t let my smart mouth get in the way here. I’m not on the ice trying to get into the heads of my opponents. I’m trying to fix what I broke. I have to put my own damn pain to the side and take this slowly.
Audrina’s eyes are flooded with tears as she stares at me, and I can’t help but take her in. Drink in every feature that has changed and the ones that haven’t. She’s still the stunner she’s always been. Thicker in all the right places, and I think Owen was right. I bet she was a sight to be seen, pregnant with my child.
She did it alone.
Emotion burns in my chest as I bite the inside of my cheek, unable to look away. Her tears fall freely, and I’m not even embarrassed when one rolls down my cheek. I don’t wipe it away. I only lean into the door, watching her care for our daughter. I know my knuckles are white from how tightly I’ve balled my fist to prevent myself from closing the distance. I don’t know what to do, but damn it, I want to help. Audrina has to know because she looks away then, wiping her face as she inhales and lets the breath out just as roughly. She moves a curl out of the baby’s face, and her shoulders shake with sobs as she returns to rubbing her back.