“What else do you need?” I ask Dominic as I pick up the tray with our empty breakfast dishes off the nightstand.
He pats his palm against his bare chest while reclined on the bed. “I need you to finally do as you’re told and sit on my face.”
I don’t smile.
I won’t.
I can’t encourage this behavior.
“Dominic Gonzalez, you aren’t even supposed to be home. It’s only been three days since you almost died.”
He rubs his fingertips along the black letters spelling my name across his throat.
He’s been doing that a lot since we came home from the hospital yesterday.
“Angel, I’m not asking you to suffocate me all the way to death. I just need to taste what’s mine.” He starts to sit up. “Or you can just lay back and let me fuck you.”
I point a finger at him. “You are impossible.”
“Impossible to resist.”
Snorting, I turn away from him and walk out the door. “Watch me.”
“Always a pleasure,” he calls after me.
The only good thing about Dominic recovering from surgery is that his diet is currently made up of oatmeal, soup, and crackers, which happens to be the same sort of food that I’m able to eat.
The morning sickness isn’t awful, but it’s there.
I shift the tray so I can hold it with one hand against my side as I hold the railing with the other hand and make my way downstairs.
King and Savannah flew down while Dom was in emergency surgery and insisted that I get looked over by a doctor as well.
I didn’t argue because I knew it would be pointless. Savannah also insisted on staying in the exam room with me, so when the doctor asked if there was a chance I was pregnant and I told him yes, she had to slap a hand over her mouth to keep in her shout. I wasn’t sure what emotion she was trying to keep in, but when she lowered her hand, showing me the smile underneath, we both broke down into tears.
And then the doctor tested for himself.
We’re still waiting on the official blood test, but the pee test was another positive.
Luckily King didn’t ask why we’d both been crying when we came back out. And I made Savannah promise not to tell him until after I’d told Dom.
And I’ve been meaning to tell him.
I really have.
But I need him to be better first. Because I’m pretty sure he’s going to be the most overbearing baby daddy imaginable once he finds out.
I’m setting the wooden tray down next to the kitchen sink when there’s a knock on the front door.
“Uh…” I say to the empty room.
We’re not expecting anyone to show up at the door.
I stand in the middle of the kitchen, unsure what to do, when Dom’s voice echoes down from upstairs. “You can answer it.”
“Okay!” I shout back. “Stay in bed.”
My feet pad against the floor as I cross the room in my leggings and oversized sweater.
Even though Dominic told me to open the door, I still check the security screen.
I pull the door open. “Hey!” I greet King and Savannah.
Then my eyes widen as Aspen, Payton, and Nero all file into the condo as well.
I smile. “What’s going on?”
My smile fades when I see the serious expression on King’s face.
“What’s going on?” I ask again, my tone dropping.
“The girls are gonna stay here with you,” King replies, and I notice the overnight bags in his and Nero’s hands.
“And where are you going to be?” I look back and forth between him and Nero.
“We’re taking a few boys south. With your husband,” Nero answers.
“What?” I look back to King. “You can’t take Dominic anywhere. He just got out of the hospital!”
“That’s what I said.” Savannah crosses her arms.
“And I’ll tell Val exactly what I told you.” King crosses his arms in return. “This is Dom’s call.”
“But he can’t. It’s…” I spin away and hurry across the great room.
He would’ve told me if he was leaving.
I rush up the stairs, angry with myself.
Of course he wouldn’t tell me.
I’m breathing heavily when I step into our bedroom.
And standing before me, buttoning the last button of his black shirt, is Dominic.
“Where are you going?” My voice cracks before I even finish the sentence.
He steps closer to me. “Colombia.”
“But you’re still hurt. You’re supposed to rest.” I stretch my arms out toward the bed.
“I’ll be careful.” His tone is so calm. So steady. And it makes me so mad because I’m panicking.
“Dominic, you c-can’t go. Not now. Not with—” I press a hand to my stomach.
He reaches out and cups the side of my face. “I’ll come back to you, my Valentine.” His thumb strokes my cheek. “The woman I love.”
I lift my free hand and press it over his heart as emotion swamps me. He hasn’t said it to me since that first time. And I haven’t said it to him at all.
“I love you, too.” I feel his heartbeat beneath my palm. “So much.”
His eyes close, and I watch him inhale as he listens to my words.
Dom opens those beautiful blue eyes and bends down, stopping with his lips an inch away from mine. “Say that again.”
Lean in.
I blink, loosening another set of tears. “I’m pregnant.”
The room is so quiet I can hear his puffed exhale.
Dom brings his other hand up to hold the other side of my face. “Say that again.” Emotion chokes his voice.
“I love you. And we’re going to have a baby.”
Dom opens his mouth, but he closes it and tips his forehead to mine. “You’re the good woman who changed my life.”
“Dominic.” I say his name like a prayer.
“I’ll come back to both of you. I promise.”
Both of us.
Just like that.
His acceptance is everything I’ve ever wanted.
And the thought of losing him now makes fear wrap around my heart. “But you can’t go.”
His big hands flex against my cheeks. “I have to.”
“W-why can’t you just make them go?” I plead, not caring that I’m throwing my brother into harm’s way.
“Because this is about me. And I won’t let it hurt anyone else I love.” He pulls back to look me in the eye. “I will come back, Valentine. Because you are my everything.”
More tears spill. “But—”
“Will it help if you’re mad at me?” he asks, the side of his mouth pulling up the slightest bit.
“I don’t want to be mad at you.” I sniff.
“Even better.” Holding my face still, Dom kisses me softly on the lips. “I’m glad you’re pregnant.” He lowers one of his hands, sliding it down my body until it’s pressing against my belly. “It probably happened the night of your office Christmas party.”
“Why that night?” I ask him, not sure how thinking of our sex in the gym would make me mad.
Dom slides the hand on my cheek down until he’s holding my neck. “Because that was the first time we made love after I switched out your birth control pills with fakes.”
His words take a moment to sink in.
“You…” I blink up at him. “Why would you do that?”
His hand tightens, just a little, around my throat. “Because I wanted to keep you, Angel. And that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”
Dom leans in for one more kiss. One more press of his lips to mine.
“I’ll be home tomorrow,” he promises.
And then he’s gone.
