“Guys jumped me. It’s fine. Don’t worry about me, goddess. How’ve you been?”
She nodded and smiled, but the smile never reached her eyes. “I’m trying.”
“I’m sorry I couldn’t be there for you. For your father’s funeral.”
“No, you can’t be sorry for that.” She shook her head, and I couldn’t help but look at her long, elegant neck and the silky-smooth skin along the curve of her shoulders.
“If I weren’t such a bad person, I would have been there for you, right?”
“You aren’t a bad person.”
“I’m guilty, Amelia.”
“Luc, you must know about the reduction of the sentence.” She nodded.
“I know. But it doesn’t change anything.” I bit the inside of my lip.
“It changes the time from three years to eight months. That’s significantly different.”
I stared at her. This was the part where I was supposed to tell her to move on. I was supposed to tell her that love wasn’t enough and that she could and should do better than me.
How did you tell the woman of your dreams all of that?
How would I do it?
“You can’t be with me.” That was how. “Goddess, you… can’t and shouldn’t be with me.”
She stared at me as if I’d just slapped her in her face. She held my gaze for what seemed like eons before she spoke.
“Why?” Her eyes continued to bore into my soul.
“You deserve better, and I would be lying if I told you I love you and not tell you the truth.”
Her breathing stilled, and a tear ran down her cheek. “Then don’t lie to me and tell me that’s what you truly believe. Don’t do it, Luc, don’t. It’s eight months. It’s nothing.”
“It’s not just the waiting. It’s everything. The waiting is the cherry on top, and damn, I can’t promise good behavior when there are people here out to kill me if they can. I’ve seen this before. The littlest thing I do to defend myself, and that chance for a reduced sentence will be taken away from me.”
She shook her head again. “Well, you will promise me good behavior. It’s the least, and it’s nothing. I chose you. Ichooseyou. It means the good and the bad. It means everything. I don’t want to be with anyone else. You’re it for me, so don’t you dare tell me you can’t promise good behavior and tell me bullshit about me doing better. There is no better than what your heart wants. Don’t you dare take another dream away from me.”
“Dream?” I couldn’t believe her words were for me, or the depth of her love for me.
“I dream, always of being with you Lucian. I need you.” She pulled in a labored breath. “Weneed you,” she added. Her voice was on the edge of a breath.
I tried to make light of the situation as I processed this. “They don’t need me, goddess. They all take care of themselves. Jesus, look at Claudius. He’s boss, what more can I say? And Pa never needed anyone ever anyway. Maurice is wrapped up in Gigi and –”
“No, not them.” She interrupted and her cheeks flushed. “Us.”
I didn’t know what she meant until she slipped her hand over her stomach.
Then a sudden coldness hit my core, and a flush of adrenaline coursed through my body.
My heart raced. My mouth fell open.
I… moved to her, dropped to my knees, and pressed my hand to her stomach.
Her tear-filled eyes met mine.
“Amelia, what are you saying to me?” I gazed long and hard at her. I dared not allow the thought of what she was saying to enter my mind. Things like that were too good for me.
