CARRIE
Ifeel horrible about lying to them. I know I should have told them sooner. But after seeing Nico and Jace almost fight to the point of real damage, I just couldn’t tell them the truth. I don’t want to be the reason they break apart, especially not when one of them could be the baby’s father.
But what troubles me more is their reaction—because even after hearing I’m pregnant with another man’s child, Jinn’s of all people, they’re still ready to accept me.
Jinn. The man who made their life a living hell. Who tried to break them, turn me against them, ruin us all. And yet here they are, arms wrapped around me, promising I’m not alone. It should comfort me, but instead it leaves my heart twisting in my chest. Do I deserve this? After everything I did and everything I’m keeping from them?
They should hate me for keeping this secret. For needing them so badly that I can’t tell the truth.
My voice is small, barely a whisper. “I’m sorry.”
Jace moves closer, brushing hair from my face. “You don’t have to be.”
I feel like I don’t deserve this much grace. My heart aches for what I’ve put them through.
I step away for a moment, wrapping my arms around my middle. The world feels fragile. I keep replaying the conversation, the way Jace’s face fell, the way Levi still touched my shoulder. Nico’s silent nod. They’re disappointed, though they’re trying not to show it.
The guilt is still twisting in my chest when I hear the crunch of tires on gravel.
It stops near the front steps. I hear two doors slam.
A man’s voice calls out, sharp and angry. “Who’s out there?”
Jace moves in front of me. Levi and Nico do the same, forming a wall between me and the strangers. We’re standing in the yard, still half-shadowed by early morning light. I can’t see much at first, but as the man and woman get closer, their faces come into focus—tired, worried, and furious.
The man stops a few yards away, glaring at us. “What the hell do you think you’re doing on my property?” He pulls a gun from his coat and points it right at us, his hands trembling.
The woman grabs his arm, trying to pull him back. She’s got a phone pressed to her ear, voice shaking as she talks to someone—probably the police.
Jace keeps his hands up, speaking slow and clear. “We’re not here to hurt you. We just needed somewhere to stay the night. We didn’t touch anything, I swear. We’ll leave right now.”
The man’s voice rises. “Don’t move. Don’t you dare move.”
Levi’s voice is steady. “Nobody wants trouble. Please. Let us just walk away.”
Nico nods, his hands open, calm. “We’re not a threat. Just let us go.”
I can barely breathe. Levi stands solid at my side, his voice a calm rumble. “Let’s not do anything stupid. Sir, please put the gun down.”
The woman backs up, clutching her phone, eyes wild. “They’re right here in the front yard! There are four of them. Please send someone—please, now!”
Nico steps forward, palms open, his voice quieter than I’ve ever heard it. “We’re not trying to rob you. We’re not a threat. Let us walk away.”
The man just shakes his head, shouting, “Stay where you are!” His hands are shaking so badly I worry he might pull the trigger by accident.
Everything happens in a rush. Jace shifts to the side, trying to draw the man’s attention away from us. The man swings the gun, firing. My heart stops, but the shot goes wide, ripping into the grass.
Levi doesn’t hesitate. He’s on the man in an instant, grabbing his arm and wrestling him to the ground. The gun goes flying. Nico dives to help, pinning the man by the shoulders, both of them using their weight to keep him down. The man fights, shouting, his face twisted with fear. The woman screams from the porch, backing away, nearly dropping her phone as she tries to tell the dispatcher what’s happening.
Levi picks up the gun, his chest heaving, eyes wild. He points it right at the man. “I told you not to shoot,” he snarls, breath clouding in the air.
“Levi, don’t!” My voice is hoarse and desperate. “Please—stop. We don’t hurt people. We just need to go.”
The woman’s scream echoes across the yard. Her eyes lock with mine—terror and confusion, her whole body shaking. I realize how it must look to her. Three big, tattooed men and a woman who clearly doesn’t belong, taking over their house, now fighting in their own yard. I see our reflection in her eyes, and I hate it.
I stumble away from the chaos, my mind racing. I spot the car parked crooked by the porch. The keys are still hanging inthe ignition. My heart pounds as I run to the car, boots slipping on the frosty grass. I yank the door open, fumbling with the handle.
The woman watches me, tears running down her cheeks, her breath coming in short, terrified gasps. She clutches her phone to her chest but doesn’t make a move to stop me.
