“I was coming to tell you about the pregnancy,” I reveal with a sigh. “I guess I lied to you last night. I should’ve told you then.”
“You shared a different secret,” Cole replies with a raised, playful eyebrow. “Which, by the way, I didn’t mind, none of us minded it.”
Neither did I. Good grief, my heart starts galloping from the mere memory of last night. I want to go back there. It was warm and sweet and safe, away from these troubles, away from Sheila’s hatred, her poison.
“I wanted to surprise you,” I say, cradling my belly. “Maybe if I’d called you, none of this would’ve happened.”
“You said something earlier, and I’m inclined to agree. Sheila and Perry would’ve gotten to you sooner or later,” Asher says, shaking his head. “It’s better that it happened now and that it happened this way. You bought yourselfsome time, we found you… it worked out. That’s all that matters right now.”
Finding solace in his reassurance, I give Asher another kiss on the lips, followed by a worried look. “I’m pregnant, though. I mean, I know we didn’t plan for it, and I don’t know what your intentions are, but?—”
“Willow,” he stops me and cups my face in his hands. “Relax. It’s the best news you could’ve given us, babe.”
“We’re putting together a family,” Toby adds with a bright smile.
“You’re not getting away from us— ever again,” Cole adds, his voice low and deep. “Ever.”
“We’ve got you,” Asher says and kisses me again.
I feel it in every fiber of my body, in every sliver of my soul. I feel their promise, their oath, their devotion.
“I love you,” Cole says. “We love you, Willow. There’s no doubt about it. There’s no decision to make, no path to choose. This is us.”
I feel that, too.
And I’m more than eager to reciprocate. “I love you, too. I never thought it would lead us here… that night at the gala. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine any of this.”
“Despite the bumps along the way, I can’t say I’m unhappy with where it took us,” Cole says. “On the contrary, this is the happiest I’ve ever been.”
It’s the one thing we’re all agreed upon. I welcome their arms wrapped around me, the warmth of their bodies, and theintensity of their souls as they hold me close, as they keep me safe and prove, yet again, that I don’t have to do it on my own, not anymore. The Morgan brothers are here now.
They’re here to stay.
32
COLE
In the days that follow the North Hampton incident, life as I know it comes to an end. Our father makes an almost miraculous recovery from a near-crippling heart attack. I think there was just enough rage left in him to get him going after he learned the truth about Sheila and Perry. It worked in our favor.
Terrence walks into the boardroom wearing one of his best suits, but uncertainty and shame draw deep shadows across his face. This is the first time we’ve all seen him since Sheila’s and Perry’s arrest. Somehow, the little weasel has been remarkably successful at evading us. He couldn’t skirt the cops, though.
“Those interviews at the precinct really wore him out,” Asher comments, getting a light laugh out of Toby.
The three of us are seated next to our father, along with the other six board members and an empty chair—where Sheila would’ve been.
“Come in, Terrence, have a seat,” Dad says, pointing precisely at Sheila’s chair.
“Thank you,” he mumbles. He knows exactly where he’s being asked to sit, and given the circumstances, it makes him even more uncomfortable. Good. I love watching him squirm. “You look really good, sir,” he tells Dad.
Sir. Not Dad anymore? Interesting.
“Recent events have made me want to fight a little bit harder for what’s left of this life,” Dad says, “which is why I wanted you here today, Terrence.”
“For what it’s worth, I had nothing to do with my mom’s?—”
“I’m letting the police handle that aspect,” Dad says, cutting him off. The rest of us stay silent, watching the old man as he straightens his back and reclaims the power he almost gave away to the wrong people. I’m so goddamn proud of him right now. “What they conclude whether you were involved in your mother’s actions or not— is entirely up to them. However, that being said, I can no longer allow any negative press to affect my company and my family.”
“But I’m family,” Terrence murmurs.
