He’ll let me decide. I know he will. Any choice I make, I know not a single Hound will think less of me. They’ll support me through it all.
But what will I feel?
“Was I raped?” I ask him. General already said it doesn’t look like it, but I need to hear it from him. I need to know his thoughts.
He shakes his head.
“So… so it’s yours?” I’m not sure why I’m questioning it. It’s obvious when you do the math. Which is as simple as one plus one. But in this case, one woman plus one man makes three.
A small smile lifts his lips. “Unless you really weren’t a virgin.”
Even in this, after everything, he can pull a reaction from me without me thinking. I roll my eyes and push his chest. It’s weak, but the impact is there.
“You know I was.” No use in denying it now.
Before I can pull my hand back, he holds it close to his chest. Right over his heart.
“You want this?”
I don’t know if he’s asking about him or the kid.
I bite my lip and regret it. It’s only been a day at the most since I was saved. My lip still hasn’t healed enough for me to do anything but pout.
“Do you?” It’s a total cop-out to answer his question with one of my own. But I need to know what he’s thinking. He buries parts of himself for me, and while I appreciate being put first, in this I want to be second.
“I’ll take you however I can get you.”
My jaw drops at his open declaration. I know he said things when he got me out of there, but that was different. That was in the moment. In a battle when we didn’t know ifwe’d live or die. After not seeing each other for so long, it was a heat-of-the-moment thing. Or so I thought.
Even if my heart knew it was more. Hoped and begged for it to be more.
“You’re it for me, Peaches. I don’t want anyone else. I want you. And I’ll take you however you want me to. I’ll be your protector, your bodyguard. Your King Koopa to my Princess Peach. Your friend. Your teammate. I’ll be your old man and the father of your kids. Hell, I’ll even be the stay-at-home kind so you can go off and live your dream or whatever the hell you want.”
A surprised laugh pulls from my lips at his words, and his grin widens. “You arenota stay-at-home kind of guy.”
His smile drops as he brings my fingertips to his lips and kisses each pad before looking at me with such intensity that it feels as if I’m about to be set on fire. “For you I would.”
“I don’t know what I want,” I whisper. It’s the truth.
What felt like five seconds ago, I thought I did. But now? There’s a kid inside me. Akid.
How can this be happening? I’m not ready to be a mom. I’m not ready for this. I’m a kid myself. Just ask my dad.
Dad.
He won’t know. He might never know he’s a grandpa. I could tell him, but would it be the same? Would he even care?
And does Kooper even want this? This is sudden. We had sex once.Once.
I guess they were speaking the truth when they said it only takes one time in Sex-Ed class. Of course it would be me who’s the statistic in all of this.
Kooper, for all his faults, is honorable. Loyal. He would stick by me. By the kid. I have zero thoughts that he would abandon him or her if we don’t last. And who knows if we will.
We fucked once.
Jesus, I’m not going to be able to get over that part.
He’ll tire of me. He’s used to experience. To a fast-paced life. Saying you’ll stay home is one thing compared to the reality of actually doing it.
