“But…” She shifts side to side in her chair and her hands clutch tighter at one another. “I don’t like how that makes me feel.”
“How does it make you feel?”
Her lower lip wobbles and the next time she blinks, there’s a shimmer in her eyes. “Like you’re trying to trick me and I’m still in trouble.”
“Snow… we’re both adults so you’re certainly not in trouble. And I’m not trying to trick you. I’ve told you how I feel and you’ve told me how you feel. We understand each other more now, I think.”
“And you still care about me?” Her voice is as small as her fists have become, woven together until the skin is pale over her knuckles.
“Of course I do, Snow. That’s why it hurt me. What I feel for you is…” Suddenly, I’m off my chair and kneeling beside her, gazing up at her with a racing heart.
“Don’t you see? Iloveyou, Snow. That’s why the thought of having a baby with you brought me a moment of excitement. That’s why it hurt so much when I thought you didn’t trust me. I tried to protect myself by explaining it away in my mind when I should have been listening to you. I’ve spent these past few days so torn up and not giving a shit about my work because a life with you? Where I get to treat you and spoil you and watch my apartment flood with light and life? You’ve done so much for me and become so important to me that it was crushing me thinking you couldn’t trust me. But I do care about you, Snow, I care about you so much. I just wanted to understand.”
She stares down at me with tears clinging to her lower lashes and she whimpers, shaking her head. “I don’t deserve it, though. I don’t. I lied to you and I have this feeling in my chest right here.” She presses her palm flat to her breastbone. “Like this is all a trick and you’re really mad at me because how could you care about me, how could youloveme when I lied and hid something as huge as a baby?”
Her other hand slides over the small bump in her abdomen, and I follow the path of her fingers, searching for a way to soothe her.
In the end, there’s only one thing to say.
“Snow… my love doesn’t come with conditions. It’s there and it’s real and it’s for you to do whatever you want with. I love you… and I’m here if you still want me.”
Her lips part but as a tear escapes down her cheek, frantic knocking at the front door draws my attention.
I lightly touch her knee as I stand.
“I’ll be right back.”
The light knocking quickly turns into a fist pounding against the door, switching my concern to irritation as I reach for the door handle.
Jerking my door open, that irritation bleeds to anger when I’m face to face with a man I haven’t seen since Snow cracked him over the head with a lampshade.
“You! Is the bitch here?” Dickson snarls.
“No,” I say curtly and move to slam the door shut, but Dickson shoves his shoulder against it, holding it open.
“Don’t lie. I forked out a fortune to some taxi driver to follow her here and then I had to knock on a bunch of doors trying to find out which apartment she went to, and I recognize you.” He prods me hard in the chest. “So don’t fucking lie to me!”
I grab Dickson’s arm as he pulls his hand back and my eyes narrow. “Touch me again and I’ll break your fucking arm,” I growl. “Get the fuck out of here.”
“Big talk!” Dickson snarls, pulling hard against me. “But I ain’t leaving. I had the fucking cops knocking down my door because that bitch couldn’t keep her mouth shut, so I’m here to close it for good!”
“Xander?” Snow’s uncertain voice rises up from behind me.
Dickson’s eyes darken like a dog getting a whiff of a rabbit. “Hey, cunt!”
“Dickson?” Snow gasps.
“Snow, call the police!” I yell as Dickson surges against me like a rabid wave, fists flying.
Using all my strength, I throw myself forward into Dickson’s body, forcing him out of my doorway and back into the hallway.
He punches me hard in the face with a flying fist, then again in the gut, but I keep my shoulder pressed against his chest, forcing him out and away from Snow.
“You wanna fight?” Dickson snarls. “Does a pretty boy like you even know how to fight?”
Pain blooms across my jaw as he punches me in the face once more.
I surge up, catch his fist on the backswing, and drive my elbow down hard into his shoulder.
