“I don’t know. Middle of the night.”
“Will you hold me?” I curled toward him and put my face against his chest.
“Anything you want, sweetheart.” He kissed my forehead. “Are you sure you feel, okay? There’s a nurse in the other room I can get to check you out.”
“The longer I’m awake the better I feel. Just hold me for now, please.” After what sounded like a life-or-death situation, I felt a tugging on my heart to confess my sins to Chris.
How could I not after he saved me from Alek?
“If you’re hungry, I can get you something to eat.” He rubbed soothing circles on my back. Reminded me of when we teenagers and madly in love.
“No, I’m okay. Thanks.”
“Are you angry that I brought you to the clubhouse? It was the only place where I knew I could keep you safe. I couldn’t worry about anything else, Cass. You were unconscious. I couldn’t ask for your permission.” He pressed his lips against my head. “Tell me you don’t hate me.”
“I don’t hate you.” I placed my hand against his cheek and stroked my thumb across it. “I owe you my life.”
“I’ll save you a million times over because I love you, Cass. I never stopped loving you.”
“I know.” I teared up, staring at him. “I know, and I’ve been…”
“Stubborn. But can we finally call a truce? I don’t want to fight. I want to start over with you.”
“It’s not that easy.” The sins of my past could change his mind.
“But it is easy if you let it be. Come on, Cass.” He covered my hand with his. “You were knocked out cold when I thought you were in the car when it exploded. I thought you were gone forever. But you’re right here with me. This is our second chance.”
“You might change your mind after you hear what I did.”
“Nothing could change my mind.” He shook his head emphatically.
I inhaled a deep breath. It was now or never. We needed a clean slate if we were going to try to start over. And after everything that had happened the past week, I wanted to start over.
“I’ve kept a secret from you.”
“I know what it is.” He pinched his lips together. “I’m not happy about it. Really not happy about it, but I forgive you.”
“What do you think you know?” I was shocked. Who told him? It wasn’t like Josh had a cell phone fifteen years ago and had called Chris before he died.
“I know about the baby.” He dropped his head and shook it. “Why didn’t you tell me about the baby?”
“How do you know I lost the baby? Who told you?”
He lifted his head. “You lost the baby? You didn’t get rid of it?”
“What?” I shouted and sat up. “I would never get rid of our baby. I had an ectopic pregnancy. The baby wasn’t viable and I had to have a procedure done or I could have died.”
“Okay, that’s not at all what I thought happened.” He blew out a relieved breath. “I was going to forgive you anyway, because we were so young. My God, you were only fifteen when we started having sex.”
“Unprotected sex, if you remember.”
“I do. That was on me. I should have been more responsible. I was older.” He stared into my eyes. “But you should have toldme, sweetheart. I would have supported you. Took care of you while you covered.”
“Chris, I was so embarrassed and heartbroken. I thought I failed you by losing the baby. My mom told me it could be our secret. But then Josh found out and threatened to tell you. We argued that day.”
“That day?”
I nodded my head. “He stormed out of the house and left on his motorcycle. He was so angry at me. You were his best friend, and it pissed him off that I would keep something so important from you.” A tear rolled down my cheek.
