“Fuck, Sadie.” I slid my hand from her small bump to snake my arm around her. Hugging her was my intention, and as she came closer into my embrace, it was far better than clutching any fucking pillow. I wanted her in my arms.
But she wasn’t in the mood to celebrate. To be overjoyed.
She shoved me back, scowling again. I almost tripped over something on the floor, and as I set my hand on the door, I winced and worried someone could hear.
I shot her a stern look.
Outside the closet, someone walked by.
I grabbed her hand again and squeezed her fingers. “Quiet,” I whispered.
I was immediately protective of her to the point I’d hurry her into hiding in a closet here.
Now knowing she was carrying my child, I was overprotective with a zealous need to clear a path to safety for her forever.
This was a mess. A complete, totalmess. Instead of kissing her senseless and embracing the happiness that swelled inside me that we would have a baby, I had to hide her in the closet like she was a dirty secret. She was my secret because she was the enemy, but that had to change.
No matter how complicated it was, though, there was no way I could leave her or let her go again. I wouldn’t let her down. Or our child.
“Quiet,” I repeated for emphasis.
She nodded, still sassy but in agreement.
At least she was still aware of when she was in danger and when it was a moot point to argue.
I needed more time to figure out how this would work. In order to get the peace and space to start on that process, it looked like we’d need to lie low and run somewhere else to hide.
Just like old times.
I raised my brows at her and devised the quickest way out of here without any guards or cameras nearby to detect us.
18
SADIE
He was doing it again.
That blank stare that meant he was forming a strategy. Despite the six months apart, I still knew his tell. I could read him like I had in the jungle as if no time had passed between us.
“What?” I whispered. I’d taken a huge risk breaking in here to find him, but I’d done it because I had nowhere else to go, no one else to turn to in this weird dilemma that put me and my child in jeopardy.
If he had an idea, I was all ears.
“Let’s go.” He nodded once, as if confirming this plan with himself.
He didn’t say it as a suggestion. He wasn’t asking. It was an order.
“We need to run and hide.” His brow furrowed more. “Again.”
As he reached for the doorknob, moving in front of me in this cramped closet, like he counted on blocking me, I gaped at his back and shook my head. “Wait.”
“No. There isn’t any time to wait. My father isn’t here and there is a shorter staff of security on the premises, but if they see you here?—”
“Holdon.” I grabbed his arm and tugged him back.
He couldn’t plow forward like this, calling the shots and dictating what was going on. I’d come here to speak with him, first of all. And then we could hopefully discuss what could be done.
As a team. Partners. Because this whole mess was due to both of our actions. This baby was because of both of us caving in to desire mutually.
