He shot me a knowing smirk. “Our bed, huh?”
I rolled my eyes. “Your bed. Sorry.”
His smirk deepened. “No, you were right the first time. It is our bed.” Then, lowering his voice, he added, “And no, I want to cuddle my wife and fuck her, so Faye will be fine on the couch.”
I gasped, shoving his shoulder. “Shh, she might hear you.”
“I’m not even talking loud,” he whispered back, grinning as he carefully laid Faye down on the couch.
I fetched a warm blanket from the closet and draped it over her, tucking it in around her small frame. She barely stirred, lost in the kind of deep sleep only exhaustion could bring.
Nick stood beside me, hands on his hips, surveying our work.
“Look at us,” he said, humor lacing his voice. “Doing the married thing. Now the parenting thing. What a team.”
I nudged him lightly, forcing a smile. “Oh, stop.”
But as I gazed down at Faye, curled up so small on our couch, something inside me cracked open. She looked safe here. Protected. Like she belonged. And it hit me—this moment, this feeling, was something I had always wanted. A home that felt steady. A love that didn’t waver. A child tucked in, knowing she was safe because she had us to hold onto.
My heart ached at the thought. Because suddenly, I could seeit. A life with Nick. A future where we weren’t just playing house, we weren’t just rescuing lost little girls and sending them back into the world, hoping they’d be okay.
No, in that second, I saw a future where we built something real and had a child of our own—one with Nick’s teasing smirk and my stubborn streak. Where we were the ones tucking our daughter into bed every night, knowing she was ours. The thought wrapped around my heart, warm and hopeful, a dream I hadn’t dared to let myself have. And yet… just as quickly as that warmth settled in, something colder crept in. A shiver ran through me, even though the house was warm. Something felt off. Like the beginning of something was ending. Like this fleeting moment of peace—of imagining a life where we were safe and whole—was slipping through my fingers before I even had the chance to hold onto it.
I didn’t know why. I didn’t know how.
But deep in my gut, I felt it. Something was coming. And it wasn’t going to be good.
The door swings open before I can even knock. “Happy New Year’s Eve Day!” Abigail grins, her voice bright and determined. She’s wearing a glittery party hat, and despite being two and a half months from her due date, she looks like she could go into labor any second.
Nick raises an eyebrow. “Is New Year’s Eve Day even a thing?”
Abigail shoots him a glare so sharp he actually flinches. “It is in this house,” she snaps.
I jump in before Nick can dig himself into an early grave. “We’re going to have the best last day of the year.” I glance at Faye, hoping for a smile. She barely manages one.
After last night, she wasn’t ready to be alone. I wasn’t ready to leave her alone. Abigail cried on the phone when I told her everything. She insisted that Faye stay with them at their house instead of at the lake house. But Faye preferred to stay with Nick—he was her favorite person in the whole world. He was mine too. And since Nick only had one room, it made the most sense for her to stay here.
Nick crosses his arms. “The only thing to do today is drink, and since you can’t drink, and Mel shouldn’t drink?—”
Colt appears behind Abigail, signaling for Nick to shut up and go with the flow.
Abigail plants her hands on her hips, trying to look intimidating, but she just looks… adorable. That baby definitely has Killian genes because she looks like she’s smuggling twins inside that round belly.
“There’s plenty to do,” she argues. “We’re doing karaoke, I picked out Disney movies, and I’m teaching Faye how to make marshmallow popcorn—one of my pregnancy cravings.”
Nick groans. “That sounds awful.”
“I swear, I don’t know how you haven’t killed him yet,” Abigail mutters to me.
“I’m right here,” Nick deadpans.
Colt leans against the doorway, smirking. “Come on, pretty girl. Let’s get cooking so we have snacks before the movies.” Faye steps inside, grinning.
Before I can move, Bodie barrels down the stairs, full speed, practically vibrating with excitement. “Faye! Faye! Look at all my Christmas toys!” She barely has time to react before he grabs her hand and pulls her toward his room. Abigail watches them go, a soft smile playing at her lips.
Colt nudges Nick. “Dude, you’re lucky Melanie doesn’t want kids. I’m drowning over here.”
From the kitchen, Abigail’s voice rings out. “I heard that. And guess what? You ain’t getting none of this tonight.”
