DELPHI
A light tapat the door has me looking out the spy hole and hesitating. I love Legs, I really do, but I’m not sure I’m ready to answer the questions she’s bound to have.
“Come on, Del. I know you’re there, and I have to pee.”
I huff before opening the door. “You would, of course, play the pregnancy card.”
She rubs her belly with a grin. “Gotta use it while I can. I can’t believe how fast my due date is approaching.”
I step back and let her in before closing the door.
She looks me over as I tug the robe tighter.
“I thought you had to pee?”
“Shoot,” she hurries off to the bathroom, making me chuckle.
I walk over to the window and pull the drapes open, allowing the light in. I wince, but barring slight fogginess, my head feels fine for now.
Spotting my bag, I rummage around in it until I find some clean underwear and a long strapless maxi dress with an built-in bra. I slide the underwear up my legs before tugging the dress on, which is made so much harder thanks to the damn cast.
I toss the discarded robe on the end of the bed just as Legs walks back into the room. She walks over to the bed and plonks herself down on it before patting the pillow beside her.
“Come lie with me.”
“I’m not into women.”
“Please. Everyone’s into me. I’m hot as fuck.”
I laugh at her ridiculousness, though she is one of those annoyingly beautiful women who just rolls out of bed and looks put together. If I didn’t love her so much, I’d hate her.
I climb on the bed and lie down next to her, our heads touching as we stare at the popcorn ceiling that’s seen better days.
“You know I’m not going to judge you, right? I mean, mine and Midas’s story is anything but pretty.”
I sigh. “I knew you wouldn’t be able to help yourself.” Her hand slides down my arm, pausing when it reaches my wrist. I freeze. I forgot my cuff. As much as I left it off to taunt Kruger, I knew he had already seen it. I didn’t want Legs to know. I didn’t want her to see my darkest shame, how weak I once was.
“This changes nothing.”
“Kruger told you,” I hiss.
“Midas did. I didn’t ask how he knew. I think they saw them when they found you.”
“I’m not going to do it again.”
“I know. Because you have me now and I’d kick your ass.”
I roll toward her, tucking my hands under my chin, and watch as she does the same.
“Did you know that I had fertility issues?”
She frowns and shakes her head.
“I struggled to conceive, and then when I did, I struggled to hold on to them. Doctors couldn’t find anything wrong with me. And I wonder now, looking back, if it was because the universe knew what kind of man Lee—or should I say Snake—really was. Ilost seven babies before I ever hit the second trimester. It got to the point where we stopped telling people because I just couldn’t handle the pity anymore.
“And then I became pregnant one final time. I was prepared for the worst, but when I went to my twelve-week scan, he was still there, and everything looked good. I still wasn’t ready to share him with the world. It just felt safer to keep him between me and Lee. As my bump started to grow, I started wearing baggy clothes and eventually stopped going to the clubhouse as much. I just wanted to get to my third trimester. Then I knew it was safe for everyone to be excited and start buying stuff again. People don’t realize how fucking hard it is to pack away booties that never got worn, and onesies they’d never grow into.”
My eyes drift closed as I tell her the next part. “I went into labor at nineteen weeks. The doctors did everything they could to stop it, but my body refused to listen. Samuel was born sleeping four days later, weighing just nine ounces.”
