Griffin
Lilith was due in one week, and Jake was due in forty.
The days seemed to pass agonizingly slowly. Rafael provided distractions every lunch, of course, but it wasn’t enough to compete with all the thoughts of babies on my mind. The excitement and anticipation was nearly too much to handle.
But in the darkest corner of my brain, there was still a lurking shadow - the idea that Jake could still terminate the pregnancy and leave me, just like Heath did.
Logically, I knew Jake wouldn’t do that. He promised me. And he was a completely different person than Heath. There was no way the universe would hate me enough to make me live through that twice.
Still, my scarred and healing heart clung on to that tiny piece of hesitation.
My mind raced withwhat if’s?
Would I be unable to relax until the baby was actually in my arms?
* * *
I visitedJake’s apartment that Friday. We had scheduled for Saturday, but there was an itch I needed to scratch. It felt like every minute away from Jake made my anxiety worse, and being with him was a relieving salve.
“Griffin!” Jake said when he answered the door. His face brightened into a grin. “What are you doing here? Not that I’m not happy you’re here, obviously.”
When he leaned up to kiss me, I revealed what I held behind my back - a pair of roses. Jake gasped.
“What are these for?” he asked.
I smiled. “Not for any particular reason. I guess they’re for celebrating your pregnancy.”
Jake’s eyes softened. “You’re too sweet, you know that? Come in.”
As Jake put the roses in a vase, I searched the apartment, but there was no sign of either Skylar or Lilith.
“Where is everybody?” I asked.
“Sky’s at work, and Lilith is - uh, well, she’s too fat to move,” Jake said with a laugh. “She’s laying on my bed. I think the demon is convinced on giving birth there, so I put a towel underneath her.”
He brought the thin glass vase over and placed it on the coffee table before joining me on the couch.
“Did you really just come over to bring me flowers?” Jake asked seriously. “And don’t lie, because I can tell something’s bothering you.”
I sighed. “I won’t lie. Stuff’s on my mind again.”
Jake took my hands in his lap. “Tell me.”
The dark thoughts made me clench my eyes shut. I took a moment to breathe before speaking.
“My brain won’t let me forget about Heath,” I admitted in a murmur. “It’s like, every moment I’m not by your side like we are right now, it forces me to think about what he did. But when I’m with you, I can forget about it.”
Jake’s brows furrowed in sympathy. “I’m sorry, Griffin.”
I shook my head. “It’s not anything you did. It’s my issue. I just wish my mind wouldn’t try to convince me you’re the same as Heath was.”
“You’re right, I’m not,” he stated. “Hear that, brain? Two different omegas over here.”
I smiled a bit. Then Jake leaned back on the couch, pulling me along with him so that we faced each other.
“Let me tell you something,” Jake began. “It’s about my ex.”
I perked up, ready to listen.
