Page 14 of Mia

The morning sun beat down on my face like warm kisses.

My eyes slowly opened, and I looked around, remembering that I wasn’t in my own room. I sat up and took in the luxurious suite that I hadn’t paid attention to last night. I was so aggravated when I got here, and this nigga made me shower before he laid into my ass then fucked me right to sleep.

The place was beautiful, but that was to be expected.

Titan DeLuca never did anything small.

His side of the bed was empty, and it didn’t seem like he was here. Tossing back the covers, I climbed my naked ass out of bed and walked around the space to locate my phone. In true Titan fashion, he’d put it on the charger for me. When I picked it up, I had several missed calls and voicemails from my mother, a text from Jaeda, and one from Titan letting me know he had to step out but would be back. The family group chat was bumping as well.

I was half expecting it to be filled with the news of my marriage and pregnancy, but it wasn’t. It was the usual banter or jokes, shit talking, and threats. There were a few pictures of the kids sprinkles in and of course my sibling making fun of our father. It was safe to say my sister and her husband kept their mouths closed, but for how long? It was our news to share, even if Titan had blown up my spot last night.

As I scrolled through the thread, I got a little misty eyed. I wasn’t sure if it was the pregnancy hormones or if I was just homesick, but I missed my family. So much seemed to be going on. Shar and Jaeda were pregnant. Steel found out he had a daughter… like, what the fuck! A big part of me wanted to pack this shit up and go home. If my grandfather knew I was pregnant, he never would have let me come.

Madeline James damn sure wouldn’t have let me come. My mother was already overprotective of me. If she knew I was carrying her grandchild before last night… that would have been my ass. Now I had to worry about her telling my father. Senior was going to flip his shit.

Sighing heavily, I backed out of the chat and called my sister first. She would be the least likely to spaz out on me. After slipping into a robe, I propped the phone up and initiated a FaceTime call. She answered on the third ring.

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t my married and with child little sister.”

I rolled my eyes. “Jaeda, please.”

“Don’t Jaeda please me. What the fuck were you thinking, Mia?”

“I didn’t call for⁠—”

“I don’t give a fuck what you called for. You know, I knew you were hard-headed and a bit selfish, but this takes the fucking cake. You’re on a mission in another country, knowing you’re pregnant. You must want me to beat your ass, and you know I would never put my hands on you. But the shit you’re doing and the way you’re moving… you’re asking for that shit.”

I sighed. “Jaeda.”

“Mia. You can’t seriously tell me that no part of you thinks you’re right in this situation. You left the country carrying that man’s child. Our niece. Daddy’s grandchild. The whole family is gonna want your fucking head.”

“Let me guess, you want to snitch on me? I’m shocked you haven’t already.”

Jaeda kissed her teeth. “See, that’s one of your biggest problems. You always think somebody is against your ass. I didn’t say shit because it’s not my business to tell. You need to grow up, woman up, and own your shit.”

“Grow up? I’m grown!”

“Not with this little ass girl move you just pulled. I have to question if you even want this baby with the way you’re just putting it in danger. Have you even been to a doctor? Are you taking prenatal vitamins? Taking care of yourself?”

“You sound like Titan. Yes, to all the above. Damn.”

She stared at me with tears in her eyes, and it instantly made me tear up. Before I knew it, both of us were sitting there fucking crying.

“You’re my little sister!” she wailed. “I’m supposed to be sharing this pregnancy with you as my bump buddy. I know I have Shar, but this could have been special for us, Mia.”

I sniffled and wiped my face. “Jaeda… I’m scared,” I admitted. “I don’t have a maternal bone in my body. What am I gonna do with a kid besides fuck them up?”

“You ain’t fucking shit up,” I heard Titan say, causing me to jump.

I hadn’t even heard him come through the door.

“It’s not like you have to do this shit alone, Mia. This is new territory for me too. You think I ain’t scared? You think I ain’t been fucked up about you being over here in harm's way while you’re carrying our child? For months, I’ve been battling snitching on your ass to your people, and you know I’ve never been the type of nigga to have the next muthafucka in my business.”

“I know.”

“My point is, I got you and you’ve got me. We’re gonna figure this shit out. We won’t be perfect, but we’ve got an army behind us to make sure we get it right if we get it wrong.”

“That’s right,” Jaeda said. “Please listen to this man, Mia. He’s been worried sick about you. Now I understand why he’s been so obsessed with rubbing my belly since you’ve been gone.”