“What are you doing?” whispers Leia and I pull back quickly, hating that she caught me.
“It moved,” I say, and she smiles.
“She does that.”
“She?” I gasp.
“Oh, I don’t know. I think it’s a she, but Mum doesn’t want me to find out, so it’s a guess.” I nod. The thoughts racing through my head are too much. I’m consumed. By her. By the baby. By the fact it could be a girl. “I need to pee,” she adds, getting up. I watch her move towards the bathroom. She’s so perfect, it hurts me to look at her. When she returns, I’m still standing in the same spot. She eyes me warily. “You didn’t need to wait around.”
“I love you,” I blurt.
Leia scowls slightly and then lets out a small, disbelieving laugh. “Ugh.”
“I do. I don’t know what to do.”
“You can start by leaving,” she says bluntly. “We’ve been here before and look how that ended.”
“Leia, I’m serious this time.” I’m almost begging, but I feel so desperate for her to believe me, to accept that I love her, that I’m willing to do anything, including telling Riggs and the rest of my brothers.
“Get out, Chains.” I fall to my knees and her eyes bug out of her head. “What the hell are you doing?”
I place my hands on her stomach, either side of her perfectly rounded bump. She stares down at me with warning in her eyes, but I can’t stop. “Please, forgive me for everything. I fucked up so bad, but I panicked that morning when Cree saw us. I thought pushing you away was for the best.” I rest my forehead against her stomach. “I love you. I’ve loved you for so long and then I blew it and I hate myself for that. When you didn’t feel the same, it was easier. I thought if I just had you once, just one time, then it’d be enough and I could walk away.”
“I don’t feel the same,” she snaps, trying to remove my hands. “You’re drunk. Come back to me when you’re sober and say this.”
The door opens and Cree barges in. He takes in the scene before him and stops in his tracks. “What the hell are you doing?”
“He’s drunk. He needs his bed,” snaps Leia.
“I’ve never been thinking more clearly,” I say. “I love you.”
Cree grips me under the arm and pulls me away from Leia. “Get the fuck up, you ass.”
“I should never have listened to you. I should have fought for her because we are meant to be and it doesn’t matter what you or Riggs think. I’m claiming Leia.”
A shadow falls behind Cree. “What did you just fuckin’ say?” rings out Riggs’ voice in a menacing tone.
“Oh fuck,” mutters Leia. “Riggs, he's drunk. He’s not thinking clearly,” she says quickly. I’m pushed back so fast, I almost stumble into the wall. I hear Leia yelling at Riggs to stop as his fist hits my face. I smile because I’ve never felt freer. I’ve told her . . . Leia’s mine now and Riggs knows.
Chapter Fifteen
Leia
Blood coats Chains’ teeth as he smiles in Riggs’ face. It only angers Riggs more and he hits him again. “Cree!” I yell. “Do something!”
“I can’t. It’s up to them to sort out.” He sighs.
I spot Anna at the door. We connect eyes for a second and then she hunches over, grabbing Cree’s arm and holding her stomach. “Riggs,” she hisses. “The baby is coming.”
Riggs’ fist freezes mid-air and he glances back at Anna. “I was just with you, you were fine.”
“Are you shitting me?” she screams. “You want me to cross my legs so you can carry on beating on your enforcer?”
Riggs releases Chains, who slides down the wall, wiping his nose on the back of his hand. “Are you sure?” Riggs asks, taking Anna’s arm from Cree.
Anna lets out a long, low groan. “I think she’s sure,” says Cree, patting Riggs on the back.
“Why are you standing there staring at me? Go and get your car keys,” she yells and Riggs jumps at the ferociousness in her voice. As Anna leaves, she gives me a wink and blows me a kiss. “You’d better be here when I get back,” warns Riggs, pointing at Chains. He gives him the thumbs up with his free hand, the other pinching the bridge of his nose to try and stop the free flow of blood.
“You stupid piece of shit,” mutters Cree.
“Get out!” I yell and both men turn to me. “Get out before I lose my shit.” Cree makes for the door. “And you,” I glare at Chains, but he doesn’t move.
“I ain’t going nowhere, sweetheart. I just claimed you, means I’m here to stay.”
“Not a chance. You think I’m gonna swoon at your words? Fall at your feet because you finally spoke up? Too late. You’re too late.”
“Being a nurse means you should have empathy. I’m bleeding out here.”
“I don’t care. I have a right to refuse treatment and I’m refusing,” I say stubbornly.
“On what grounds?” He smirks.
“That you’re an ass.” I grab a towel from my bed and throw it to him. He places it over his mouth and nose. “I hope it hurts.”
“Not really. Alcohol numbs the pain.”
“Just shows you had a lot. I don’t know what you expect to happen after your big drunken confession,” I mutter.
“You should get some sleep. You were tired.”
“Like I can sleep after that,” she mutters. “And what are you gonna do while I sleep?”
“Watch.” He sighs and fidgets against the wall like he’s getting comfortable.
“You’re not staying,” I screech.
“I am.”
I scowl. “Well, you’ll be uncomfortable.”
“It’s fine. I deserve it. I’ll stay on the floor until you forgive me.”
I roll my eyes and climb into bed, turning my back to him. If he wants to sit like that the whole night, then he can.
Morning arrives and I stretch out. Last night’s events come back to me and I let out a groan, turning my head in the direction of the wall. Chains isn’t there. He soon got bored of that, I guess.
Downstairs, Anna is pacing. She looks up at me and her smile is forced. “Everything okay?” I ask, nodding at her bump. It was clear she faked her labour last night to save Chains’ ass, but she needn’t have bothered.
“Riggs is in there with Cree. There’s a lot of yelling. I think Cree’s confessed to knowing about you and Chains.”
“Oh,” I mumble. “Where’s Chains?”
She glances at the office door and then presses her lips together. “In the basement.”
“The basement?” I repeat. That’s where Riggs holds his enemies. I shake my head and storm into the office without knocking. Riggs and Cree both turn to face me, and anger mars Riggs’ face. “You put the father of my unborn child in the basement?” My voice gets higher with each word.
“Father of what?” yells Riggs. I realise quickly he hasn’t put two and two together until now.