And when Jeremiah followed us, because he never stopped watching that gated street, I knew he was who I would leave with.
“Your…” His lips twist and he sighs. “Your brother,” he finally says, answering my question. He must hate giving up that role. Must hate that I know I’m not his little sister anymore.
But that means he can do what he wants with me.
Even still. Maverick told him to protect me?
He must see the confusion on my face. “You weren’t the only one exchanging secret letters, baby.” He trails his hand down my face, cups my cheek, rubbing his thumb against me.
A shiver slides down my spine.
He glances at my stomach. “He thought it was best. For you and…the kid.” He swallows, meets my gaze again.
“He knew?” I thought when he saw me at Noctem, when Jeremiah had followed the blacked-out SUVs that took us from my own house, kicking and screaming, I thought that was the first Maverick would know I was really, truly leaving.
Jeremiah nods.
“And he just…let it happen?” My throat feels dry and I know I shouldn’t ask it that way. Lucifer boxing me in was exactly what led to me being here. But I always want things I shouldn’t. Things I shove away. Things I run from. I always want what I say I don’t.
Jeremiah smiles. “I gave him Brooklin.”
My mouth falls open.
“He wasn’t going to give you away for free, baby—”
“He did not give me away,” I growl, trying and failing to sit up, my hands bound behind me to the iron bedframe. “I chose to go.”
He sighs, trails his hand down to my throat and rests it gently there. “You did,” he agrees. “And you have no idea how happy that makes me.” He floats his hand down further, over my breast, my nipples hardening beneath the black shirt I’m wearing. I see him smile and I know he can feel it, but he doesn’t say anything. He keeps moving until his hand is resting on my stomach.
I suck in a breath at his possessive touch, his pale green eyes flicking down and then back up to meet my gaze.
“I would never hurt you, Sid,” he tells me, splaying his fingers wide. “You know that, don’t you?”
No. “And what about…” I dip my eyes down. I’m not showing. It’s still early. I could still end this, if I wanted to. If I knew it wouldn’t kill my husband.
Jeremiah shakes his head. “Never.”
“Even though it’s…his?”
His fingers curl against my belly, and he looks away, his jaw tightening. But then he nods. “Never,” he repeats.
Relief spreads like warmth through my limbs. “What about when I decide to go back?”
He stands to his feet, dropping his hand as he turns his back to me, shoulders shifting beneath his grey jacket. He laces his fingers behind his head, still not looking at me.
I roll my eyes, unseen by him. “You have a pregnant girl chained up to your guest bed right now, Jeremiah. Don’t start freaking out on me yet and add verbal abuse to your list of sins.”
He drops his hands by his sides, and I hear a low laugh. “I’ll let you out, Sid,” he says quietly, his laugh dying away. “I just didn’t want you to slam the door in my face and shut me out before we could talk.”
I snort. “You think I’d be able to shut the door in your face?” Yeah, like he’d ever let that happen. He’d break the damn thing down before he let me do that.
But he turns to stare at me, cocking his head. “I’m doing things differently,” he says softly. “I promised you freedom. If that’s what will make you stay, if that’s what’s going to make you choose me over him, I’ll give it to you.” He reaches into the pocket of his jacket, pulls out a small key. To the handcuffs, I realize. He steps toward me, leans down and presses his lips to mine.
I don’t kiss him back. I know what Lucifer almost did, both at Liber and at Maverick’s. I know, and I understand that, too. Our house has been like hell. He was frustrated.
But he would never want to hurt me.
And I won’t hurt him like this. Leaving was painful enough. I won’t do the one thing he could never forgive me for.
“Just don’t run again, Sid. Not until you’re really sure.” Jeremiah reaches over me to undo the cuffs. “I’m tired of playing these fucking games with you.”
Those last words are bitter. A little violent. And I can’t help but smile.
That’s the boy I know.
A boy of ruin.