Chapter 14
EMILIA
It’s only once the door swings closed behind him that I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. Gianna places her hand on my arm. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” I run my hand over my stomach as the news echoes through my mind. “We’re okay.”
“I can’t believe that little shit,” Tilly murmurs, the words barely containing her anger.
“It didn’t shock me at all.” Gianna shakes her head. “He’s never been the brightest bulb in the box.”
“Why don’t we head straight home?” Tilly hands her credit card to the waitress. “I’m betting my son will want some private time with you to make sure you’re okay.”
“Thank you for lunch. I’m so sorry it turned into such an ordeal,” I tell her as we walk out to her vehicle.
“Oh, honey, you don’t have anything to be sorry about.” Tilly smiles as she pulls out into traffic. “I just wish I’d got to see Dillon whip Harold’s ass.”
“Me too.” Gianna grabs her phone and starts flipping through social media.
“What are you doing?” Tilly glances over at her daughter.
“I’m checking out the town’s Facebook page. Hopefully, someone recorded the beatdown. Duh.” Gianna smirks and the resemblance to her brothers shines through.
After Tilly drops me off, I sit on the sofa staring out the picture window. A little bird flies past and lands in one of the evergreen trees that borders the backyard. I take a deep breath, willing myself to relax.
Today has been a little crazy. I can’t freaking believe I’m actually pregnant. The thought is both terrifying and exhilarating. A life is growing inside me, a testament to the eternal bond between us.
I close my eyes for a moment, allowing happiness to wash through me.
The sound of the front door opening pulls me from my reverie, and my eyes open to find Dillon stepping inside. There’s a raw intensity simmering beneath his usually calm demeanor. His eyes meet mine, and a moment passes between us. Love and hunger shine from his dark eyes.
“Dillon,” I whisper, rising from the couch and moving toward him.
Without a word, he crosses the room in swift strides and drops to his knees before me, his arms encircling my waist, pulling me close in a fierce embrace. His head rests against my stomach, and I thread my fingers through his hair, holding him to me, feeling the unspoken emotions churning within us both.
For a long moment, neither of us speaks. The weight of his earlier confrontation hangs in the air, but the warmth of his embrace dissolves it, replacing uncertainty with a deep-seated sense of belonging.
“Emilia,” he finally murmurs, his voice muffled but resonant with relief and something deeper. “I love you, little goddess.”
Tears prick at my eyes; my freaking hormones are already going haywire but I’m so happy. “I love you, too.”
He looks up at me, and I’m met with an intensity that nearly steals my breath. I’m so glad I took the chance of my life and moved to Glacier Pass. I found my soulmate, but his crazy, wonderful family also stole my heart.
Life is good.