Chapter 33
Chapter thirty-three
Abigail
Iknow, Griff,” I tell him softly, running the brush down the broad slope of his shoulder. “I wanna go for a ride too, but I can’t anymore.” Griffin flicks an ear back toward me. “The minute I can, I’ll come find you. I promise. You’ll just have to put up with the guys for now.”
He huffs in disapproval.
Griffin shifts closer in the stall, his big head lowering until his nose gently bumps my belly, and a small laugh slips out of me. “You know someone’s in there, too, huh?” I say, rubbing the soft bridge of his nose. “So does Luce. Couple of smarties you are. I bet you guys knew before I did.”
He huffs again. This time clearly letting me know my assumptions are correct.
The barn is quiet this morning as I continue grooming him, working my way down his side with slow, steady strokes. Halfway along his flank, something flutters low in my stomach.
The brush stills in my hand as my other palm drifts instinctively to the gentle curve of my belly.
There it is again.
Soft.
Quick.
Not a kick—not really. More like the faintest little flicker from the inside. Like a butterfly wing brushing against me before disappearing again.
Seventeen weeks, and my pregnancy app told me I’d probably start feeling something soon.
My lips curve into a smile.
I’ve been feeling the flutters for about five days now. At first, I thought it was my imagination. Then I thought it was gas. But then it just kept happening—little flutters here and there when I was sitting quietly or lying in bed at night.
Our baby is moving.
My thumb brushes lightly over my stomach through the thin cotton of my dress when the sound of boots echoing across the floor draws my attention to the open barn door.
I glance over my shoulder as Lincoln steps inside.
He spots me immediately—my hand resting on my belly—and his entire face lights up as he makes his way toward me. “Can you feel her?”
“Her?” I echo.
Lincoln shrugs one shoulder. “Gut feeling.” He stops in front of me and reaches a hand out. “Can I?”
“Of course.” I guide his hand to my stomach, where I felt the flutter. “You probably won’t be able to feel it, though. I only did a few days ago.”
His big palm settles over my belly, warm even through my dress. His thumb moves slowly, tracing gentle circles.
We both wait, and after a few seconds, he scrunches his face. “Nothin’.”
I smile softly. Reaching up, I tuck an imaginary strand of hair behind his ear. “Feel free to check any time.”
Up close like this, I can’t help but admire him.
Lincoln has always been handsome. From the first moment I met him, I saw it. But lately… lately there’s something different about him. The hard edges he carried when I first arrived have softened. His jaw isn’t quite as tight. The shadows behind his eyes have faded.
His eyes. My god, those eyes.
That bright green—the same one I see when I look at Billie—has always been striking, but now there’s something lighter in them. Something that almost looks peaceful. Like a weight he’s been carrying for years has finally loosened its grip.
Like he finally believes this life… this family—his second chance—is real.
Lincoln’s gaze flickers between my own. “You look really fuckin’ pretty today.”
I scoff a laugh and glance down at myself.
I’m wearing a simple white cotton dress.
It’s comfortable and loose and stops at about mid-calf.
It has puffed sleeves that stop at my elbows and buttons down the front of it.
Paired with a pair of green Hunter rain boots I ordered once the snow started melting, and a cream Tecovas felt hat, I honestly thought I looked a bit ridiculous.
But, regardless of how impractically I might be dressed, it was the only thing that looked even remotely comfortable when I rolled out of bed this morning.
“I quite literally couldn’t stand the feeling of pants on my body today.
Nor did I have the energy to do my hair. So this was my best option.”
He chuckles quietly before bending down and pressing his lips softly against my stomach. The tenderness of it makes my eyes sting.
If I could stop crying all the damn time, that would be great.
I don’t have long to dwell on the almost certain tears before he straightens and his lips meet my own.
It starts gentle—but only for a moment. Sliding his hand to my ass, he deepens the kiss.
It’s warm and slow and filled with just the right amount of pressure to have me weak in the knees.
A low groan vibrates in his chest before he pulls back just enough to speak against my lips.
“If I could walk into this barn every day and see you like this,” he rumbles, voice rough, “it’d be a dream come true.”
I giggle as he curves my body against his own. “Better get your fill then.”
He shrugs casually. “There’s always the next one.”
My head snaps back. “The next one?! How about we get through this one?”
Lincoln just winks. Then he reaches into his pocket and pulls out an envelope.
My name is written across the front and nothing else. “I wanted to give you this. Jasper picked it up from a P.O. box while he was in Billings yesterday.”
I take the envelope slowly, eyeing him. “Why do you have a P.O. box in Billings?”
His grin widens. “You’ll see when you open it. Sebastian helped set it up.”
Leaning down, he kisses me once more—quick but warm—just as his phone starts ringing in his pocket. “I love you, Sweetheart. Come find one of us if you need to after you read that.”
He answers the call as he turns toward the stairs leading to his office. “Yeah?” he says into the phone, already climbing. There’s a pause before I hear him ask, “You find another one?”
The question barely registers, my attention already on the envelope in my hands. Gently, I sink down onto an overturned bucket beside Griffin’s stall and slide one finger under the flap.
The second I unfold the paper inside, my breath catches.
I’d recognize that handwriting anywhere.
Tears blur my vision before I even start reading.
Anya,
If you’re reading this, then it means that whatever magic those guys in New York and your cowboy bodyguards did worked.
First of all—hi. I’m alive. I’m okay. You don’t need to worry about me.
And second of all…
YOU’RE PREGNANT?!
I nearly fell out of my chair when I found out.
The one named Sebastian told me, and I screamed so loud my neighbor banged on the wall.
I can’t believe I’m going to be an aunt.
An actual aunt!
I cannot wait to meet my niece or nephew someday. I’m already planning on spoiling them rotten, by the way. I hope those men you live with are prepared for that.
Also… speaking of which…
You have FOUR baby daddies.
Four, Anya.
I mean, honestly… If anyone was going to pull that off it was probably going to be you. Overachiever as always.
I hope at least one of them knows how to change a diaper.
But jokes aside… I’m so happy for you. Truly. You deserve a life filled with love and safety and people who would burn down the world for you.
And it sounds like you found it.
As for me… I’m doing really good.
I got a job at a little bookstore down the street from my apartment. It’s small but cozy, and the owner is this really sweet guy who’s around my age. You should see him, Anya… my god.
I also got my own place. It’s tiny. But it’s mine. I even made a couple of friends already.
I’m really happy.
So please, don’t worry about me.
I’ll come see you when I feel like it’s safe. When the time is right.
Focus on your new life. Your new family.
You deserve every bit of happiness that’s coming your way.
I love you more than anything in this world, Anya.
And I cannot wait until the day I get to hug you again.
Give that little bean in your belly a kiss for me.
Love always,
Kat
By the time I finish reading, my vision is swimming with tears.
I’m still sitting there, clutching the letter, when another pair of boots walks through the open barn door.
“Abbie?”
I look up to see Jasper walking in. Open flannel, tight white T-shirt underneath. Dark-wash jeans that I just know are doing wonders for his ass and a backward baseball cap. He’s just… wow.
His eyes land on the paper in my hands, then on my face. Once he reaches me, he immediately drops into a crouch in front of me.
Griffin leans over the stall door with a warning gruff.
Jasper points a finger at him. “Griff, I swear to God if you bite me—Hey! She’s not just yours, you know?”
A laugh bursts out of me through the tears.
Reaching up, Jasper swipes his thumb across the apple of my cheek, gently wiping a tear away.
“Thank you,” I say softly. “I don’t know how you all did this, but thank you.”
He smiles at me. “Anything for you, Red.”
“Do you know where she is?”
He shakes his head. “Told Seb not to tell us. We figured the fewer people who know, the better.”
I nod in understanding.
The two of us sit there for a moment in the quiet barn, Griffin and the other horses occasionally snuffling around us. Then, Jasper pushes to his feet and holds a hand out to me. “Wanna take a walk with me?”
I slip my hand into his without hesitation. “Always.”