Chapter Twenty-Six
Seth woke to the soft glow of sunlight filtering through the window of his childhood bedroom. For a moment, he was disoriented—caught between the past and present, between the boy who’d once slept here and the man he’d become.
Warm curves cuddled against him. He turned his head to find Heavenly, asleep between him and Beck, her face peaceful and unguarded in the early morning light. He smiled at the sight of Beck pressed against her other side, one arm draped protectively around her waist, his breathing deep and even.
Last night had been perfect.
Seth savored the memories of their passion before they’d collapsed—completely sated, spent, and exhausted.
Something like peace infused him—welcome after days of pretending, of careful distance and half-truths.
This quiet moment felt like oxygen. Tomorrow, he’d tell his mother the truth, then nothing else would get in his way.
Fears aside, Seth refused to let it. He’d embrace the future with both arms and—
His and Beck’s phones simultaneously buzzed on the nightstand.
Seth plucked his up while Beck groped for his, both careful not to disturb Heavenly. He squinted at the screen and found a text from Liam to them both.
Then he read the message, his grip tightening on his phone with every word.
Congratulations, Daddies! Heavenly conceived last night. Mum and I both saw it. Well deserved.
Seth’s heart stopped. An icy rush surged through his chest—joy and terror colliding so hard he couldn’t breathe for a second.
Heavenly conceived.
She’s pregnant.
A baby.
That reality threatened to close his throat. His vision blurred. Frantically, he blinked to clear it, then glanced over at Beck.
The surgeon stared at his screen, his expression gaping. A long second later, the corners of his lips turned up in a slow, unfiltered grin before he gave Seth a fist bump and mouthed two words that summed up the situation.
Holy shit.
Even as his chest tightened, Seth flashed him an answering smile.
Beck had stepped into the future, already seeing diapers, first steps, late-night feedings, and everything that came with fatherhood.
While Seth…he knew he stood trapped between past and present, unable to let go of what he’d lost long enough to embrace what he was gaining. Instead, the fucking fear had returned to choke him with the reminder that happiness was fragile and safety an illusion.
Where was all the certainty he’d felt last night? Gone, as if it had never existed.
But he didn’t say that. He couldn’t. Instead, he did his best to lock down his hesitation and only show joy.
Their phones buzzed with another message from Liam:
Want to know the biological father? The baby’s gender? I know...
Beck shifted, careful not to wake Heavenly, and whispered, “Do we?”
Seth shook his head. Even the thought of knowing made him break out in a cold sweat. “I don’t need to know. This baby is ours—doesn’t matter what the sex is or whose biology it carries.”
“Agreed.” Beck nodded, grin widening. “I’ll let him know.”
The surgeon quickly tapped out:
No thanks. We like surprises.
A second later, Liam’s response came through:
Seth’s fingers shook as he set his phone down and turned toward Beck. They exchanged a long, silent stare—steady, grounded, resolute. He wondered if the snarky surgeon could read his thoughts? His worries?
Beck shifted his gaze to Heavenly, still asleep between them, and his voice dropped even lower. “We should wake her. She should know.”
She would be incredibly excited.
Seth nodded. “Absolutely, before Mom and Carl come back.”
Which would be soon.
Beck nodded, then nudged her soft shoulder while Seth brushed a strand of hair from her cheek.
“Angel,” Seth murmured. “Wake up. We’ve got news.”
Heavenly stirred, her lashes fluttering as she blinked at them, groggy and confused. When she saw their serious expressions, her brows furrowed. Her gaze sharpened.
She sat up, whispering, “What’s wrong?”
Beck shook his head, smile filled with joy. “Nothing, little girl. In fact, everything is perfect.”
Seth’s throat tightened. “Liam just texted us, angel. According to him, you conceived last night. You’re pregnant.”
The words hung in the air.
Heavenly blinked. Her lips parted, but no sound came out. Tears welled up in her big eyes and spilled over.
“I’m…” Her voice cracked as her hand instinctively dropped to her stomach. “I’m pregnant? Really?”
“Really.” Beck’s voice came out rough. “We did it. We’re going to have a family.”
She looked between them, searching their faces. “You’re sure?”
“Liam and Bryn both saw it.” Seth nodded. “It’s real. How do you feel?”
A sob broke from her chest—half laugh, half cry. She pressed both hands to her stomach as tears streamed down her face. “Oh, my…” Her voice trembled. “It’s real.”
“It is, little girl.” Beck’s smile widened as he pulled her close and kissed her tears away.
He hugged them close, love filling his aching chest. But fear coiled around it, so tight it threatened to smother his breath and strangle his joy. “You’re going to be a mom.”
Which meant he was going to be a father again—and not to a teenager like Hudson, but to a fragile newborn who would depend on him for everything.
I can’t lose this again.
Seth closed his eyes and made a silent promise. He would not let history repeat itself. He would be vigilant as hell and protect them. Ready or not, he would leave the past behind, and embrace the future...whole, complete—exactly like Beck was doing now.
Heavenly’s tears dripped onto his shoulder. Beck’s hand gripped his arm.
Seth buried his face in Heavenly’s hair, breathing her in. Beck’s forehead pressed against his shoulder.
This was his family. His future.
And he’d protect it with everything he had—no matter what.
Heavenly sniffled again. Tenderly, Beck dried her tears. Seth watched, wishing he could lose himself in the moment with them. He gave them what he could while his thoughts raced, caressing her crown and kissing her forehead.
Then he pulled away, breaking the moment.
Fuck, he needed space, needed to breathe.
No time to linger or wallow or reverse-engineer how to jettison his fears enough to fully embrace his future.
Mom and Carl would be home soon to prep for their post-wedding brunch—friends, family, and out-of-town guests gathering for one final celebratory moment before saying goodbye.
Later this afternoon, he’d take Beck, Heavenly, and Hudson back to the airport for their flight to LA.
Then tomorrow…he’d sit his mom down and come clean. The weight of that responsibility pressed down on him—not panic, but something heavier. Unavoidable. With a baby on the way, telling her about the three of them wasn’t optional.
Whatever he felt, whatever the fucking tangle in his head…it had to wait.
With a last, lingering kiss on the bow of Heavenly’s mouth, Beck slipped out of bed and grabbed his clothes. “As much as I hate to break up this party and what could be a really promising morning, I’ll head across the hall and start getting ready. After all, we have to keep up appearances.”
Beck’s expression was tight, resentful.
Seth didn’t blame him. “Last day.”
“Thank fuck.” The surgeon slid a lingering smile Heavenly’s way before he left, closing the door behind him.
If not for his mom’s convictions about right and wrong, the three of them would probably pass a lazy Sunday in bed, laughing, talking, and making love as they celebrated their pending future.
Instead, they had to resume their roles and hide their love. They had to pretend they didn’t know about the child growing in Heavenly’s womb. Seth knew Beck and their girl hated that. He hated it for them, too.
Heavenly grabbed Seth’s hand. She must have read something in his expression because her voice was searching and soft. “Now that Beck’s gone, tell me how you really feel. Are you happy?”
“Yeah, angel. I’m happy. Of course I’m happy.” He cupped her cheek. “I won’t lie and say I’m not scared shitless. I am, and I don’t know if that feeling will ever go away.”
She sent him a sympathetic smile and wrapped her fingers around his still against her cheek. “I know. But whatever happens—the baby, the move, all of it—we’ll handle it. Together.”
Seth wanted to believe her more than anything.
“It’s going to be okay,” she assured. “You don’t have to carry the weight alone. The three of us will move heaven and earth to keep our child safe.”
He nodded. “I know you’re right. We won’t let anything happen to him or her.”
“Ever,” she reassured, kissing him long and deep.
Seth groaned before sinking a fist in her hair and taking control of her mouth. The need to be inside her clawed at him. Unfortunately, he couldn’t invite Beck back to his room, and making love to Heavenly again would be like playing Russian roulette with the clock.
Reluctantly, he broke the kiss with a heavy sigh and pressed his forehead to hers, breathing hard. “If we don’t stop now, I won’t.”
Heavenly traced a finger down his bare chest. “I wouldn’t object to more time in bed with you…but I guess we need to get ready.”
“Yeah.” Seth backed away and watched her sigh as she padded to her suitcase.
She rummaged through her clothes. “Is the brunch a casual thing, or do I need to dress up?”
“Definitely casual. It’s just family and a few close friends.”
“Oh, good.” She plucked up a burgundy cotton V-neck, a black cardigan, and a pair of distressed jeans, along with a clean bra and panties, then laid them across the bed. Then she turned and scanned the dresser, a scowl slowly forming as she turned to him. “Have you seen my ring?”
“No.”
“Did you move it? I put it here last night with the rest of my jewelry. But—”
“Don’t panic.” But she was. He heard it in her voice. “It can’t have gone far.”
Seth scanned the top of the dresser. Earrings, check. Necklace, right where she left it. Engagement ring? Gone.
“Huh…” How the hell had that happened?
“Where did it go?” Her voice pitched higher, edging toward panic.
Seth pulled her against his side. “Easy, angel. It’s got to be here. Maybe it fell last night when I bumped the dresser on my way to the bathroom.”
“I don’t remember you doing that.”
Seth chuckled. “You wouldn’t. You and Beck were…busy.”
“Oh.” Her cheeks turned pink.
“Oh.” He smiled, tapping her nose. “Why don’t you jump in the shower? I’ll look for it.”
“I’ll help.”
Seth shook his head, almost grateful to have something to focus on besides his low-level panic over this baby and the white-hot terror of coming clean with his mother.
“You have to start getting ready or we’ll run out of time. Trust me, angel. I’ll find your ring. It didn’t grow legs, and I’m a detective. This won’t be a hard case to crack. Go.”
Heavenly wasn’t thrilled, but she nodded and made her way to the bathroom down the hall. A moment later, he heard the door close behind her and water rushing through the pipes as she turned on the shower.
In the blessed quiet, Seth devoted himself to the task, opening the blinds to let in more light. Then he gripped the edge of the dresser and scanned the area with a scowl. Nothing.
Maybe the ring had fallen under it? Behind it?
Careful not to scuff his mom’s hardwoods, he carefully lifted it away from the wall and crouched, peering into the sliver of space he’d created between the back of the dresser and the wall.
And he found Heavenly’s ring—pristine and sparkling in the morning light. But it hadn’t fallen to the floor, and it wasn’t alone.
Instead, the ring had snagged on the edge of dusty, yellowing paper, which looked as if someone had affixed it to the back of the dresser.
“What the hell?” he murmured as he retrieved the ring and placed the shimmering diamond on top of the dresser.
Then he leaned in to study the mysterious piece of paper he’d never noticed. Hell, never even seen.
It wasn’t a page, but an envelope. It had been duct-taped to the back of the dresser.
Why?
Had someone deliberately hidden it?
That was Seth’s guess.
His pulse kicked up as he picked at the tape. It lifted slowly, so brittle with age it mostly flaked away. Coupled with the yellowing envelope, Seth had to wonder… How long had this been affixed to the back of his dresser? Years? A decade? More?
And who would have put this here? One of his brothers? Someone else?
How had he not seen it?
Seth hadn’t lived here since he was eighteen, so why would anyone bother hiding something in his room after he’d gone?
Questions with no good answers swirled in Seth’s head as he leaned closer still and wiped away a thick layer of dust.
He caught sight of faint writing on the front of the envelope.
And he’d recognize that handwriting anywhere.
The air froze in his lungs. His heart chugged. His blood ran cold.
Seth knew without a shred of doubt who had hidden the note on the back of his dresser.
His father.