35. Chapter 35
Callahan
My feet stopped moving as time seemed to halt. Lorcan jumped from the bed so fast I worried the old man would faint. Rory’s pale face hadn’t changed, not even a little. She was still looking at Arthur expectantly, like she was waiting for him to say ‘Haha just kidding! You’ve been poisoned again!’
Arthur, seemingly unaware of the shift in the room, continued to take her pulse, staring at his watch and mouthing numbers silently. He looked up from his watch and finally seemed to notice the silent, thrumming tension that vibrated the room. “Um, I take your reactions as an indication that you were unaware of the pregnancy?”
“No, we didn’t know. Is she okay? Will the baby be okay? How far along could she possibly be?” I kept my eyes on Rory’s pale face, my muscles twitching to move closer. Her far away stare, wrinkled brow and the confusion rolling off her in waves made me itch to pull her into my arms.
“I couldn’t tell you for sure without an ultrasound, but based on the hCG in her system, I’d say she’s somewhere around six or seven weeks. We would need better testing than I can do in order to-”
“I’m pregnant?” Rory asked, her voice full of anxious hesitancy. “I- I can’t be pregnant! It would be too early to know, right? Like, don’t you have to wait until like six weeks for that? Wouldn’t I know? Don’t I have to miss a-”She drifted off as if she couldn’t find her thoughts, her eyes panicked. I climbed onto the bed to sit next to her, pulling her into my arms. “It’s okay, solas. You’re going to be okay. We wanted this, remember? I promise, you’re both going to be okay. I won’t let anything happen to either of you,” I swore as I laid a protective hand on her lower stomach.
She tilted her head back, wide eyes finding mine immediately. “A baby?” she whispered.
I smiled and kissed the tip of her nose before rubbing mine against it. “A baby,” I said, my voice soft and reverent as my fingers stroked over the skin below her belly button.
Arthur took a few more vitals, removed the IV and left a bottle of anti-nausea medication before referring us to see an OB/GYN as soon as possible, then left. As he walked out, Connor and Carson came barreling into the room, practically fighting each other to get through the door first.
“How are you feeling?” Connor asked her at the same time as Carson, holding up a set of keys, asked me, “Are we going to the hospital?”
I pulled her tighter to my chest and laid my chin on the crown of her head. Her hand found the back of mine as I marveled at the fact that there was life growing under our palms.
“No hospital,” I said. “She’s not sick. I mean, obviously she’s sick, but it’s not a virus or anything.”
Carson jangled the keys. “Well if she’s sick, shouldn’t we be going to the hospital?” he asked impatiently.
Connor’s eyes locked on our hands, still spread over her lower stomach and he smiled, slapping his brother on the chest. “Bro, she’s not sick. She’s pregnant.” He pointed to our hands.
Carson stared blankly. “A baby?” he asked, mimicking not only the words, but the exact tone of disbelief Rory had when she’d asked the same question. Then he groaned, his head dropping back on his shoulders. “Oh my God, Cal’s going to go nuts with security, isn’t he?”
The whole room burst into laughter. After a round of congratulations, back slaps and gentle hugs, the men left. I sighed, shifting us so that we were leaned against the headboard.
“How do you feel, baby? Any nausea?”
She shook her head. “I feel completely normal now. Maybe a little tired, but mostly okay.”
I sighed again. “I’m happy, baby. Are you happy? I know it’s soon, but we talked about this. You wanted this, right?”
She seemed to think for a while, her fingers absently stroking the back of my hand. “I’m not upset about it. I think I’m scared, more than anything. I didn’t have a mom for most of my childhood. What if I suck at it?”
I chuckled against the top of her head. “You could never. You’re such a soft-hearted person, Rory. Except when you’re protecting what’s yours. You think for one second you wouldn’t go to war for this baby?”
I frowned but was quiet for a moment. While she thought, I pictured a little girl with light hair and green eyes. My heart swelled, much like it did when I looked at my wife, and I pressed my hand tighter against her stomach. Suddenly, her body tensed and her legs twitched like she needed to move, he hand curling around mine and her other arm wrapping around her middle
I chuckled again. “That’s what I thought.” I kissed her hair. “If you’re feeling up to it, do you still want to sit in on the meeting with Tomasso? He’s due to arrive in about twenty minutes. If you’re not feeling up to it, I’d rather you stay here and rest.”
She shook her head, strands of her hair catching on my stubble. “No, I’m fine. Like I said, I feel mostly okay. I’m really curious to see if he has anything we can use to our advantage.”
I helped her sit up and moved to the closet. I came out with a soft pair of leggings over one arm and a large sweater clutched in my hand. I knew she preferred comfort to style and now that she was going to be uncomfortable for the next nine months, I wanted her in the comfiest, softest clothing she owned.
As I dressed her, I made a mental note to ask Ebony to order her the most comfortable clothes a pregnant woman could wear. My hands never strayed far from her belly, my fingers refusing to leave the spot where our baby was nestled, even as we settled on the couch in my office.
Ebony brought in a tray of drinks and a small platter of snacks, announcing that Tommaso was being escorted onto the grounds by Elliot and Nate.
“Bring them here when they arrive, please,” I said, laying a calming hand on Rory’s bouncing knee.
She nodded once before making a speedy exit, preparing to meet the guests at the door.
I squeezed Rory’s knee before pulling her to her feet. The doorbell sounded throughout the house and she took a shaky breath in. I wrapped my arm around her and trailed my fingers up and down her arm.
“You can do this, baby. You don’t have anything to be afraid of, right? Not in our house and not while I’m touching you.” I flattened my hand against her belly again, unable to stop touching the spot where our child lay nestled in her womb. With my other hand, I tilted her head back so she could see how serious I was about my next words.
“I would die for you, solas. For both of you. I would tear men apart with my bare hands, if I thought it would keep you two safe.”
Tears pricked her eyes, her face coloring with emotion. She didn’t say anything for a long moment, until her pretty throat bobbed with a heavy swallow. “I love you,” she whispered, her gaze bouncing between my eyes.
I cupped her cheeks and pressed a reverent kiss to her lips before laying my forehead on hers and rubbing the tip of my nose against hers. “You are my heart, mo solas.” I pulled my forehead from hers and lifted a finger to her necklace. Love, so strong it made my heart burn for hers, swirled through me as I stroked the little gems. “One soul,” I said, looking into her eyes as she inhaled a small, quiet gasp through her beaming smile.
A knock sounded at the door just as a tear streaked over her curved cheek, tracing the line of her smile before dripping off her chin. I wiped the trail away, wrapped my arm around her shoulders, and called for our guests to enter.