Chapter 39 #3
“I know.” I do know. I reach up and wipe the tears running down his face. He chuckles, a humorless sound. “I don’t think I’ve ever cried so much in my life.”
I cup his face in my hands. “You’re just a big softy.”
One side of his mouth tips up, but drops when he searches my eyes for something. “Do you—never mind.”
“What is it?” I tilt his head to see his torment again.
He blinks, uncertainty bleeding through him. “Do you think you could ever love me again?”
It pierces me like a dagger. I know I did what I needed to protect myself, but knowing the man I love desperately is not confident or sure of that love is achingly sad.
“Oh, Trevor.” I throw myself at him and wrap my arms around his head.
“Of course I love you. I love you with everything that I am. I loved you even when I thought I hated you, and I’m confident that I will love you for the rest of our lives. ”
He nods against me. “I’ll do everything I can to cherish that, Paige. I promise.”
I scrape my nails lightly against Trevor’s scalp, and scruff then sit up, disrupting our snuggle.
“Hey.” He grumbles before pulling me closer and resting his hand on my belly.
“Who’s Justin?”
Trevor pops his head up. “What?”
“You sent a message that said ’Justin is served.’ I didn’t want—”
He snorts. “Let me see that.”
I grab my phone and go to my message app, but Trevor snatches it out of my hand. “Hey, what—”
He clicks on the photo Krista took. “What’s this?”
I flop back onto the pillow. “Just delete it, please. I know she was trying to hurt me with it.”
“This is from … Did she send this on the Fourth?” His voice is outraged, but I’m just tired.
I nod into the pillow. “Mhm.”
“Fuck, Paige. I’m so—”
I reach a hand out and shove it against his face. “Shhh. We just talked about this. We’re done apologizing.”
“But—” His voice is muffled against my hand.
“Nothing. Drop it and look at the other message.”
“Fine. Delete the whole thread?”
“Yes, please.” I sit back up and watch as he finally sees the message he sent.
He snorts. “Yeah, that was meant to be a big emotional statement about justice.” He begins to laugh, “But fucking autocorrect decided to hop in and change things.”
I shake my head and smile. “I was so confused.”
“I bet.”
He locks the screen and passes me the phone, which I twirl in my hand.
“So, I have a question. If all this money your parents have gotten is suspect, what will happen to their home?”
“Mom inherited the house from her parents, and I believe they signed a pre-nup. As long as she was faithful, she keeps everything she came in with.”
Humming, I think about that. “That’s a weird prenup.” He nods and traces a design on my thigh. “Do you think your mom was in on it?”
“I think my mom knew, but I also think she’s way smarter than my father and kept her nose clear of the stink of it all.” I have to stuff down the disappointment. “Sucks ass.” He finishes, making me chuckle.
“How will she afford everything?”
“Hell if I know, love.” He eyes me. “I need to tell you something about your mother.” He looks away, and I have a feeling I know exactly what he’s going to say.
“Your parents paid her off to leave, and that’s why I lost my insurance.”
He gapes at me. “How?”
“She contacted me a few years ago for money. I told her where to shove it.”
He laughs outright and falls back into the pillows. “We have the world’s best parents.”
“How did you find out?” My mother has been out of our lives since then.
“You know the day Jacob came home really upset?”
“Oh.”
“Yeah. One of them mentioned a dumpster.” Trevor’s voice is flat, but I can hear the anger threaded through it.
A flash of fury lights through me. “That bitch!”
“Come here.” He tugs me down so I’m lying beside him, then wraps his arms around me. “I’m so glad you agreed to marry me, even when I had nothing to offer you.”
I sigh and pull in the soothing warmth he’s offering. “You’re trying to distract me.”
He kisses just beneath my ear. “Is it working?”
I nod. “Mmhmm.” I feel so warm and complete with him wrapped around me. “I need you to stay with me, Trevor.”
“Always, baby.” He runs his hands over my belly, but I halt his movement.
“No, for good. Come back to our bed. Be my husband. Be mine, Trevor.”
He tilts my face toward his. “For good?”
I nod, then yelp when he suddenly rolls on top of me. “Trevor!”
“Listen to me, alright?” I nod and spread my legs, letting his body sink between them. He groans. “Stop trying to distract me. I’m serious.” He bounces me on the bed. “I’m not going to make these mistakes ever again.”
I laugh while he bounces me. “I wouldn’t have brought you home if I thought you would.”
He dips his head and touches his forehead to mine, closing his eyes. “I’m not losing this again.”
I smile up at my Trevor, the North Star that guided me home all those years ago. “Sounds perfect to me. I love you, my star.”
He groans then kisses me until I’m dizzy, breathless. Leaning back, he runs his hand down the side of my body, pausing when he reaches my belly.
“For the rest of our lives and beyond, my world.”