Chapter 9
MARISSA
For the second time, I woke up in Raiden’s bed after a night of mind-blowing orgasms. His arm was wrapped around my waist again, and his breath puffed across the back of my neck.
This morning, I didn’t need to race off to the airport, so I stayed right where I was and soaked in the feeling until my bladder nudged me back to reality.
I was barely pregnant, but the baby was already making its presence known in too many inconvenient ways.
Frequent trips to the bathroom, nausea, and tiredness—I had it all.
Carefully, inch by inch, I eased out from under Raiden’s arm. He made a low sound but didn’t wake. I pressed a hand to my chest to steady my breathing before tugging on the shirt he discarded and slipping into the bathroom.
After I used the toilet, I washed my hands and splashed cold water on my face.
It didn’t do much for the puffiness under my eyes, and my hair was the very definition of bedhead, but I looked better than I had in weeks.
Now that I knew Raiden was happy about the baby, it felt like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders.
I stepped back into the bedroom and froze because he was already awake. Sitting on the edge of the bed, fully dressed and lacing up his shoes with the kind of focus most football players saved for the field.
He glanced up, his dark gaze raking over my body, lips tipping up when he saw what I was wearing. “Good morning.”
“Morning.”
He stood, his smile widening. “Appointment’s at ten. We’ll leave in twenty.”
“Appointment?” I echoed, my brows drawing together.
“Obstetrician.” His tone was matter-of-fact, like scheduling a same-day prenatal visit for me was the most normal thing in the world. “Saxon gave me the details for the one Ivy goes to. I used her name, and they were able to squeeze us in this morning.”
“You didn’t have to do that,” I whispered. The truth was, I was ridiculously relieved he had because I hadn’t found a new doctor since I moved.
He held my gaze with a steady stare. “Yes, I did.”
I swallowed hard. His efficiency was impressive, but also a little overwhelming since he didn’t seem to be struggling with any of the doubts I’d drowned in for the past week. “Thank you.”
“Whatever you need, baby.”
I crossed to where my jeans and sweater were draped over a chair. Heat rushed up my neck as I remembered how I’d picked them up off the floor in the middle of the night. “What I could really use is some other clothes, but at least I didn’t wear these for long last night.”
His mouth twitched. Just barely. But enough to know my grumbling amused him.
“Grab something from my closet, if you want.”
I took him up on the offer, but I didn’t take anything from the hangers. Instead, I snagged a Nighthawks sweatshirt from the top of the hamper so I would be surrounded by his woodsy scent all day.
When I stepped out of the bedroom, he was already at the door, a travel mug and piece of toast in hand, waiting for me.
“Thought you might want some herbal tea for the road.”
“Thanks,” I sniffled, deeply touched by how thoughtful he was.
“We’re in this together, baby.”
Raiden’s hand rested low on my back during the elevator ride down to the lobby. Outside, a black cab was already idling at the curb. He opened the back door before I could reach for the handle and helped me in like I was made of glass.
“I’m not helpless,” I muttered under my breath.
As I scooted over, he shot me a look that was equal parts amused and infuriatingly stubborn. “Didn’t say you were.”
I shook my head with a sigh. “Still.”
He reached over and brushed a stray curl behind my ear in a gentle and unmistakably intimate gesture. “I’m gonna take care of you, Marissa. Might as well get used to it.”
My stomach flipped, only this time it was in a good way and not because of morning sickness.
The drive to the doctor’s office was quiet but not uncomfortable. Every so often, Raiden glanced at me, and each time the softness in his expression made my chest ache. He wasn’t nervous. Just focused.
They took us right back when we arrived at the OB’s office, and everything moved fast from there. Paperwork. Insurance. Raiden handed over his credit card for my copay and anything that wasn’t covered, before I even had the chance to tug mine from my wallet.
When the nurse called my name, he stayed right beside me the whole time. Even for my weight check, much to my chagrin.
“Next time, you’re going to wait outside of earshot for that part.”
He guided me to the exam room with a chuckle and waited while I filled a specimen cup in the bathroom. When the doctor confirmed the pregnancy, I exhaled a shaky breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding.
“So it’s real,” I whispered.
Raiden’s fingers closed around mine. “Yeah, baby. It’s real.”
When I hopped off the exam table, the room spun so suddenly I swayed. Raiden’s arm was around my waist instantly, putting his quick reflexes to good use.
“She’s dehydrated,” the doctor explained with a frown. “The unfortunate byproduct of mixing jet lag, long travel days, stress, and pregnancy. Make sure she eats regularly, drinks plenty of fluids, and rests.”
Raiden’s jaw ticked as he nodded. “Will do.”
After she left the room, he helped me get dressed, not letting me stand on my own until I convinced him that I could. Even then, he kept one arm around me as we walked out.
“I’m fine,” I insisted once we were outside, though my legs still felt unsteady.
“We’re going to your place.”
My shoulders slumped. “I guess that makes sense since all my stuff is there. It’ll make it easier for me to rest before work tomorrow.”
“We aren’t going to be there long enough for you to lie down,” he warned.
I tilted my head to the side, my brows drawing together. “I don’t understand.”
“We’re gonna grab as much of your stuff that I can squeeze into whatever suitcases you have, and then you can rest as much as you want at home.”
Home?
I blinked up at him. “Raiden, I’m not moving in with you.”
“You are.” His tone left no room for doubt. “You’re not staying alone when you’re dehydrated and carrying my baby.”
“But—” I sputtered.
“You can argue with me in the car if you want, but you’re not gonna change my mind.”
My head felt like it was spinning. Only one day ago, I wasn’t sure if he was going to kick me out of his life forever, and now he was insisting I move into his penthouse. “I just don’t want you to rush into anything.”
“It’s not rushing.” Then his gaze dropped to my stomach, and his expression softened. “You belong with me. The baby just makes it nonnegotiable.”
I’d spent a week imagining every worst-case scenario, and here he was pushing for something I’d been too scared to hope for. “Okay.”
“Come on,” he murmured, brushing his thumb over my hip. “Let’s go pack your things.”
The moment we settled into the cab, my body sagged to the side, the exhaustion hitting me with a force I couldn’t hide. I leaned my head back against the seat, closing my eyes as another wave of nausea rolled through me.
Raiden noticed instantly. “You find anything that helps your stomach yet?”
“Crackers,” I murmured. “Sometimes. Not always.”
The cab driver glanced at us in the rearview mirror. “My wife had terrible morning sickness with our first. Ginger lollipops saved her.”
Before I could even thank him for the suggestion, Raiden was already tapping on his phone.
I blinked at him. “What are you doing?”
“Getting them delivered. Should be at the penthouse by the time we get there.”
A surprised laugh slipped out. “You don’t even know if they’ll help.”
“Doesn’t matter. If there’s a chance they will, I’m buying them,” he explained, sliding his arm around my shoulders. “I already have saltines in the pantry, but let me know if you think of something else.”
I leaned into his side, pressing my face against his coat to breathe in his scent…and hid my smug grin at how well he took care of me. I didn’t want him knowing just how fast I was getting attached.
When we reached my building, Raiden kept his hand on my lower back all the way to my door. As soon as we stepped inside, he headed straight for my bedroom.
“Tell me what you want to bring.” Opening my dresser drawers, I started pulling out clothes. He took each folded pile from me and placed it carefully into the open suitcase on the bed. When it was full, he grabbed another from the top shelf of my closet. The one I needed a step stool to reach.
I headed into the bathroom under the pretense of grabbing toiletries just so he wouldn’t see how flustered I was.
I swallowed hard as he smoothed the last shirt into place, nervous about taking this next step.
But when he locked my apartment door behind us and rolled both suitcases toward the elevator, I felt safe.
Seen. Not alone for the first time in weeks.
And that might have been the scariest part of all.