Page 106 of Protected from Torment

“Anything,” he replies with a hint of desperation. “Whatever you want, whatever you need. I’ll do it. I’ll fix it. I just want to be with you, Mel. If you’re worried about me keeping you safe, I have a plan for that. If it’s finding the right job, I’ll help. Or I won’t help, if you want to do it on your own. Anything⁠—”

“I’m pregnant,” I blurt. Waves of hot and cold wash over me. Ducking my gaze to my lap, I rush to tell him the rest. “I know, I told you I couldn’t. The doctor said there was too much scar tissue. That an embryo would never implant. But when I was at Eden’s, my stomach got upset. And I was feeling off—kind of lightheaded and my legs were all weak. Plus the coffee and cookies tasted weird. I thought maybe it was just Eden’s baking, but⁠—”

“You’re pregnant?”

“Eden had extra tests. And she suggested I take one. I didn’t think… I was just humoring her, really. I didn’t believe it would be positive. Ever.” Daring a look back into Tyler’s shocked gaze, I whisper, “I didn’t know. I wouldn’t have said it was okay not to use protection if I had. Please believe me. I wasn’t trying to trick you. I really wasn’t.”

“Trick me?” His eyebrows pull into a confused V. “Why would I think that?”

“Because I told you I couldn’t get pregnant. And now…” Fear clutches at me. “I don’t know if the baby’s okay. Because I fell. Maybe I hurt it. Maybe I—” My voice breaks with a sob. “Maybe I already lost it, like I lost the other one.”

“Oh, Mel.” He brushes the tears from my cheeks. “I’m sure you didn’t. Babies are strong. Especially when they’re—” He looks at me questioningly.

“Six or seven weeks,” I supply. “I know it’s still so early. But… I want it. Him. Her. So much. I know this is a surprise, and I understand if you don’t want⁠—”

“Don’t want a baby?” Tyler interrupts. “With you?”

“I told you it was safe to go without protection,” I whisper. “That’s my fault.”

“Shit, Mel.” He ever so carefully wraps his arms around me. “I wish I could give you a real hug, but I don’t want to hurt you.” His lips press to the top of my head. “I’m sorry I made you think I didn’t want everything with you. But I do. I love you, Mel. And I love our baby, too.”

The spark of hope fans into a flame. “You do?”

“Yes.” His gaze burns into mine. “If we can have a baby against all odds, it means this baby is really supposed to be here. And it means—” He rests his hand feather-light on my stomach. “He⁠—”

“Or she?”

“Or she,” Tyler agrees with a smile, “is going to be okay. I’m sure of it.”

Breaking through the relative quiet of the woods, the shouts of male voices carry towards us.

“This way,” one of them shouts. I’m pretty certain it’s Ace.

“Roger that,” Rafe replies before adding, “Ty, can you hear us?”

At the sound of his new friends approaching, Oscar perks up. His tail starts wagging again.

“Down here,” Tyler calls. “I’m with Mel. I don’t want to move her until Indy checks her out.”

“Almost there,” Indy calls. “It’s going to be okay, Mel. Soon you’ll be out of there and good as new.”

“He’s right,” Tyler says. His thumb lightly strokes across my stomach. “You’re going to be okay. The baby is going to be okay.”

My chest squeezes. “And you’re really okay with it?”

“Mel.” It’s impossible not to see the love in his eyes. And it makes me wonder if it’s been there all along, and I was just too scared to see it. “Our baby? Our miracle? I’m more than okay with it.” He kisses my forehead. “I love you, Mel. So much.”

My throat goes thick. “I love you, too.”

CHAPTER 21

Two Months Later

TYLER

“Don’t move,” I warn Mel in a gently commanding tone.

“Or what?” she asks with a teasing glint in her eyes.