Page 32 of Cocky Brutal Sinner

“No, these are his angels.” Luke pokes at a particularly evil-looking embroidered cherub.

“And I wouldn’t mind seeing you in a devil costume, Pips.” Ryan waggles his brows suggestively.

“Maybe if you’re very good tonight,” Pippa says, winking.

Ryan straight his shoulders. “I promise to be very, very good.”

“Why don’t you keep that in the bedroom?” Luke groans.

“That’s rich, coming from you,” Ryan says, shrugging when we all gape at him. “What? We all read the Toronto Tea interview. Frankly, I think it’s aspirational.”

Luke’s face flushes slightly, but he cracks a tiny smile. “I’m glad to hear at least one person thinks better of me after reading it.”

My heart clenches. Luke might be able to laugh it off with his closest friends, but I know he’s still hurt and pissed that the interview came out in the first place. If he knew his own sister might be responsible—well, I really don’t want to think about it.

Instead, I focus on one thing I can control—the drinks. Cat’s champagne glass is empty, and I hurry over to pick up the bottle. “Let me top you off, Cat.”

Cat glances at Nate and he groans. “I thought we agreed to wait till dessert.”

“If we don’t tell them now, this is going to keep happening all night. You know Beau is allergic to empty glasses.”

“Fine. Let’s do it.” Nate and Cat stands, and he clinks his own glass with a knife. “Listen up, everyone.”

“We have a confession,” Cat says. “We didn’t just invite you all here for family dinner. We have some news we needed to share.”

“Not getting divorced already, are you?” Ryan jokes.

Nate glares. “Never.”

“We found out just before the wedding,” Cat says, taking a deep breath. “I’m pregnant.”

Pippa squeals so loudly, it practically bursts my eardrum. “Oh my god!”

“Congrats, man,” Luke says, clapping Nate on the shoulder.

“How far along are you?” Maura asks.

“I’m due in April,” Cat says, her eyes glistening. “Nate wanted to hold off telling people, but I just couldn’t wait. I really tried. But I can’t keep this in for one more second.”

Nate shakes his head but he’s smiling—the quiet, helpless smile of a man who never stood a chance against this woman’s excitement.

Pippa throws her arms around Cat’s shoulders, squeezing her tight. Happy tears fill her eyes. “I’m going to be an auntie!”

Cat wipes away her own tear with her thumb. “Don’t cry, Pippa. You’re going to make me fall apart.”

“Yeah, Pips, you can’t start sobbing before the woman with all the pregnancy hormones,” Ryan says. “Hey, have you thought about Ryan as a name? Could work for a boy or a girl.”

“Absolutely not,” Nate declares.

“I can’t believe you’re just a few months behind us,” Maura says, beaming. “I’m so happy our babies will get the chance to grow up together.”

As I look down, I spot James grabbing her hand under the table. I’m happy for the two happy married couples, starting their own families. I’m happy for Pippa and Ryan, too, and whatever chaotic life they’re going to build together. It just makes my heart sink, knowing that they’re taking big life steps that I can’t. Marriage, a baby, a life built in the open—they’re moving forward.

Brinley and I will only ever be this. Stuck in amber. I could never propose or plan a future with her out in the open. Hell, I can’t even tell the truth if someone asks me if I’m single.

I can’t help but wonder if this is sustainable. If we keep this secret, I’m asking Brinley to live half a life forever. But breaking things off isn’t on the table. I can’t imagine having a family with anyone who isn’t Brinley, but I also can’t imagine asking her to keep hiding forever.

So we’re stuck. Both of us. Together and going nowhere.