Page 16 of Where the Wind Whispers

Violet focused on the paper instead of Kaz’s expression, nerves working a fast beat in her stomach. She wasn’t sure how he’d feel about the pregnancy, but it was what it was.

The pad only had one word written across it: Pregnant?

Maybe she shouldn’t have worried as much as she had—he was smiling, even if it was slight and small like he was still mulling over what that meant and how things would change.

Because things would change.

Babies did that to people.

Violet shrugged. “Six weeks, seven tomorrow.”

Kaz’s attention dropped back to the pad as he turned it over on his lap, tore out the paper, and wrote something new.

Sorry, it read.

Violet frowned. “For what?”

Kaz’s smile grew a little more sinful. “Attitude.”

“No talking.”

“No nagging. Compromise, Violet.”

Well, how exactly could she argue with him?

It would defeat the whole purpose of keeping him quiet.

“When?” Kaz asked.

Violet didn’t ask him to elaborate, already knowing what he meant. “I thought maybe it was a possibility after I talked with the doctor at the new house, but I knew for sure a couple of days after the … accident.”

Kaz’s smile bled away. “I’m sorry.”

She didn’t think he was apologizing for his attitude that time. “You have nothing to be sorry for, Kaz.”

He waved at the hospital room and then himself.

“Don’t I?”

Kaz had every need to apologize—his hubris had nearly cost him everything—and the idea that he would have died before he learned he was going to be a father … Worse, he had been in that hospital room for weeks—most of the time spent oblivious to everything around him—and she had been forced to go through it alone.

That would change soon enough.

But first …

Rus reappeared, looking a touch less annoyed as a nurse shuffled in behind him, heading directly for Kaz. She spoke incessantly, prattling on about shit Kaz didn’t care to hear because he was still reeling from what Violet had just told him.

Nothing was going as it should have. From their wedding day—one that had been put together with great haste—to Violet now telling him that she was pregnant, as though it were just another thing to add to the pile of shit they already had to deal with.

He wanted her to be happy, to smile, to enjoy her life with him.

So far, he was doing a shit job of that.

Once the nurse carefully removed his IV, he flexed, glad to finally not have that damned needle in his arm. She wasn’t the only one to think he needn’t leave—as soon as the doctor walked in with his chart in hand, he told him the same thing.

“Mr. Markovic, you really should not be leaving. I highly recommend—”

Kaz got to his feet on shaky legs, gritting his teeth as he went over to the bag Rus had brought in a few days ago. “Sign the paperwork.”