Page 84 of Living Hell

“What the hell? Who fed you that crap?”

“I heard it from Cara, actually. The mayor warned her about you.”

“Keaghan? I should have known. He’s just pissed that I stopped him from doing that to you.”

A wave of light-headedness hit me, and I worried I’d faint. I unlocked the door before I stepped back toward the bed to sit.

The door flew open. Tyler took one look at me and raced over, kneeling at my feet. “Are you okay?”

“Just a bit dizzy.”

Tyler stood and helped me lie back. “It’s time for me to play nurse now.” The corner of his lip ticked up and warmth melted from my belly down to between my thighs.

“So, you didn’t boast about taking my virginity to the guys in the locker room?”

“No, that was Keaghan.” He shook his head with a sigh. “I didn’t want to tell you this because it would only hurt you, but I overheard Keaghan tell his friends in the locker room that he was going to have sex with you the night of the dance.”

“That’s why he was being so nice to me on our walk home . . . I can’t believe I didn’t realize he was up to something. The man had never been kind to me. It’s not like I would have had sex with him.”

Tyler frowned. “That didn’t matter to him. One of his friends asked what he would do if you said no. He explained that the word never stopped him before.”

A cold shudder ran down my spine. “I think I’m going to be sick.”

Tyler reached for the wastebasket by the bed and held it up for me. I waved it off.

“Thanks, but I didn’t mean literally.”

“It’s hard to tell in your condition.”

There was silence. He stared at my stomach as I watched a range of emotions slide over his features.

“Do you know yet? I mean . . . if it’s a boy or a girl?” he asked with a whisper.

“It’s too early. I think it’s the size of a bean now. Not really baby-like yet.” I slid my hand over my stomach.

“Right, right. I forgot. Um, are you feeling okay? In any pain?” He reached toward my abdomen but stopped.

“You can touch me. The most you’ll feel is gas bubbles.” I laughed to ease the tension. “I’m still in the first trimester. It’ll be another seven weeks until I get to the second.”

I swallowed and tried to control my hands as they began to shake. Tyler crawled into bed beside me and pulled me into his arms.

“I’m here now. We’re in this together. No matter what happens, I’ll love you and our little one.”

Nodding, I squeezed my eyes shut as the tears began to fall. I buried my head into his chest, breathing in his spicy scent. There was something in his touch or maybe hearing the beat of his heart that soothed me.

“I’m so afraid, Tyler,” I whispered.

He kissed the top of my head. “It’s natural to feel that way. But I want you to know that you don’t have to be scared anymore. I’m here this time and we will be together on this journey. I can’t make promises that even medical science can’t keep, but I will swear to love you and be there for you no matter how this pregnancy turns out.”

“I love you. I love you. I love you,” I chanted, and it felt like I was releasing something that weighed me down for so long.

His grip tightened and it felt good. I thought I heard him whisper, “I’ll never let go.”

I tried to pretend it wasn’t true but what I felt for him grew stronger every day. These feelings had grown so intense that I was afraid my heart might burst.

“Whatever love means. This feeling won’t stop. No matter what I do, it only becomes stronger. It’s been embedded in my heart and only for you. I don’t think I can dig it out if I tried,” I said as I lifted my head to reveal my truth.

He shifted back and gazed into my eyes. We stared at each other like this for a few moments before he said, “I didn’t think I could love you more but now that you’re carrying my child, I feel like I’m drowning in love and I never want to breathe again.”

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