Page 53 of Piston

Carlie's arm tightened around me. "I know it's scary, Jen. But I've seen the way Piston looks at you. That man would walk through fire for you."

"That's what I'm afraid of." I opened my eyes, finally meeting her gaze. "I don't want to be the reason he gets hurt. Or worse."

The door creaked open, and we both looked up. Piston stood in the doorway, his heavy boots thudding against the floor as he stepped inside. He gave Carlie a nod, his eyes flickering to me, filled with a mix of concern and something else I couldn't quite read.

"Mind if I have a minute with my girl?" His deep voice sent a shiver down my spine, even now.

Carlie gave my shoulders a final squeeze before standing up. "I'll be right outside if you need me, Jen." She slipped past Piston, closing the door behind her with a soft click.

Piston crossed the room in a few long strides, the bed dipping under his weight as he sat down beside me. The scent of leather and smoke clung to him, familiar and comforting. He reached for my hand, his calloused fingers engulfing mine.

"Talk to me, babe. What's going on in that pretty head of yours?" His thumb rubbed circles on the back of my hand, a gesture that usually soothed me. But right now, it only served to amplify the churning in my gut.

I swallowed hard, trying to find the words. "I'm scared, Piston. Scared of losing you, of not being strong enough to handle this life. I love you, but I don't know if I can watch you put yourself in danger day after day."

Piston's jaw clenched, his grip on my hand tightening. "You knew what you were getting into when we started this, Jen. I've never hidden who I am or what I do."

"I know." My voice cracked, and I hated myself for it. "But knowing it and living it are two different things. I thought I could handle it, but I...I don't know anymore."

His free hand cupped my cheek, tilting my face up to meet his gaze. Those piercing blue eyes seemed to see straight into my soul. "I can't promise you a safe life, babe. But I can promise that I will always come home to you. No matter what."

Piston reaches into his cut, pulling out a small, wrapped package. He held it out to me, his expression a mix of hope and vulnerability that I'd never seen before.

"What's this?" I asked, taking the package from his outstretched hand.

"Just open it." His voice was gruff, but I could hear the underlying nervousness.

My curiosity piqued, I began to unwrap the package slowly. My hands trembled slightly as I tore away the plain brown paper. When I finally revealed what was inside, my heart nearly stopped.

A pregnancy test.

I looked up at Piston, my eyes wide with surprise and confusion. "What...why...?" I couldn't seem to form a coherent sentence.

Piston ran a hand through his hair, a gesture I recognized as a sign of his discomfort. "I found your grocery bag in the bathroom. Saw the test inside. I didn't mean to snoop, but I couldn't stop thinking about it."

My mind raced, trying to process this new information. I'd bought the test on a whim, after realizing my period was late. But with everything going on, I hadn't had the courage to actually take it.

"I don't...I don't know if I'm pregnant." My voice was barely above a whisper.

Piston's fingers brushed my cheek, tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear. "I know you're scared, Jen. Hell, I'm terrified. But if you are...if we're going to have a kid...I want you to know that I'm all in."

I searched his eyes, looking for any sign of doubt or hesitation. But all I saw was love and a fierce determination that took my breath away.

"I've made a lot of mistakes in my life," Piston continued, his voice steady but filled with emotion. "I've been selfish, reckless, and I've hurt people I care about. But with you, I want to be better. I want to be the man you deserve, the father our child deserves."

His words hit me like a tidal wave, crashing over me and leaving me breathless. A part of me wanted to believe him, to trust in the love and commitment I saw shining in his eyes. But another part of me, the part that had been hurt and let down so many times before, hesitated.

"What if I'm not pregnant?" I asked, my voice trembling. "What if this is all just a false alarm?"

Piston's grip on my hand tightened. "Then we'll face that together, too. I'm not going anywhere, Jen. Not now, not ever."

I closed my eyes, trying to calm the frantic beating of my heart. My mind raced with possibilities, each one more terrifying than the last. What if I was pregnant? What would it mean for our relationship, for our future? Could I really trust Piston to stand by me, to be the father he promised to be?

"I'm scared," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.

Piston pulled me into his arms, holding me tight against his chest. "I know, baby. I'm scared too. But we'll figure this out, I promise."

I wanted to believe him, to have faith in the strength of our love. But the doubts and fears that had been my constant companions for so long refused to be silenced. I clung to Piston, desperately hoping that he would be my anchor in the storm that was sure to come.

---