Page 64 of Dagger

Her cheeks flush a delicate pink, and she rolls her eyes, but I can tell the compliment lands by the way her fingers drift over her belly. “You’re getting sappy on me, Dagger.”

“Not sappy,” I argue, leaning back in my chair and crossing my arms. “Just honest. You look incredible, Chloe. You’re carrying my son. Hell, you’re glowing.”

Her hand lingers on her stomach, her smile softening as she looks down at it. “He’s been kicking like crazy,” she says. “I think he likes the pancakes as much as you do.”

I chuckle, reaching over the table to place my hand over hers, feeling the gentle rise and fall of her belly beneath my palm. It’s warm, alive, and it makes something deep in my chest tighten. “He’s a smart kid,” I say, my voice low. “Knows good food when he tastes it.”

Chloe laughs at that, the sound light and full of something I can only call joy. Beast groans from the floor, sprawled out onhis side with his belly full, and I can’t help but think how perfect this moment feels.

“I can’t believe this is real sometimes,” I admit, my eyes locking onto hers. “You. Him. This.”

Chloe’s smile grows, and she leans forward, her free hand brushing against mine. “It’s real, Dagger. And it’s ours.”

Her words hit me hard, settling deep in my chest, and I lean across the table to press a kiss to her lips, slow and lingering. “Damn right it is.”

This whole scene feels surreal—like something I didn’t even know how to want until I had it.

“You’ve been quiet,” she says, her voice cutting through my thoughts. “What’s going on in that head of yours?”

I shake my head, smirking. “Just thinking how I ended up here, eating pancakes with you and this spoiled mutt while my kid grows inside you.”

Her lips twitch like she’s trying not to laugh, but she doesn’t call me out on the sentiment. Instead, she tilts her head, her eyes narrowing just slightly. “You know,” she starts, her tone casual, too casual, “you’ve been here every night for weeks now.”

“Yeah?” I say, cautiously, not sure where she’s going with this.

“Yeah,” she echoes, taking a sip of her coffee. “And every morning, I wake up to you making breakfast, or hogging the bathroom, or stealing all the hot water.”

“Sounds like you’re living the dream,” I tease, trying to keep the mood light, but there’s a note in her voice that’s got me on edge.

“I am,” she says, and the seriousness in her tone makes me pause. She sets her mug down, resting her hands on her belly as she looks at me. “So, when are you going to move in?”

The words hit me like a gut punch. I stare at her, my brain scrambling to catch up. “Move in?” I repeat, my voice coming out rough.

“Yes, Dagger. Move in,” she says, leaning forward, her elbows resting on the table. “You’re here every night. Half your stuff is already in the closet. Beast thinks you belong here, and honestly? So do I.”

I rub the back of my neck, trying to find the right words. “I didn’t want to push you into anything,” I admit. “You’ve got enough going on with the baby and—”

She cuts me off with a look, her eyes soft but unwavering. “Dagger, if I didn’t want you here, I wouldn’t have let you stay the night once, let alone every night. I want you here. For me. For him.”

Her hand drifts to her belly, and something in me cracks wide open. All my reasons for holding back suddenly feel stupid, like I’ve been waiting for permission to want something that’s already mine.

I lean back in my chair, letting out a slow breath as I nod. “Alright,” I say, my voice steady. “I’ll have all my stuff moved in by the end of the week.”

Chloe’s face lights up with a smile that’s brighter than the sunlight streaming through the windows. “Good,” she says simply, like she never doubted the answer for a second.

I stand and round the table, leaning down to press a kiss to her lips, then one to the top of her head. “You win, woman.”

“I always do,” she says, smirking up at me.

Beast groans dramatically from the floor, rolling onto his back like he’s staking his claim on the whole damn house. “Looks like he’s on board too,” I mutter, scratching behind his ears.

Chloe laughs, her hand finding mine again. “Welcome home, Dagger.”

I squeeze her hand, my gaze dropping to her belly, where my son is kicking away. Home. Yeah, it’s about time.

Beast groans from the floor, rolling onto his side. I chuckle, reaching down to give his belly a quick scratch. “Looks like the king approves.”

The moment’s interrupted by the buzz of my phone on the counter. I reach for it, frowning when I see Son’s name flashing across the screen.

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