Page 88 of Inked Daddies

Sam’s eyes flick to Marie, then to Preacher, then back again. Hugo’s face is perfectly still, but I know he’s putting two and two together. My heart thuds painfully. We’ve been accused of having psychic conversations before because we move so well as a unit. Right now, I really fucking wish that were true.

Marie’s hand tightens on my forearm. Almost painfully so. “Dad…don’t.”

His glare softens, flicking to Marie. “You haven’t told them, have you?”

“Told us what?” Sam demands, stepping forward. Hugo glances at Marie with a quiet question in his eyes. They’re suspicious. I’m suspicious. Only Preacher and Marie know the punch line, apparently, and neither looks happy about it.

Marie exhales a trembling sigh, stepping away from me. The warmth of her hand disappears, leaving me cold. “Dad.Please.Not like this.”

“You think I want to be the one to spill it?” Preacher retorts, frustration cracking his voice. “You’re the one who blurted it out to me in a panic. Don’t lay this on me.”

“Blurtedwhatout?” My voice is surprisingly hoarse, like my throat’s closing up. “Marie…talk to us.”

Her gaze collides with mine. “Guys…I was going to tell you. I just didn’t know how or when or if it was even the right time?—”

“Marie,” Sam says softly. “Spit it out.”

She inhales, shoulders trembling. “I—” she starts, then seems to lose the words.

My mind races with possibilities. Is it worse than leaving town for college? Is she sick? Dying? Did something happen during the fight we don’t know about?

Please, God, no.

Preacher finally exhales, waving a dismissive hand. “She’s about to have a baby, alright? She’s pregnant. There. Now you know.”

For three long seconds, the world stops spinning. In fact, everything stops. My breath hitches in my chest. Sam goes rigid, Hugo’s jaw drops, and Marie freezes.

Wait. This has to be a joke, right? Or maybe I passed out. It’s happened before when I was knocked in the head. “Erm, guys, I got smacked around a lot during that fight. I’m pretty sure I didn’t hear that right, because I thought you guys said something about Marie having a baby.”

But none of them break their nervous expressions. Hers only gets worse. She takes a breath, and says, “Well…”

EPILOGUE

MARIE

“I’m pregnant.”

Those two words took a long time to come out of my mouth, but it’s the only way Trick would believe it. Now, the room is dead silent.

But then Trick cuts the tension. “You’re…you’re sure?” he blurts, one hand going to his bandaged thigh. The question is half-laugh, half-daze. “Not that I’m doubting your word, baby girl, just…holy crap.”

A shaky laugh escapes me. “Yes, Trick. I’m sure.”

Sam strides straight to me, pulls me into his arms, and kisses me deeply. Before he can even speak, Hugo steals me away, picks me up, and spins me in the air before planting an even deeper kiss. Abruptly, a thick arm inserts between us, and Trick hooks me into his bloody embrace, kissing me dizzy.

When they’re finally done with my mouth, a nervous laugh comes out of me. “You’re not mad?”

They laugh like that’s the funniest thing they’ve ever heard. Sam—my stoic—grins like a madman. “Are you nuts? That’s the best news in the world!”

“Really?”

Hugo takes my hands in his. “Love, I recognize that tonight has been an evening of extremes for all of us. So, I wish to make this clear. There is nothing you could have told us that would make us happier.”

Trick pipes up, “I thought you were leaving us. Giving us a baby is way, way better than that.”

“Leaving you?”

“Obviously, you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to us, and you’re smart enough to know that we’re too dumb for you, so?—”

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