Page 58 of Going Home

"Why?"

He doesn't answer and ties his boots. "We'll finish talking about marriage when I get home."

"We'll finish talking about marriage when I learn the secrets you keep. The ones that look like they're killing our daughter."

Looking pained, Nash stares at the ceiling. "It's always going to be this difficult, isn't it?"

"Only because you've made it this way, Nash. And only you can fix it. The day you stop putting your son before Lex."

"He's not just mine, you know. If we got married, he'd be yours, too."

She stares in disbelief. "I think you should replay that on your drive over to his house. Listen to the words over and over again because Zane willneveraccept me as his stepmother. But you go take care of your granddaughter. She needs you, and it's late."

"Em—"

Walking into the bathroom, she shuts the door and ends the conversation. The tears fall as she curses herself for letting herself get her hopes up. She'll never have the happily ever after she's always wanted. Not until Nash can tell her what his secrets are that affect their family. She can't walk down the aisle and start a marriage like this. She just can't.

Chapter Twenty

Griffin's Beach

Colt

Poundingonthefrontdoor jolts Colt awake, and he looks over to see Lex slowly opening her eyes. Silently cursing whoever it is, he climbs out of bed and hurries to slip on his sweatpants and T-shirt while Lex slips on her robe before they rush to the front door.

Lex had finally fallen asleep. Granted, it was out of pure exhaustion, but at least it was sleep. She'd gotten home less than two hours ago, but she'd finally gotten some shut-eye. Of course, someone would come pounding on the door at two-fifteen in the morning when it finally happened.

"This better be good," Colt says, swinging the door open.

Lacey and Psycho stand on the front porch, and Lacey holds her belly with glossy eyes.

"What's wrong?" Lex asks, pulling the pregnant woman inside and guiding her to the couch.

"Something's wrong. I know it. I feel it," Lacey says.

He places a hand on Psycho's shoulder as they follow the women into the living room, and he feels the crazy man vibrating. Fear. The only time Psycho has ever shown fear has to do with the redhead currently on the edge of full-blown panic in front of them.

Hailey walks out, her eyes barely open. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, it's okay," Lex says. "Go back to bed."

"I'll check on the boys and Calla."

"Thanks."

Colt looks at Psycho and shakes his head. "Why drive here? There's two hospitals on the way to our house."

"If we go to the doctor, it's a guarantee something's wrong with the baby," Lacey says, her eyes locking with Lex's. "It's not rational, I know, but..."

Sighing, Psycho looks helplessly at his wife. "She woke up and flew into a panic when I pulled into the hospital parking lot. I didn't know where else to go."

"Okay, let's just calm down," Lex soothes. "What's wrong? What has you convinced something's wrong?"

"There's this feeling in my stomach. It's happened a few times over the last month or so, but it hasn't stopped for two hours," Lacey says.

"Have you said anything to your doctor at your checkups about it?" Colt asks.

Her head looks up at him. "No! Of course not. If I do that, he's going to look for something wrong, and then he'll find something wrong."

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