Page 39 of Blackout-

Reina stares at me expectantly as my fist closes around the bag and a million questions race through my mind. My voice gets lost as I get swept away by a sea of emotions.

“If she’s pregnant, you take a day to enjoy that. Forget everything else—the club, her losing her job, forget everything and just enjoy it. We don’t get too many blessings, Blackie, and a baby is the biggest one of all,” she says as she reaches for the door. “Besides, life is too short to worry about all the things that might go wrong.”

Before she steps out into the night, she gives me one last look. The corners of her mouth lift as she stares at me thoughtfully. I don’t get to ask her what’s got her smiling because she quickly turns and walks out the door, leaving me alone with a pregnancy test in my hand. Pulling it out of the bag, I look down at the box. My eyes scan over the directions and I draw in a deep breath before shoving the box into my back pocket. Combing my fingers through my hair, I divert my eyes to the stairs. For the most accurate reading, it recommends taking the test first thing in the morning, but I’m not sure I can wait until then. Fuck that, IknowI can’t wait. If Lacey is pregnant…

God.

“Pregnant,” I say out loud, my tone disbelieving. Without thinking twice, I take to the stairs, climbing them two at a time until I reach the top. Entering our bedroom, I find Lacey sound asleep on her side, wearing a pair of my boxer shorts and a fitted tank top. Her toned legs are twisted around the sheets and her wavy hair hangs over her shoulder. She looks so peaceful…so fucking content. You would never know she’s been struggling most of the day. In this moment, she’s just Lace and me, I’m the moth drawn to her fucking flame. Tossing the pregnancy test onto the nightstand, I reach behind me and pull my shirt over my head. Flinging it onto the chair in the corner, I unbuckle my jeans next and slide them down my legs. Stepping out of them, I peel the sheet away from my side of the bed and slide in next to Lacey.

Rolling onto my side, I gather her hair away from her shoulder and bend my head. My open mouth finds the spot right behind her ear. I know I should let her rest, that the times when she’s at peace are few and far between, but there’s no stopping me once my tongue tastes her skin. Releasing her hair, I loop my finger under the strap of her tank top and push it down her shoulder, revealing more of her creamy skin to my hungry mouth.

I suck, lick and tease her with my teeth until she stirs in my arms. My fingers slide down her arm, landing on her hip. I pull her closer and slide my hand under the hem of her top as a soft mewl sounds from her lips. Instead of letting my hand travel up her body to her tits that are no doubt waiting for my touch, I let my fingertips graze over her stomach. The idea of her pregnant stirs something inside me and I growl, sucking her sweet skin between my teeth. It’s ridiculous really. No mark I leave on her body will match the one I may have planted inside her.

“Mmm…” she purrs, reaching for my leg. Her fingers trail over my thigh as she angles her head, giving me more access to her sweet spot. Absentmindedly, I continue to pepper her shoulder with kisses, drawing circles on her belly with my fingers.

Covering my wrist with her hand, she tries to drag my touch higher. Instead of giving in to her demands, I keep my hand on her stomach and lift my mouth from her shoulder.

“How are you feeling?” I ask against her ear.

“Better,” she replies, reaching for my hand again.

Drawing in a deep breath, I release her and roll onto my back. At my abrupt retreat, she turns to me, swinging her leg over mine as she splays one hand on my chest.

“Blackie?”

My gaze slices to her.

“I was worried about you,” I say hoarsely, raising my hand to tuck a curl behind her ear.

“I’m sorry,” she murmurs. I wonder if we’ll ever stop apologizing to one another. If we’ll ever just accept our flaws and allow ourselves to be loved like we deserve. “I guess I worked myself up so badly that I made myself physically sick.”

“Maybe,” I tell her as my gaze wanders to her stomach. When Reina first threw the pregnancy test at me, I felt like the floor had dropped from under me. Now, not twenty minutes later, I’m realizing I’ll be disappointed if Lacey isn’t pregnant.

“Maybe not,” I continue, lifting my eyes back to her. “I called Reina after you fell asleep.” The groggy smile falls from her lips the second the words leave my lips. “Don’t look at me like that, Lace. You’ve never gotten physically sick during…well…” I pause as I try to choose my words carefully. I don’t know how to classify what happened to her today if it was an episode with her maker or a panic attack.

“So, instead of giving me time to come out of whatever was dragging me down, you thought you’d call my step-mother because she’s a bonafide expert in crazy,” she snaps, crossing her arms over her tits.

“I may have jumped the gun,” I admit. “But, Lace, playing your favorite song and dancing with you in the dark wasn’t going to make you feel better. Not this time,” I say, tearing my eyes away from her face. I swipe the box from the nightstand and turn back to her. “I ain’t sorry I called Reina, baby, because she brought this.”

Glancing at the pregnancy test in my hand, she uncrosses her arms and blinks slowly as if she doesn’t quite register what I’m saying or recognize what I’m holding.

“That’s a pregnancy test.”

The ends of my lips quirk at the disbelieving tone of her voice.

“Yeah,” I confirm softly.

Extending her hand, she taps her finger against the box and lifts her eyes to mine.

“You think I’m pregnant?”

“I didn’t until Reina threw this at me,” I admit, raising the box between us. “You can touch it, it won’t bite,” I tease, grabbing her hand and wrapping her fingers around the box. “It says you should take it in the morning, but we can argue that you just woke up.”

“What if it’s positive?”

“Isn’t that what we’re hoping for?”

“Yes, but…” her words trail off as she clutches the box tightly. “I’m a mess, Blackie. I lost it today…”

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