Page 12 of Keegan's Promise

Her gaze drifts to the baby in my arms, a question in her eyes. “Can I help you?”

“I…” My throat threatens to close up on me. “I need to see Keegan.”

“Oh.” The girl looks at me again, more attentively this time. “Do you have an appointment? If so, he can’t really tattoo you with the baby.” She grimaces like she’s sorry to be breaking that news to me. “We can see about getting you rescheduled, though.”

“N-no.” I quickly shake my head. “Can you just tell him that Landry is here?”

She stares at me for a minute, hesitating, and then she nods reluctantly. Her heels click across the floor as she walks out from behind the counter and then down a hallway.

“It’s okay,” I croon to Lily, adjusting her in my arms. “Everything is okay.”

The girl’s footsteps fade. There’s a moment of silence, and then I hear heavier footsteps thudding down the hall.

My heart leaps into my throat, pounding like a jackhammer. My knees tremble, the urge to flee rising hot and fast. But it’s already too late for that.

Keegan appears at the end of the hallway, even more beautiful than he was a year ago. I just freeze, my eyes locking on him. Eating up the sight of him. God, he’s perfect. His hair is a little longer now, and he’s even bigger than he was a year ago. There are holes in the jeans. He’s wearing another Bleaker Street T-shirt, just like the one I took when I slipped out of his room that day.

“Landry baby,” he rasps, staring at me like he’s looking at a ghost. And then his gaze falls to Lily. His entire body goes rigid. He doesn’t even breathe for a moment before his eyes snap back to my face. His expression isn’t soft this time. Anger sizzles and snaps like fire, scorching me where I stand.

He's furious, so damn mad at me…

Tears well in my eyes, my bottom lip quivering.

“Follow me,” he growls, spinning on his heel to stomp back down the hallway.

I hesitate for a split second, my feet rooted to the floor. But Lily stretches against me, and that jolts me into movement. It doesn’t matter how much he hates me. She needs him. That’s what matters now.

I hurry after him, battling back the urge to cry. I can do that later, when I’m alone. It’s not like it’ll be the first time. Probably won’t be the last, either. Not after…

I can’t even think about that right now. It hurts too much. But my grip on Lily tightens slightly, as if I can just hold onto her tightly enough to change reality.

Keegan leads me back to a private room—his booth, I think. It’s bigger than the temporary booth at the expo. A private bathroom is situated in the corner, with a tattoo table in the opposite corner and a fancy chair in the center of the room. Shelves line another wall, supplies neatly arrayed on each one.

I stand there for a long moment, staring at a gorgeous painting of a fairy curled up against a dragon, his wing curled over her as if to keep her warm. It’s stunning. I don’t even have to ask to know he’s the one who painted it.

The door clicks closed behind me, and I jump slightly.

Keegan brushes past me, my skin prickling where his arm brushes against mine. He tenses like he feels that same sensation. But I don’t think he welcomes it this time, not like he did in Colorado.

He stands with his back to me for a moment, rigid and tense. I desperately want to know what he’s thinking, but I don’t ask. I’m afraid he might tell me…and it might break me.

He turns suddenly, his eyes falling to Lily in my arms. His expression softens as he stares at her. He looks…I don’t know. Nervous? Worried?

“Is she mine?” he rasps. His voice shakes.

“I…” I swallow hard and then nod, tears welling in my eyes again, even though I promised myself not to cry.

Keegan exhales a shuddering breath, his eyes falling closed. They spring open immediately, pinning me in place. The accusation in them is unmistakable. So is the pain. “You kept her from me.”

I nod again, tears pouring down my cheeks. “Please let me explain.”

I know he hates me. He deserves to feel that. I won’t take it from him. But he needs to know why. It’s the only way he’ll be able to keep her safe.

Maybe I should have told him the truth back in Colorado. Maybe it would have changed things. I don’t know. But we can’t go back now. I can’t redo that day. All I can do now is what I came here to do and pray it’s enough for both of them.

“Can I hold her?” There’s a thread in his voice, a vulnerability I didn’t expect. It breaks my heart and mends a piece of it simultaneously.

I cradle her in my arms for a moment, a little afraid it may be the last time. Afraid that once she’s out of my arms, I’ll never hold her again. That he won’t let me say goodbye. He’ll just…take her.

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