Page 33 of Keegan's Promise

“And you didn’t sign up to go through a pregnancy alone, or spend four months raising our daughter alone,” he retorts softly. “This is the least you deserve from me.”

“Keegan.” I swallow, staring at him intently. “Do you–?”

“We’re moving to my place today,” he interrupts before I can ask if he blames himself for the MC getting their hands on me.

The question flees my mind as I stare at him with wide eyes, panic coursing through me. “Y-your place?”

“Mmhmm.”

“Where it’ll be just…us?”

“Yep.”

I gulp, my heart hammering. “Isn’t it safer here? Maybe we should just stay. I’ll even stop complaining about the gifts…”

Keegan narrows his eyes on me as if he sees right through my weak defenses and protests. But he doesn’t say anything. Instead, he paces toward the crib he put together for Lily and carefully places her inside before cranking her mobile.

When he turns back to me, I’m caught between fleeing and falling at his feet. That look in his eyes—like he’s ready to eat me alive—is deadly.

“We’re moving to my place, Landry.”

I break his gaze, shuffling toward the bags he dropped on the chaise to poke through them. They’re full of more clothes for me and Lily.

His hand on my shoulder has me jumping out of my skin.

I quickly spin away, grabbing for the bags like they’re a lifeline. “I’m just going to put these away.”

“No.” He gently pries them from my hands. Clothes scatter all across the floor, but he doesn’t even look at them. His eyes are locked on my face as he steps over them, stalking toward me.

And I do exactly what I shouldn’t.

I back away.

His eyes darken as he stalks closer, a dangerous growl rumbling in his throat. I’m running again, and he knows it. But I can’t help myself, either. If he gets his hands on me…well, I’ll beg him to keep them there. I’ll spill all of my secrets, all of my fears. I’ll break for him.

I want to break for him so damn bad.

My knees hit the bed and I fall backward onto it.

He doesn’t even hesitate before crawling over me. I whimper, heat flowing through me as he pins me beneath him like I’m prey. After two years of being hunted, I should hate that, but it’s different with him. It’salwaysdifferent with him.

I’m not afraid of him—not physically. But if anyone in this world has the power to break me into pieces, it’s him. It won’t take his strength to do it, either. It’s his love. It’s him and the way he cares for me. It’s the way he loves our daughter.

Fear, I understand. I’ve lived it most of my life. But love? That’s new. And it’s more terrifying than anything I’ve ever experienced. Because love means having something to lose. So long as I didn’t have that, Garrick couldn’t really hurt me. But now? With Keegan and Lily? He could destroy me entirely.

And I’m helpless to stop it.

“Why are you icing me out, sweetness?” Keegan asks.

“I’m not,” I lie.

“Yeah, you are,” he grunts. “You barely look at me. You get skittish every time I touch you. You talk to my sister and Samara more than you talk to me. You use Lily like a shield, keeping her between us like you’re fucking terrified what’ll happen if she isn’t there to keep me at bay. Why?”

He's right, damn him. I’ve spent the last five days doing all of that.

“I’m afraid,” I blurt.

“Of me?”

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