Page 37 of Mortify

"I was just leaving," Vail says, standing. She gives me a meaningful look. "Think about what I said. Call me tomorrow?"

I nod, not trusting my voice.

She gathers her things, pauses at the door.

"Regnor," she says with a nod.

"Vail."

She glances between us, and I see the moment she’s putting puzzle pieces together.

But they’re puzzle pieces that don’t fit together.

Her eyes widen slightly, but she doesn't say anything. Just squeezes my hand and leaves.

The door closes, and we're alone.

Regnor's presence fills my small apartment, making the space feel even smaller.

"You okay?" he asks, voice gentle.

That's all it takes for every tear to come rushing back.

They come again, harder this time, and I'm shaking so badly I can barely stand.

"Hey, hey." He moves closer but doesn't touch me. "What's wrong? What happened?"

"I'm pregnant," I blurt out between sobs. "I'm fucking pregnant."

His face goes through several emotions—surprise, anger, something that might be pain. "Is it Dylan's?"

I nod. "What am I, some common whore going around town? C’mon, Regnor."

"Fuck, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that. I just—fuck," he growls, fists clenching. "I'll kill him. I'll fucking?—"

"He doesn't know!" I say quickly. "He can't know. Ever. He sabotaged my birth control, Regnor. He planned this. If he finds out..."

"He won't." The certainty in his voice cuts through the fear roaring through me. "He's never going to know."

"How? How can you be sure? He's always watching, always?—"

"Because you're done with him." Regnor moves closer, his presence solid and safe. "This ismybaby now, okay?"

His words don't make sense. "What?"

"You heard me." His dark eyes bore into mine. "From this moment on, that baby is mine. We tell everyone I'm the father. You've been seeing me behind his back. That's why you're leaving him."

"That's insane," I breathe. "No one would believe I’m a cheater, that we?—"

"Vail just saw me at your apartment in the evening. She already suspects something." His voice is calm, logical, like he's thought this through. "We sell it right, everyone believes it. Including Dylan."

"My daddy is gonna kill you if we do this." The thought of my father, Kraken's, reaction makes me shudder. "He made it clear to all of you guys—stay away from me. Let me have a normal life."

"Then let him." Regnor's jaw sets stubbornly. "Your safety matters more than his rules."

"You don't understand. This isn't just some story we can tell. If we do this, if we claim you're the father, that means..." I trail off, overwhelmed by what it would mean.

"I meant what I said on Thanksgiving." He steps even closer, close enough that I can feel his warmth. "I want you. And if we do this, we're doing it. You're mine, this baby is mine. No half assed bullshit."

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