Page 126 of Savage Outlaw

“Fucks sake,” he said without anger. “I’ll roll out the red carpet too, yeah?”

“You’re such a good man, Thaddeus. My man.”

“Damn right.” And then after a second of silence he kissed the top of her head. “It’s time to look, baby.”

There was no big fanfare.

Both Roux and Butcher knew the results already. He’d only gone to buy more tests so his girl had solid confirmation.

Both tests read “pregnant.”

Butcher’s heart soared.

He couldn’t help it.

They’d made a kid between them.

And he wanted it so fucking much.

As Roux discarded the tests into the trash can and he watched the rise of her shoulders go up around her ears, he knew she wasn’t at his level of happiness.

He came up behind her and draped an arm around the front of her body, putting his lips to her ear. “Meant what I said, Roux. It’s always you and me. Whatever you wanna decide to do. Love you more than I can say.”

He was no wordsmith, far from it, but the shit he said came right from his soul. The exhale she let go of went through his chest like she was relieved. He didn’t want her to worry or doubt his word, doubt their bond.

He was in this for life. There was no chance of shaking him off now.

“Love you.” He said into her ear.

“Love you back,” she replied, laying her head on his chest. “Can we … shelve this for now and talk about it another time?”

The cement in his gut solidified but he kept his voice even. “Sure, baby, whatever you want. You hungry?”

“I could eat.”

“Then let’s get my woman fed.”

It was far from ideal.

His Roux was pregnant and she was giving all signs that she wasn’t happy and all he could do was support her decision. He couldn’t claim he was a feminist, he had too many cavemen tendencies for that. Shit a modern woman would kick him in the balls for. He liked taking care of her, doing things for her. It was how he was wired, so if it made Butcher part caveman he was cool with that.

But he was a Roux’ist and that meant supporting her no matter what. He wasn’t gonna put his size elevens in it and open his fat trap with what he wanted.

Her body. Her decision.

Kissing the side of her neck he took her hand in his and walked them through the house to the kitchen.

For two days they didn’t talk about the elephant in the room.

Nor for the three days after that either.

Life went on as it usually did.

Every time he got her out of her clothes and pushed inside her, he reminded Roux how much he loved her. When she crested crying his name, clawing his back up with her nails, demanding more, he declared it over and over.

Butcher couldn’t say he was unhappy. Far from it.

He loved his Roux as much as he could with his words and his body, exhausting it as much as she needed him. What else could he do?

---