Page 42 of To Love and Protect
His plan was half-assed, but he felt like he’d thought it through thoroughly. No sane person would buy a million-dollar house next door to his own million-dollar home with the intent to keep eyes on his woman and eventually build a skyway to make it one multi-million-dollar home. Nico never claimed to be sane.
“I’m pregnant,” she whispered with tears brimming her eyes.
“—And I ain’t goin another day?—”
“I’m pregnant,” she repeated, louder this time.
Nico stopped his rant and pacing and stared at her for several seconds. His brows pulled in as he processed what she said before he pulled his phone out of his pocket. She watched him as he tapped on the screen and then held the phone up to his ear. “What?—”
“I’m calling my contractor. We need to get that skyway built today.”
“But you just said?—”
“You really think I’m gon’ let my woman live in a different house while she’s carrying my child? Have you met me?” He sucked his teeth. “This nigga ain’t answering.”
Remedie waited patiently while Nico left a threatening message on his contractor’s voicemail before he focused solely on her. He took two steps toward her and gathered her into his arms. His heart hammered in his chest, and he felt tears brimming his eyes.
A father?That thought terrified him, but knowing he had Remedie caused a calmness to wash over him.
I’m gonna be a daddy.Excitement built within him as he rocked Remedie back and forth while he rubbed her back.She’s carrying my baby.
He realized he needed to change his life around.
He needed get control of his anger.
He needed to start setting money aside for his child.
He realized therapy wouldn’t be such a bad idea . . .
So many thoughts filled his mind, he felt dizzy, but he stood tall and held onto his woman. His lifeline.
“I don’t care about the house, Nico,” she finally said against his chest. He felt her hot tears soak into his shirt. He felt when she took a moment to breathe him in before she continued. “I appreciate the gesture, but I don’t want space from you. I needed a moment, I’ll admit, and maybe I could have used more time, but I don’t want space anymore. I don’t know what I want, but it’s not space.”
A cry tore out of her, and Nico’s heart immediately responded. It ached as if her pain was his own. Nico pulled her into him again and smoothed down her curls as she cried.
“Whatever you need, baby, I got you. For life. All you gotta do is say word, and it’s yours.”
Remedie pulled back just enough so she could look up at him. “Just don’t let me fail at being a mother. That’s my biggest fear right now.”
Nico refrained from pulling away from her and looking at her like she was crazy. He was the one that needed to worry aboutbeing a good parent. Had she forgotten already what he had done last night? And that wasn’t even the first time. He was the one that had an evil streak within him. In his eyes, Remedie had nothing to worry about. He had the weight of the world on his shoulders, and he would bear it if it meant a peaceful mind for her.
“Come on. Let’s go home.”
Remedie looked around the foyer. “What about this place? Did you really buy it, Nico? This is too much.”
In hindsight, she was absolutely correct, but he wouldn’t cry over spilled milk. He would find a way to make this home useful. Maybe he could rent it out for a few years, but he was serious about building a skyway eventually. Once his kids, because yes, he definitely planned on having as many as possible with Remedie, got older, they would need somewhere to go while he broke their mama’s back in.
“We ain’t gotta worry about this shit right now. I need to get you home, in the bath, and with some food. You ate today? You eating for my kid now, cookie. I’m about to be on you heavy.”
She hesitantly shook her head. “I wasn’t hungry.”
Nico gently grabbed her hand. “Come on. We ’bout to get you squared away.”
They walked out of the new house Nico now owned and toward their home with their minds all over the place. Now that Nico knew everything Remedie carried and that it wasn’t all due to what happened the other night, his only focus was to lighten her load. Her pregnancy would be an easy one if he had anything to do with it.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
The fact that Nico bought her a big ass house right next door to his own spoke volumes. Remedie still couldn’t believe it. She hadn’t even had the chance to tour the space, but she knew that ran him a pretty penny.
