by Lannah Smith
John narrowed his gaze at his best friend. "You need to stay clean too."
Leon shrugged. "I'll get dirty if I have to."
"That would definitely make your wife and child happy," he countered sarcastically. "You know Skull won't appreciate that."
"None of us would," Rohan inserted. "Sophia will worry. She already thinks something is wrong. Emmy told me about your wife's concerns about, you know."
Leon looked at the ceiling and heaved a long sigh. "I said if I have to. Doesn't mean I will."
"You know, you haven't exactly been forthcoming either of the nature of your new investigative agency," John continued to glare at him.
"And I don't have to," Leon glared back at him. "It's my business to run, not yours. And fucking hell, I would never do anything to put my family, to put all of you at risk."
He meant every word.
Mollified, John nodded and the tension in Leon's shoulders fell.
Silence filled the room, punctured only by the text notification ring of John's phone.
"Let's not worry," he told everyone as he pulled his phone out of his jacket. "We may not be able to persuade Skull to take a step back from his activities but he can't stop us either if we wanted to involve ourselves to fix his mess."
"We should worry!" Rohan snapped. "He's going to get himself killed if we don't do something about it."
Damn it.
Twenty-five and Rohan still had to learn to repress his emotions. Not that John could fault him. Among all of them, Rohan was closest to Skull and felt deeply for him.
"We will do something about it," John promised him.
Rohan wouldn't be appeased. "Stop acting like you've done shit when you even came in late."
With a half-smile on his face, John read the text on his phone. "I kind of already did, kid." Looking at Leon, he went on, "Those heads are businessmen first before they're mobsters. My father personally knows one of them. I'm going to New York next week."
Leon lifted a brow. "What for?"
"To talk business, what else?" he answered, slipping his phone back into his jacket.
"You're not going to make this worse for Skull, right?" Rohan asked, concerned.
John thought about how Skull comforted Terry in front of the prenatal unit.
He thought about how Skull had tried to get her to talk to John and how gentle Skull had been with her.
He thought about how Skull brought them together back in high school, how he took care of all of them, how he never let any of them down, how he had always acted like they meant the world to him. And John could never thank him enough for that.
"I'm not going to make this worse for him," John truthfully answered Rohan.
Not when Skull meant the world to him too.
“There’s another thing you need to know.”
John and Rohan looked at Leon.
Leon took in a deep breath before dropping the bomb.
“Skull has April.”
Chapter 48
Emilia was asleep on a chair when Rohan came home. Her sister, Abigail, dropped the magazine she was reading on her lap and placed a finger on her lips to tell him to be quiet.
“She’s just taking a nap,” she responded to his concern. “I tired her out when we were playing Wii tennis.”
“She’s not even good at it,” he muttered irritably, squatting down next to Emilia’s chair to study her face closely.
Abigail chuckled. “She isn’t but she insisted. Said something about exercising and how it’s good for the body.”
Dubiously, Rohan twisted his head to look at her and say, “She doesn’t even like exercising.”
“I know.” Abigail sent a fond look at her sister. “I guess she’s changed her mind.”
Rohan highly doubt that. Emilia didn’t do anything without a reason. She always had an ulterior motive for everything she did that was out of character. This sudden interest in exercising, he knew, was one of those things that she was doing for some reason or another.
“Well, now that you’re here, I’m leaving.” Abigail uncrossed her legs and stood up from the sofa. “I’ll see you tomorrow at Dad’s place, Rohan.”
“You’re not staying for dinner?” he asked because she always stayed for dinner whether he liked it or not. At least she didn’t come over unannounced anymore ever since she’d walked in to him and Emilia doing the deed.
Abigail smiled and there was a weird light in her eyes that he didn’t like. “I’m meeting my boyfriend.”
He narrowed his eyes. His intuition was right. He definitely didn’t like it.
“A boyfriend I have yet to meet,” he growled at her direction.
“A boyfriend I’m sure you’ve already had investigated,” she countered, reaching for her coat and handbag. “You’ll like him, Rohan. Don’t worry.”
“Not if you keep changing them twice a year.”
She laughed and walked to the front door. “Don’t worry. This one’s staying.”
Then, before he could say anything about that, she opened the door and left.
Rohan exhaled slowly. Though Abigail was now a grown woman with a gorgeous face and fantastic body from years of playing sports, he still hadn’t quite cottoned on that. And he couldn’t abide men acting on liking them. She would always be a little girl and a little sister to him and Emilia. A darling child to her father.
This annoyed Abigail greatly but somehow, she still managed to sneak her boyfriends into their lives. Well, until Rohan made them go away if they managed to mess things up with her, something Abigail hadn’t cottoned on yet either.
He turned his attention to Emilia. She was sleeping peacefully and he hated to wake her up but he had to. It was time for her to eat. He started to reach for her when she suddenly opened her eyes.
“Rohan?” she whispered, blinking her eyes into focus.
“Tell me you beat your sister at Wii tennis.”
She paused to let the words sink in then giggled. “Hate to disappoint you, sweetheart, but I didn’t.”
He sighed. “She has a new boyfriend.”
“Yeah, I know. She just told me today,” her eyes slid away but not before he caught the worry in them. “And I know that you’ve known about him ever since she decided to go out with him,” she ended with a note of censure in her voice.
“I do,” he frowned, searching her face. Something about her expression didn’t seem right to him.
She gave him a look. “Tell me you didn’t do it.”
“I did. And Abigail knows I did,” he grumbled. “He’s fine. For now.”
Reaching over, she brushed her fingertips down the side of his face. “You’re more protective of her than Dad and I combined.” She grinned. “But I don’t want Abby to hate you.”
He stood up, her head lifted to keep looking at him, and he said, “She’s not going to hate me.”
“But if you—.”
“I’ll behave,” he put a hand on either arm of the chair and leaned in, “I promise. Now where’s my welcome home kiss?”
Still grinning, her fingers curled around the back of his head and pulled him down for a long kiss. Her eyes showed just how much she loved him when she pulled away.
“Welcome home, Rohan.”
Damn, but how she pleased him.
“Now what do you want for dinner?”
“Anything you didn’t make,” he instantly replied and laughed at the crossed look on her face. “I’m just kidding, Em. I’ll eat anything you feel like making tonight.”
“Well, Abby did make dinner before she left…” She folded her arms across her chest, scowling. “But I don’t think you deserve any of my sister’s cooking tonight.”
“That’s alright,” he gently hauled her up to her feet and wrapped his arms around her waist. Lips on her neck, he whispered, “I’m hungry for something else anyway.”
He felt her shiver. He smiled against her skin.
Now it was time to get to the crux of the matter.
“You’re stal
ling, darling,” he murmured. “Tell me. What’s on your mind?”
She stiffened. “What do you mean?”
“You look worried like you always do when you’re about to tell me something I’m highly unlikely to feel happy about.”
“I do?”
“Don’t worry.” He kissed her neck and heard her gasp. “I forgive you already.”
“You… do?”
He pulled away to look at her. She didn’t meet his gaze. She was playing with the buttons on his shirt with her fingers, a sure sign that whatever this was, it was also making her feel unhappy.
“I want to know what’s worrying you,” he ordered. “Tell me now.”
She was glaring up at him now. “Don’t use that CEO tone on me, Mr. Kane.”
“I won’t if you stop changing the subject and tell me what’s bothering you, future Mrs. Kane,” he returned.
She continued to glare at him. Then her gaze fell when she could no longer keep up the façade of being angry at him when she wasn’t truly.
Rohan decided he wasn’t going to wait for an answer any longer. He was determined to find out why. Sitting on the chair she vacated, he pulled her down on his lap and arranged her until she was comfortable, his arms closing tight.
“What’s wrong, darling?”
She twisted around and stared at him for a long moment.
Then she said, “I’m afraid.”
The look on her face gave him pause. His arms convulsed around her.
“Em…”
Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears as her hands came to rest on his shoulders. “We’re not ready, I know, but we haven’t exactly been…”
“Just spit it out, darling,” he snapped in a harsh voice filled with dread. Because no… she was treated successfully. The doctors told them she was fine. The doctors said she had completely recovered. It can’t be…
It just fucking can’t be back—
“I’m pregnant.”
He blinked. He didn’t understand. He shook his head.
“What?” he choked out.
A tear fell from her eye. “I’m pregnant, you idiot.”
“How?”
She started to laugh. “Are you seriously asking me that question right now?”
“You’re certain?”
She lost the smile.
“Darling,” his arms tightened around her, “Are you certain?”
Fear lurked behind her eyes as she looked at his.
“I took two pregnancy tests yesterday,” her words were slow and tentative, gauging his reaction. “And I went to the doctor with Abby today and she confirmed it. So yes, I’m—.” She squealed when he squeezed her tight, burying his face into the nook of her neck.
fuck.
They were going to be parents.
Rohan sucked in breath.
He was going to be a Dad.
“Rohan?” He felt Emilia’s hand stroking his hair. “Are you okay?”
“Just give me a moment, Em,” he said, his voice thick.
Silence.
“Are you… you’re not mad?” she asked hesitantly.
“fuck, no.”
“So you’re happy?”
He lifted his head. “Yes. You just made the happiest man in the world,” he declared, curling her closer. “The happiest, Em. And I don’t think I could thank you enough for giving me this family. For never giving up on me. Thank you so much for loving me.”
Her eyes moved over his face. Then they warmed as her body relaxed into his, her mouth smiling.
Relieved.
Happy.
His fiancé was beautiful. His future wife was exquisite, gentle, loving, funny, reckless and protective. She gave him everything and he returned the gesture a thousand-fold but until that moment, she had just bested him.
Emilia was going to give him a child.
And he swore that until the day he died, he’d never stop giving her and the baby everything they could ever want.
“Are you mad?” he asked her.
Perplexed, she replied, “Why would I be mad?”
“You still have your world tour, darling. Not to mention your musicals.”
Her hand lifted to cup his cheek. “I told you I didn’t want to wait,” she reminded him.
He laughed. “I guess you really didn’t.”
“I think you got me pregnant when you proposed to me,” she murmured thoughtfully. “I guess I really did want to give you a princess.”
“Another one,” his lips met her for a long, searing kiss, “Because I already got one and that’s you.”
Her tears kept falling. And he kept wiping her tears away.
Then she closed her eyes when he claimed her mouth once more.
Then he stood up and carried her to their bedroom where he made love to her.
“When are we going to tell everyone?” Emilia asked him, her head resting on his shoulder, her fingers drawing circles on his bare chest, cradled in the warmth of his embrace.
“As soon as possible.” Rohan couldn’t wait to announce it to the world. “Let’s plan a party to surprise everyone.”
She lifted her head back and she did it grinning with delight. “I like that idea.”
Rohan thought about the baby. He wanted a son but he really hoped for a baby girl. A princess. She would have sparkling blue eyes and hair, just like her mother and, God willing, his daughter would be every bit as cheeky too.
He also thought about what Leon had just told them about April. How Christopher saved her. How he’d been keeping her in one of his safehouses all this time. How he’s been trying to convince her to stay with him.
Rohan might not like her but he hoped Christopher could convince her to come home with him. This would make Emilia happy. And he lived to make her happy.
Then another thought came to him.
“shit,” he breathed, looking at the ceiling. “What if Skull already knows?”
Emilia’s burst of wonderful laughter filled the bedroom.
Chapter 49
“Congratulations, brother.”
Christopher could tell Rohan was smiling when he said, “fuck, now I owe Emilia ten dollars.”
“You didn’t bet on me finding out first?” Christopher laughed.
“Yeah. How the fuck do you always manage to do that, Skull?”
“Told you I keep tabs.” Christopher moved to the bookshelves as he said this. He pulled on a book and the shelves separated, revealing a secret entrance to the basement and a corridor leading off the house.
“Are you sure you’re not having people stalk us?” Rohan grumbled.
“Nope,” he answered. “Just keeping a finger on the pulse.”
As soon as he took a step in the basement surveillance room, the man sitting behind the controls and staring up at the monitors, turned to look at him. The other two men in the room who’d been sitting on the long couch stood up, sharp and alert.
Christopher waved a hand to get them to sit back down then his eyes went to one screen. It showed April sitting in front of the Christmas tree and from the looks of it, she was trying to guess what was inside the presents. He grinned. He didn’t put tags on the gifts on purpose to confuse her. She didn’t know all of those were for her.
Rohan was still talking in his ear, complaining about how he was being intrusive when he himself had no boundaries at all. Christopher knew he’d been trying to hack into his email accounts.
“You’re going to be a father, Rohan,” Christopher cut him off mid-rant, settling on a chair beside his man who was managing surveillance. “Are you ready to be a Dad?”
Silence for a long moment then, “fuck, I still can’t even believe it myself. I’m not ready and I don’t know how to be a father but I sure as hell will try to be the best for my child. And Emilia’s going to be a mother too. I can’t freak out or else she will too.”
Christopher grinned. “Just ask Leon for pointers.”
“Even Leon doesn’t know what he’s doing,” Ro
han deadpanned. “The only advice he told me was to learn how to change a diaper and sing.”
