Page 226 of Dare To Live

“There’s nothing I want more than to start a family with you, but you might have to wait a few days. I don’t think either of us are in any condition to make babies right now.”

A tap at the door interrupts us, and the nurse appears. “Time up, Mr. Travers. You both need to rest.”

Eli huffs.

I reach for his hand as he rises off the bed, and I look at the nurse. “Please, just two more minutes.”

She purses her lips but nods. “I’m watching the clock, so be quick.”

“I’m not going far. My room is down the hallway. I’m not going to leave without you. You need to rest, baby. We can make plans later.”

My eyes are heavy, and I have to fight to keep them open. “Eli.”

His thumb caresses my fingers. “Yes?”

“The future is now.”

“That’s right, Kitten. We will look to the future from now on. We’ve already wasted too much time letting the past dictate our future.”

“No.” I take his hand and press it flat against my abdomen. “It’s here now.”

Eli freezes.

My eyes close but not before I see the look of utter shock etched across his battered face.

“Ari? What?” His voice is low and raw with emotion. “Are you … you’re pregnant?”

“Babies,” I reply, my voice slurred with drowsiness. “We’re having babies.”

There’s silence for a split second.

“Fuck. You’ve got no chance of getting away from me now,” Eli’s throaty growl is possessive. “Do you hear me, Kitten? You’re mine now. For good. Even if I have to tie you to our bed.”

A smile curves my lips, relief at his acceptance banishing any lingering doubts. I want to say more. Explain that I’ve only just found out. That it’s not something I’ve kept from him, but I can’t fight as sleep drags me under.

Eli is alive, and right now, that’s all that matters to me.

Chapter 130

Eli

“Mr. Travers?” The nurse’s voice intrudes on my thoughts, and I slowly pull my gaze from Arabella’s sleeping form and focus on the woman in the doorway. “You really need to get back to your own room and rest, as well.”

“Yeah.” I make no move to leave.

The nurse takes a step closer. “Mr. Travers … Eli, right?” Her hand touches my arm. “Let’s get you back into your bed. She’s perfectly fine. She’s just sleeping. You need to rest more than she does. She wasn’t shot.”

“She could have been.” I mutter the words, but she hears me.

“But she wasn’t. Focus on what did happen instead of what could have.” She pats my hand. “Come along, I’ll walk you back.”

I let her draw me through the door and out into the hallway. “She’s having my baby.”

“I know. Babies. Two of them.”

“Two?” I thought when Arabella had said babies, it was a mistake caused by drowsiness. “She’s having two?”

The nurse laughs quietly. “That’s right.”

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