Page 23 of Emerald

Finn chuckled, pressing a kiss to the inside of my thigh before crawling up my body to loom over me with a devastating grin. "I’ve only just started,” he said as he lowered his head to claim my mouth once more, his hands already roaming with intent.

The ghosts of my past might still linger, the scars on my body and soul slow to fade, but here, now, I felt whole. I felt powerful. I felt like the fucking queen I was always meant to be.

Chapter 18: Cara

Istared down at the plastic stick in my hand. Two lines. Two fucking lines, stark and unmistakable against the white backdrop.

Pregnant. I was pregnant. After everything I'd been through, all the damage and trauma my body had endured and here was a life growing inside me. A tiny, precious spark of hope, nestled safe in my womb.

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. All I knew was that in this moment, everything had changed.

A knock sounded at the bathroom door, making me jump. "Princess? Are you all right in there? You've been gone a while."

Finn. Oh god, Finn. How was I going to tell him?

"I'm fine," I called back, my voice only slightly unsteady. "I'll be out in a minute."

I heard him hesitate, but he just murmured a soft acknowledgement and retreated, giving me the space I needed. I took a deep breath, then another, trying to calm my pulse. This was a good thing. A joyous thing, the kind of news that most couples would be over the fucking moon to receive. And I was happy, truly. But I was also terrified.

Terrified of being a mother, of having another innocent life dependent on me when I could barely keep my own shit together most days. Terrified of failing this child, of passing on the darkness and damage that still lingered in my dreams.

But most of all, I was terrified of hoping. Of letting myself believe that I could have this, that the universe would grant me this one shining piece of happiness after all the misery and pain it had heaped upon me.

One thing I did know was that I couldn't hide in this bathroom forever. Couldn't keep this news to myself. Finn deserved to know. Deserved to share in this moment, for better or worse.

I found Finn sitting on the edge of our bed, his elbows braced on his knees and his face tight with worry. He looked up as I entered, his eyes searching my face for clues.

"What's wrong, Cara? Are you ill? Do you need me to call the doctor?"

I shook my head, a wobbly smile tugging at my lips. "No, I'm not ill. I'm..."

I trailed off, the words sticking in my throat. Finn frowned, rising to his feet and crossing to me in two long strides. He took my hands in his, his thumbs rubbing soothing circles over my knuckles.

"You're scaring me, love. Whatever it is, just tell me. We'll face it together, like we always do."

I swallowed hard, my eyes stinging with sudden tears. "I'm pregnant," I whispered, the words barely audible even in the hush of our bedroom. "I don't... I don't know how, after what the doctor said. But I am. I'm carrying your child, Finn."

For a moment, he just stared at me, his eyes wide and his mouth slack with shock. I could see the emotions playing across his face, the same dizzying whirl of joy and fear and disbelief that I'd been grappling with since I first saw those two little lines.

And then, slowly, a smile began to bloom on his face. A wide, incredulous, face-splitting grin.

"Pregnant?" he repeated, his voice rough with wonder. "You're... we're having a baby?"

I nodded, a laugh bubbling up in my throat even as tears spilled over onto my cheeks. "Yeah. Yeah, we are. Somehow, against all the odds... we made a life, Finn."

He whooped and then he was sweeping me into his arms, lifting me right off my feet and spinning me around in a dizzying circle. I clung to his shoulders, my own laughter mingling with his as we clung to each other.

When he finally set me back on my feet, his hands immediately went to my still-flat stomach, cradling the invisible swell of our child. "Hello in there, little one," he murmured, his brogue thick with emotion. "I'm your Da. I know you're still just a wee thing, but I love you so much already. So much it feels like my heart might burst with it."

I covered his hands with my own, my vision blurring with fresh tears. "The bub will love you too," I whispered, my voice cracking. "How could they not, with a father like you?"

Finn raised his head, his eyes shining.. "I love you, Cara Maguire. More than my own life, more than anything in this world or the next. You've given me everything. Made me happier than I ever thought I could be."

He lowered his head to capture my lips in a kiss that was soft and sweet and achingly tender. I melted into him, my hands sliding into his hair as I opened for him, letting him taste me, consume me.

The kiss deepened, turned heated and urgent as the reality of the moment sank in. Finn walked me backwards until my knees hit the bed, his hands never leaving my body as he laid me down on the soft duvet. He followed me down, his weight settling over me like a warm, familiar blanket.

"I'm going to worship you," he rasped against my neck, his teeth grazing the soft skin. "Going to show you just how much I adore you, how grateful I am for the gift you've given me."

---