Page 80 of Love and War

The second day when he tried doing the same thing, I let him until mid afternoon when he refused to let me wash the dishes. Stomping away I showered and took a nap.

The third day I was pulling my hair out. I didn’t need to stay in bed. I was no longer on bed rest. I was pregnant, not dying.

So by the fourth day, I had had enough.

Stomping my good foot I screamed on the top of my lungs like a toddler.

“Jesus fuck, Aziza,” Killian growled.

Narrowing my eyes at him, I took a good deep breath, and then a few more for good measure.

“What is your problem?” he asked, plating some healthy Asian salad.

“I need you to back off.” Well, fuck. Just blurt it all out there.

His hand fumbled with the plate for a moment before he looked over at me. And all I saw was hurt. Double fuck.

Getting down from the island, I made my way over to him. I didn’t want him hurting.

“Killian…”

“It’s okay,” he mumbled.

Taking the pan from him, I set it off to the side before grabbing his hands and resting them on my waist. Hooking a finger into his belt loop, I pulled him into me.

“I said it all wrong. I’m overwhelmed, I went from doing everything on my own, to having you here twenty-four seven. I need you to let me do something for myself. Nope, shhh.” Placing a finger over his mouth, I said, “I’m pregnant, not dying. I can make myself food, and I can handle changing the trash.”

“I just want to help,” he said under his breath. Which made me sound like an even bigger bitch.

“And I love that about you, but, Killian, I need space. I need to be able to move and not worry about falling over you.” I tried to joke, but Killian just stared at me with sadness written all over.

“I just… I missed the weeks when you found out you were pregnant. I don’t want to mess this up.” It was as though he was confirming what I suspected.

“Do you, uh, do you think you're going to end up like your father?” I hated asking, but I had a feeling this was going to become an issue if we didn’t address it now.

Killian dropped his hands from my waist, trying to back away. But I wouldn’t let him. Keeping my finger looped in his pants, I pulled him back. Pressing our fronts together, my small bump against his flat stomach.

“You’re not him. And you’ll never be him,” I stated. “If it’ll make you feel better, I’ll kick your ass. I’ll even kill you, or fuck have Salem torture you, I know she’s into that.”

Killian’s silence began to scare me. He barely blinked. I was beginning to regret that I’d even opened my mouth. I should’ve just kept it shut and maybe he would’ve backed off. Eventually, anyway.

“I shouldn’t have said anything,” I muttered, letting go of his pants. I expected him to step back and when he didn’t, I glanced up at him.

“Promise me,” he finally mumbled.

“Killian, I promise. I promise with my whole entire heart.” Reaching, I pressed my lips to his.

Breaking the kiss, he rested his forehead against mine. Our eyes closed, and I breathed in the smell of him. Pine and mint. After a few minutes he finally stepped back. “Come on, let’s eat.”

Smiling up at him, I did as he asked. Both of us sat at the island in silence.

***

“Killian I will be fine,” I said for what felt like the millionth time. After eating, he put more wood into the fireplace while I cleaned up the dishes. I was in the process of trying to convince him that I could drive into town to get the snacks I’ve been craving.

“I can just go with you.” He tried giving me a sweet smile. But jokes on him, I knew behind that smile, he was just trying to get his way. That wasn’t going to happen.

“We just talked about this. You could stay here, chop wood. Then I could get my cravings and come back home.”

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