Page 80 of Fate

“Seems suspect to me,” Kat says and then yawns.

“You need to rest. Why don’t you sleep? I’m here. An earthquake couldn’t get me to leave thisbed.”

She rubs her hand up and down my chest soothingly. “There’s something else the doctors found when they ran my tests.”

A pounding fear hits my chest so hard I clutch at her body, holding her tight. I don’t know how much more I can take. What more could she possibly have thrown at hernow?

“Whatever it is, Kat, I’m here for you. We’ll deal with it together. When we get out of here, you’re moving in. I’m going to have you and my daughter in my house. Period. It’s happening. So, whatever it is, it’s you and me, okay? No running.” I lean down and tilt her chin. Her lips tremble, and I try not to let her battered face anger me more. Not now. Not when she needs to share something serious with me. “What is it, Kat? Just tell me. I can handleit.”

She swallows and pushes off my chest so she can look me in the face. “When they ran the gamut of tests, they had to run all kinds of blood panels, and they found some of my levels were higher than they shouldbe.”

“What kind of levels?”

“Progesterone.”

I shrug. “Sweetcheeks, I don’t know what that means.”

“Well, when they found that my progesterone levels were high, they did more tests. One very specific test and then an ultrasound.”

“Ultrasound? Ofwhat?”

She turns to the left, reaches for the side table, and grabs a piece of paper. “I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes.” She hands me the piece of paper.

It’s a baby sonogram.

“What isthis?”

“It’s ourbaby.”

I glance at her bruised face, and the impact of what she’s just said hits me like a category-five hurricane hitting the Florida shore.

“See here…”—she points at a specific spot on the picture—“it says we’re ten weeks and a fewdays.”

“Ten weeks…” I whisper and glance down at the blob. It’s nothing more than a peanut shape with two tiny buds for hands and two buds forfeet.

“Carson, say something.”

“We’re having a baby? You’re pregnant?” I gasp, shock skittering through my veins, making my heart pump doubletime.

She nods rapidly and doesn’t say anythingmore.

“How? You had the implant. We had this conversation before. Long timeago.”

“Yeah. So long ago I was supposed to get a new one. The implant only lasts up to four years. I’m a full year past that. At the time I got my renewal card, I blew it off because I was in such a deep depression about my injury and not having you in my life. My future seemed so bleak, and I just…never renewed it. And it didn’t register when we got back together that I’d need to…and…” She starts to shake in myarms.

I press two fingers over her lips. “Shhhh. You’re working yourself up. It’s not good for the baby. Oh my God, what about the Rohypnol? What did Dr. Duterasay?”

“He said the baby is fine. Obviously, we were all surprised by its appearance.” She runs a hand over her flat stomach. I lay my hand overhers.

“We’re having a baby,” I whisper, allowing the awe to roll over me fully.

“Yeah,” is her only reply.

“Oh my God. I’m going to be a daddy!” I smile huge, unable to control how much this news excitesme.

“You already are a daddy.” Kat nudges my shoulder playfully.

“Holy shit. I’m going to have two kids.” At first, the thought fills me with joy, and then reality strikes. “I’m going to have two kids out of wedlock. Fuck. Kat, we have to get married. Like, rightaway.”

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