Page 32 of Bells

“I said we were hanging out until I left. I can’t back out on the guys. This is something we do every week for Ashes. You know that. We’ve done it every week for years. Every week since you and I have been together—”

“So now you’re calling me crazy? A liar?” She glared at me, her bottom lip trembling.

“I-I’m not. I’m not saying that at all—”

“You are. It’s me or them.” She folded her arms over her chest, tears in her eyes. “Choose.”

“Bells.” I approached her and put my hands on her waist. “I’m not going to choose between you or them, OK? Not tonight. Ashes needs all of us. I’m not going to back out on him.”

“Not even for me? Not even for our baby?”

I froze at her words. Even Church turned to look at her, a frown on his face.

“What did you just say?” I managed to rasp.

She glanced at Church then back at me. “Our baby. I-I’m pregnant.”

My hands fell away from her waist as I stumbled back. “W-we’re pregnant?”

She nodded. “I didn’t want to tell you like this. I-I wanted to do it another way—”

“A-are you sure?” I looked at her, my heart dancing in my throat.

She stepped over to me and nodded. “Yeah. I took a test last week. It was positive.”

“Fuck,” Church muttered, pulling me out of my disbelief.

“Say something,” she said, glancing from Church to me.

“I-I don’t know what to say. I’m going to be a dad?”

“Yes.”

I swallowed and reached for her. She came easily and let me draw her against my body where I hung onto her. Tears prickled my eyes. Fear rushed through me before a sense of happiness.

If we were having a baby, it meant she’d stay. She’d not abandon me or hurt me. We’d have a child to take care of. I’d have someone else who might love me.

“I’m happy,” I whispered. “I’m so happy.” I hugged her tightly as she clung to me.

“Then you’ll stay with me tonight? I need you,” she said, twisting her fingers in my shirt.

I nodded. “I’ll stay tonight.”

Ashes would understand. He always did.

I tilted her chin up and kissed her deeply, my heart full of wonder, my head clearing as I realized maybe things would be OK. That this was a good thing. That maybe I’d finally figured out what had been missing in my life.

The chance to love and prove I was worthy of it.

CHURCH

“Ican’t believe Sin got her knocked up,” Stitches muttered as we leaned against the hood of my car and watched Ashes throw things into a barrel to burn.

I took a hit of my joint and passed it off to him. “I’m not surprised. She was around too much, and he was too fucking pussy-whipped to see shit clearly.”

“Well, it’s a bigger problem now and you know it,” Stitches said, taking his hit and blowing out the smoke. “So what’s the plan?”

“She’s up to something,” I said. “I know she is. I don’t trust her.”

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