Page 16 of Chasing Liberty

“You keep saying those words as if we have a normal marriage.”

“Don’t worry. I might have misunderstood a lot regarding you and me, but not once have I thought anything about this marriage is normal.”

She cringed at the scorching pain of his words. “It’s possible I misunderstood a few things myself.”

“Like what? That you could walk all over me and I’d bow down because you’re a Rose?”

“That you understood the perimeters of a marriage of convenience.”

“And where is it written on that list of yours that you were going to get pregnant?” She opened her mouth but the only thing that came out was a hiss. “I’ve rendered you silent. Chalk that up as a new one.” He leaned in even closer.

“No one says you have to be involved.”

“Oh, but I will be. In fact, I’m thinking we should announce it to the family that we’ve decided to give this marriage another try. That I’ve had a change of heart and, how did you put it? Oh yeah, that you’re going to be a better wife. Let them get the taste of that and then we’ll publicize the news of the baby.” His eyes tunneled into her. “Since you’ve told everyone that I was the one ramrodding the divorce.”

She slumped her shoulders, losing her grit. “A baby isn’t enough to make a marriage last.”

“I didn’t say it would, did I? I’m going to be a part of this pregnancy. After the baby’s born, say a few months, you can decide what you want. I’ll sign divorce papers if I have rights to my child.”

“Is this revenge?”

“For what?” His eyes turned cold.

“Because I ended things.”

“Despite how you Roses operate, I’m not operating on that same wavelength. I wouldn’t use my child as some kind of leverage. This is me accepting my responsibility. I want to be a father, pull my weight. You should understand that considering Sam has always been there for you and your sisters and you show little to no gratitude to the man.”

“Don’t go there. You have no right to judge.” A cold breeze swept over her. She’d never been a crier, but she felt the sting of tears at the backs of her eyes.

“I do have a right, sweetheart. I’m part of the family. Not like…what was his name? Reggie? Is that the hand that you had a field day with then discarded him like a broken fence post?” She drew back her hand but before it connected with his cheek, he caught her arm, his fingers circling her wrist in a satin hold. “Did you think I didn’t know? That I didn’t hear the rumors about my wife?”

“I don’t give a damn if you knew, or what you heard. That’s another story that has been embellished by a few people. You have no idea how things unfolded between Reggie and I.” She wouldn’t dare cry in front of him.

“And you know what? I don’t care about the past. I’m not another Reggie, Liberty.” his voice was an octave softer. “Looks like you and I are going to be attached for a while longer so we should get used to it. We can be together and hate it, or we can put our differences aside for the baby. Your choice. But let me be clear, I’m not some backroad cowboy you can drive all over and not pave. Got it?”

“What if I choose to not agree with this?”

He shrugged and leaned back. “Don’t then, but what will Sam say?”

“What do you mean?”

“Think he’d agree on you and I getting a divorce when we’re having a baby?”

She took a deep breath and released it with a sigh. She knew the answer but didn’t want to say it aloud. “Just because you two have become buddies doesn’t mean he’ll choose you over me, Wyler.”

“Then contact your attorney and I’ll contact mine. You need to be aware that I won’t give up my child.”

She knew him well enough to know that any words he spoke were the truth. “So, explain to me exactly what you want then? What does this look like?”

He looked down the sidewalk, watching as a car slowly passed as if the driver was watching him and Liberty. He squinted to get a better look at both the car and driver. The streetlight flashed inside the car, but he couldn’t ascertain more than a glimpse of long hair. Once the brake lights disappeared down the street, he turned back to Liberty. “You’re not going to like it.”

“You have to say it before I have a chance to not like it.” Her chin tilted in challenge.

“Like I said, we stay married until after the baby is born. I want the baby to have my last name and I want to be there through the delivery, through the sleepless nights, and I want to be there for you. We need to do this together.”

“Babies need things,” she said in a hushed tone.

“Like I don’t know,” he scoffed.

---