Page 148 of Daddy Sees Snakes

And I mean it.

In this moment, I know I'll burn the whole city to the ground if it means keeping Iris and our baby safe.

The thought should scare me, but instead, it fills me with a sense of purpose I haven't felt in years.

"We're really doing this, huh?" Iris says, a hint of wonder in her voice.

I press a kiss to the top of her head. "Yeah, baby. We really are."

As we sit there, the reality of our situation slowly sinking in, I can't help but think about how much my life has changed since Iris walked into it.

From the moment I saw her at that gym with Allegra, I knew she was something special.

But I never could have imagined this.

A soft knock at the door interrupts my thoughts.

A nurse enters, wheeling in a portable ultrasound machine. "Time for another check-up," she announces with a warm smile.

I feel Iris tense beside me, her fingers tightening around mine.

I give her hand a reassuring squeeze as the nurse sets up the equipment.

"This won't take long," the nurse assures us, lifting Iris's hospital gown to expose her still-flat stomach. "We just want to make sure everything's still looking good after yesterday's... incident."

I clench my jaw at the euphemism but say nothing.

The nurse squirts gel onto Iris's abdomen and starts moving the wand around.

The room fills with a rapid whooshing sound—our baby's heartbeat.

"Strong and steady," the nurse comments, her eyes on the screen. "Heart rate is excellent, and everything else looks perfect. You've got a fighter in there."

Relief washes over me. "Just like their mama," I murmur, pressing a kiss to Iris's temple.

The nurse finishes up, wiping the gel off Iris's stomach. "Any questions?"

I shake my head, and Iris remains silent.

The nurse gives us another smile before leaving, closing the door softly behind her.

I turn to Iris, studying her face. She's staring at the ceiling, her expression unreadable.

"Hey," I say softly, reaching out to cup her cheek. "You okay?"

She blinks, focusing on me. "Yeah, I just... it's a lot to take in."

I nod, understanding. It's been a whirlwind 24 hours. "I know, baby. But we're in this together, okay?"

"Listen," I say, pulling back slightly to look into her eyes. "I know this isn't how either of us planned things. But I promise you, Iris, I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure this kid has the best life possible. We're not our parents. We can do better."

Her lower lip trembles, and suddenly she's sobbing, her whole body shaking.

I wrap my arms around her, pulling her close to my chest.

The scent of her shampoo fills my nostrils as I press my lips to the top of her head.

"Shh, it's okay," I murmur, stroking her back. "I've got you."

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