Page 153 of Set Me On Fire

“And a criminal record.” Millie seemed to take some kind of dark satisfaction in that. “Everyone who does a background search on him will know what he did, what a prick he is, but…” None of us had brought this up with her, scared of how she’d react. “He told you who the father is.”

“Who the father isn’t.” We all watched Noah as he sidled up to her, cradling her body close. “I know I’m not the bio dad, but…” Millie was well and truly showing now, able to wear these stretchy, belly revealing items now that she no longer had to hide her state. “It doesn’t change anything.” He pressed a kiss to the side of her face. “It was never going to. If being a good dad was tied to a bloke jizzing in a woman, then the world would be a better place than it is. Women get the choice to have a child or not, and men? We choose to step up and be the kind of dad our child needs, or just be another deadbeat.” She looked up at him then, the glow of the sunset turning her face red-gold. “I’m no deadbeat, Millie. Nothing Dave or a piece of paper says is gonna change that.”

“What about you guys?”

I wanted to be all noble and shit and say the same thing, but really, I wanted to know. It wouldn’t change anything, I knew that, and yet it was like an aching tooth, my tongue coming back to it over and over, unable to leave it alone. It would hurt her though, if I asked, so I just shook my head.

“What he said. Noah speaks for all of us, right?”

Charlie was conspicuously quiet, something that should’ve had my Spidey senses tingling, but he defused that with a smile.

“As long as you are the mother, that’s my kid,” he told her, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

People stopped to stare as they walked past, but I didn’t care. About them, about Dave, even about the test results when I moved closer, giving her my own kiss. I wouldn’t hide what we were, what we had, not anymore, because who knew how long we’d have together? My own parents had barely managed to keep it together for a few years before separating to implode. We’d do better than that, I swore, as I held Millie close, because I’d do whatever the hell it took to ensure we did.

Chapter 66

Millie

Way too close to the due date

“Oh, look at you!” We’d turned up at Mum and Dad’s for family dinner, but this time there were way more attendees. Moira, Noah’s mum came rushing over, her arms outstretched. “You look radiant. Jorge, doesn’t she look radiant?” she said, nudging her husband in the ribs. He looked over from where he was chatting to my dad and brothers.

“Radiant,” he observed dryly, then winked at me. “How’re you doing, love?”

“Ready to burst,” I groaned, waddling forward. I was nine months pregnant and completely over the whole process.

“Damn, bestie.” Jamie appeared with a tall glass of ice water. Reflux ruled out all juices and fizzy drinks. “If I prick you with a pin, will you go pfffft…” She mimicked a rapidly deflating balloon. “All across the room?”

“Let’s find out.”

I lowered myself down into the closest chair, letting out a long sigh as the ache in my feet eased. Of course, the one in my hips just got worse. I made frustrated little sounds as I struggledto get comfortable, but Mum’s cushy couch was like a pool of quicksand, resisting all my attempts.

“Here you go.” Charlie was there, expertly tucking pillows around me. He’d gotten it down to a fine art, knowing exactly how to position them to stop the hurting.

“Thanks, babe,” I said, looking up at him, which drew Astrid over.

“Sex,” she announced, completely unfazed when we all looked at her in confusion. “I told you what to do, Brother. Semen has some sort of chemical in it that induces birth.”

“Prostaglandins.” Mum appeared with a tray of drinks. “Mimosas anyone?” My hand shot up, ready to down three of them in rapid succession. “Not you.” She waved me away, the traitor, handing the delicious bubbly goodness to everyone else. “It helps ripen the cervix.”

“Mimosas?” I asked, then clicked my fingers rapidly. “Then gimme. I’ll douche a bottle of them if that’s what it takes to get this party started.”

“Semen,” Mum corrected.

“Please stop saying semen.” Charlie covered his face with his hand.

“With three fellas, you’d have all the jizz you need,” Astrid said.

“Oh, I am drinking every time someone mentions nut juice,” Jamie said, shaking her head and then taking a big mouthful of her mimosa. “I’ll be drunk before dinner starts.”

“Knox!”

Astrid called my partner over, and I couldn’t help but smile at his harried expression. Everywhere we went lately was planned with military precision. There was the hospital bag, packed and stashed permanently in the back of his car, then there was the pregnancy bag full of the drinks and snacks I liked. On top of that, in the nursery was the baby bag, justwaiting for the little girl who’d need it to arrive. Knox hustled over, unzipping the pregnancy bag as he went.

“What’s up, babe? What do you need? Snacks? A drink? Some antacids? Do your feet hurt? Noah!” My other lover’s head whipped around. He’d dared to go and talk to his parents, a sin worse than death apparently. “Millie’s feet need massaging.”

“Your wish is my command,” Noah said, sliding to the floor to attack my feet.

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