Page 92 of Bae

If I was going to try and get pregnant, I didn’t want anything like that in my system. I didn’t care if it would be long gone by the time I actually had a baby inside me. The doctor’s visit today put me in a mindset, a committed one.

I would do everything humanly possible, no matter how small, to make sure any baby conceived after Evie was protected.

Maybe it was irrational. I didn’t care. It’s what I wanted. It was my body.

Everyone else could suck an egg.

The doctor frowned, but I held firm. In the end, I stuck with the oxygen, and they put me in a quiet room. Of course, it only stayed quiet for less than five minutes before nurses and doctors and exams ensued.

“Don’t know,” Romeo answered Drew’s question, rousing me out of my own head.

“You have a game on Sunday,” I said, glancing up at him. Everything was blurry because my glasses were gone. I wasn’t a fan of muddled vision, but I took comfort in the fact I had an extra pair of glasses at home.

A clumsy girl like me always had a backup.

He shrugged, not seeming to care about his game.

I glanced at Braeden, who was on my other side. He patted my leg but said nothing.

The rest of the ride to the compound was quiet. I laid my head on Romeo; his arm stayed tucked around me tightly. He was warm, and I was cold. He was strong, and I was small. I knew he was angry. I knew some of that anger was directed at me. Probably because I went out alone.

But even angry, he didn’t shove me away. Rome held me close.

The exterior of our house was lit like a Disneyworld attraction. I didn’t think there was a single shadow within yards of the house. Drew pulled into the garage immediately, and we all sat there, unmoving, until the door was shut behind us completely.

Once it was, the door leading into the house swung open, and Ivy filled the doorway. Her face was clean of makeup and her hair was pulled away from her face. Worry marred her features, as she shifted from foot to foot, waiting for us to get out.

Braeden glanced at me. I smiled. “Go on.”

He leaned in to kiss me, and Romeo pushed his head away. “You’re pushing it,” he rumbled.

“If you need protection, come get me,” Braeden whispered, loud.

“Get out of the car,” Romeo snapped.

I put a hand against his chest as if I would restrain him. Actually, Iwouldif I needed to. He was threatening my BBFL.

Braeden got out of the car. He didn’t seem the least bit offended. Ivy was bouncing right beside the passenger door where he exited. I watched him lift her off her feet and kiss her cheek. She smiled, her arms tight around his neck.

Then she pulled away and peered into the still-open door. “I’ve been worried sick! If Nova wasn’t already in bed, I’d have driven to the hospital, too!”

“You don’t need to be out at night!” Braeden and Drew snapped at the same time.

Romeo and Trent made sounds of agreement.

Ivy met my eyes. “They’re like this tonight, huh?”

I nodded dramatically.

She sighed, resigned. “C’mon. I made cider.”

I started to slip away from Romeo, to scoot across the backseat toward the door. I didn’t get far. He lifted me, held me on his lap, and exited the backseat on his side, all while lifting me into his arms.

“I can walk,” I told him.

“No.”

I looked at Trent for help, but he crossed his arms over his chest.

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