Page 59 of His Greatest Treasure

“Outgoing, loud, friendly. He loved to show me off, and I enjoyed being introduced as his girlfriend just as much. I had blinders on, and once the honeymoon period disappeared, it was easier to see the guy he hid behind the persona I was always shown. Arrogant, proud, possessive. He was suddenly everything I knew I’d never wanted. Then, I got pregnant, and you know what happened after that.”

“He’s not worthy of either of you. Not of your time, attention, or concern,” Oliver grunts.

“I know that now. I’ve known it for years. But it’s too late to kick him to the curb. We’re tied together for life. Nova deserves afamily, and I already feel bad enough that it’s a broken one,” I admit, regret lining my stomach.

“Fuck that,” he says, moving toward me with long strides. I tip my head back to keep eye contact and swallow. “Nova doesn’t have a broken home. She has a mother who loves her more than anything and will do everything she can to make her happy.”

“How long will that be enough? How long willIbe enough for her?” My words drift to whispers when my voice cracks, exposing my hurt.

I tear my eyes away and drop my head, but he’s there with a finger beneath my chin, tipping it right back up.

“You willalwaysbe enough for the people who love you.”

“Fuck. You’re supposed to be a grumpy asshole,” I say with a weak smile, hoping to downplay the effect his words have on me.

“I have moments of wisdom hidden beneath the rudeness. They come out every once in a while.”

“If you let them out more often, you’d have women swarming you.”

“That isn’t what I want.”

“Oh.”

He lifts the corner of his mouth into a tiny smile and slowly curls his finger over the edge of my jaw before gliding it along the underside. I shiver and lean closer, feeling the subtle touch all the way down in my toes.

“Is Nova going to be okay?”

I manage to tip my chin enough for it to be construed as a nod. “She’s strong.”

“Gets it from her mom.”

“Now you’re just trying to suck up,” I tease faintly.

“If that makes it easier for you to accept the compliment, then sure, princess. I’m sucking up.”

“The last time I tried to dive into your head, you ran off. I’m just trying to avoid that happening again.”

“I’ve had enough running from you, I think,” he says.

“What do you mean?”

“Mom? Can I have a hug now?” Nova asks.

Oliver steps back before I can make myself do it, and I shoot him a grateful smile. Nova doesn’t look surprised to find him in our living room, and her lack of reaction speaks volumes.

I rush toward her and pull her into my arms. “You can have a million hugs if you want, baby.”

“Can we do something fun today?” she whispers into my shoulder.

“Sure. What do you want to do?”

Pulling back, she peeks over my shoulder and asks, “Are you still a firefighter?”

I twist in time to see Oliver grin at my daughter, and I think I black out for a second as my ovaries pop and sizzle.

He’s not put out by the childish question. Instead, he leans into it with an openness that means the world to me.

“Yeah, peanut. I’m a firefighter. Have you ever seen a fire truck up close before?”

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