Page 38 of Mending Scars

“Like what?” She moved so that she could look up at me. “Like whose apartment we’re going to live in, everything we need to get for him or her, stuff like that.”

I hadn’t thought about where we were going to live once the baby was born—I was still processing the fact that we we’re even having one. “Definitely not here.” I was not living with Kamden.

Kaiya chuckled. “Well, your apartment is too small—we need a nursery for the baby.”

“We can get a bigger apartment or maybe even a house.”

Her eyes lit up. “Really?”

I ran my fingers through her hair. “Yeah.” I smiled. “Get our own place, start a family.”

Kaiya smiled sweetly and looked at me dreamily. “That sounds perfect.”

I had to admit that it did. Settling down hadn’t ever appealed to me, but Kaiya always found a way to change my mind about things.

“Yeah, it does.” I kissed the top of her head. “So are you happy about Kamden?”

The sigh she made was full of relief. “Yes. I hope he can pull through this. I want him to be a part of the baby’s life, but not if he’s going to be angry and drunk all the time.”

That’s not going to happen.I wouldn’t let Kamden near our baby if he didn’t get his shit together, Kaiya’s brother or not. “I’m sure he will. He’s stubborn like you, so I don’t think he’ll give up.”

She smacked my chest and scoffed. “I’m not stubborn.”

My chest rumbled with laughter. “Sure, baby, whatever you say.”

Kaiya softly giggled, then suddenly stopped and became serious. “Do you think I’ll be a good mom?”

I looked in her eyes and cupped her cheek. “The best. I couldn’t have asked for a better woman to have my kids.”

She placed her hand over my mine and her eyes watered. “I’m just worried that because I’m so fucked up that I’ll screw their life up, too.” She hung her head and avoided my eyes.

I framed her face in my hands, forcing her to look at me again. “Hey. You’re not fucked up, Warrior. You may be scarred, but you’re not broken. You’re the most incredible person I’ve ever met. You’ve changed my whole life, made me better.” I paused and stroked her cheeks softly. “You’re going to be an amazing mother, Ky.”

A few tears slipped down her face. I wiped them away as she leaned up and softly kissed my lips. She pulled back, and the corner of her mouth slightly lifted. “I think you’re biased but thank you.”

I lightly chuckled. “No, I’m not—you are. You think what Kaleb did to you made you weak, but in reality, it did the opposite. He tried to break you, but he didn’t. He only made you stronger.”

“He didn’t make me stronger.” Her eyes held mine. “You did.”

I smiled and caressed her cheeks. “I only built on what was already there. You may have had some splinters and cracks, but your foundation was still strong.”

She turned into one of my hands and kissed my palm. “I don’t know where I’d be without you. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me.” She looked down at her stomach and placed her hands on it. “Especially blessing me with this.”

Leaning my forehead against hers, I followed her gaze. “You’re the one blessing me, Warrior. You carrying my baby is just…” I put my hands over hers. “Amazing.”

We stayed like that for several seconds before Kaiya spoke. “Did you say kids?”

I pulled my head back from hers. “Huh?”

She grinned playfully. “A minute ago—you said that you couldn’t have asked for a better woman to have your kids.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Yeah?”

“Plural, meaning more than one?”

I chuckled. “Yes. I want you to have my kids, plural.”

She tucked some of her hair behind her ear. “You know, I never planned to have kids.”

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