Page 16 of Still Burning

“Nixie is pregnant,” he said. “And she had a paternity test done. The baby is yours.”

Shock led to a moment of complete numbness as I sat there, staring at Liam. I heard his words. I understood what he was saying. But there was a feeling of reality slipping, or my mind was rejecting the information—I wasn’t sure. Maybe it was the lack of oxygen because I realized I’d stopped breathing.

I sucked in air as I shot up off the sofa. Shaking my head, I felt caged. Like I needed to run.

“No,” I finally said. “No. It’s not mine.”

It couldn’t be. I always used protection. Nixie was lying.

“She’s lying,” I blurted, hearing the franticness in my voice. But, fuck it, I was frantic.

Panicking. Jesus, what would Salem say, do?

FUCK! I had just gotten her back. What if I lost her?

“It is. I didn’t want to believe it either, but I have a copy of the results,” he said. “Seems she snuck into your room and got hair from your brush for a DNA sample. She’s young and a basket case. She’s scared, Tex.” He held a piece of paper out for me to take. Something so insignificant but could destroy everything I had. Loved.

I spun around, my head pounding. “I don’t give a fuck what she is! This…this can’t be true. Salem will…I just got her back…how can I tell her this? She’ll leave me.” Just saying those words feltlike my chest was being ripped open.

I couldn’t live through losing her again. I wouldn’t recover a second time.

Liam’s grim expression wasn’t helping to calm me down. “If she loves you, then she will stay. You didn’t cheat. This happened before you and Salem were together. According to the due date, it happened almost a month before Salem came to the compound.”

I continued to shake my head as I snatched the offending paper from his hand. “I have never fucked raw but with Salem. Ever. The consequences weren’t something I was willing to chance, except with Salem. She was and has always been the only woman I would want to mother my children. Not…God! Not fucking Nixie. She’s not fit to be a mother.”

“Cock piercings, brother. Condoms don’t always hold up against them,” he said with a shrug. “Nixie is going to be the mother to your child. And I know this is a lot to fucking take in, but, Tex, it’s your kid.”

A hard, maniacal laugh came from me. “I’m not gonna fall in love with her like you did with Liberty. This won’t be a fucking fairy tale. I’ve walked into my own personal hell.”

Liam stood up. “I’m not saying you will fall in love with her. Liberty and I were different. I think a part of me fell in love with her the night I met her. I am saying that you’ll love the kid, and you have to find a way to be a part of its life. You’re right. Nixie will be a shit mom, and the kid is gonna need one good parent.”

The air in the room was stifling. I needed to see Salem. Hold her. Kiss her. Reassure myself that she was mine. I’d make her love me so much that she could accept this. I refused to lose her. I’d chase her ass this time if she tried to leave me. Beg her on my goddamn knees if I had to.

“I gotta go,” I said, heading for the door.

“Nixie is already telling people. The entire club will knowbefore the day is over,” Liam warned as I reached the door, jerking it open.

Fuck. Where was Salem? What if someone had told her? I had to find her and get her safely locked in my room. If she was in my room with me—just me—I could keep her from this. My thoughts were slipping off the edge of sane.

But the thought of Salem being hurt, seeing that broken look in her eyes again—like the day she’d caught that bitch blowing me—was eating me alive. I had to protect her.

7

Salem

I buried my nose into Rome’s back and inhaled deeply as the wind rushed by us. He’d come to get me from the kitchen to go for a ride. This had become one of my favorite things to do over the past couple of weeks. Rome seemed to want me alone more and more lately. Nina had teased that he didn’t like sharing me with anyone. I didn’t mind. I loved having him all to myself.

We hadn’t been on the road long before I realized he was taking us to his property. That meant a longer time on his bike and away from everyone else. Smiling, I lifted my head and tightened my arms around his waist. I felt his abs flex as he glanced back at me and grinned.

I realized that you never forgot. You simply missed something so strongly that you shut it away in your memories in order to cope without it. Rome’s smile broke open all those feelings. Allowing me to have them again.

My insecurities had faded until there weren’t any left. Rome made sure that there was no room for them. How could there be when he looked at me the way he did? His need to always have me close, to be touching me in some way, reassured me that I wasn’t alone in this. He felt it too. He wanted me just as much as I did him.

The bike rumbled to a stop, and I looked around the land, surprised to see the grass freshly cut and the limbs that hadfallen gone. It was one large, open field now. Had he removed trees too? It seemed bigger.

When he cut the engine, I began unbuckling my helmet, ready to get off and stretch my legs. With the grass so short, I wasn’t intimidated by walking around.

Rome climbed off and took my helmet, then held his hand out for me.

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