Page 121 of Beautiful Scar

“I don’t know,” he admits, bouncing her as she fusses slightly. I start to get ready to breastfeed, and he quickly turns his back. “Jesus, don’t just whip it out, Dash.”

“Don’t talk about my wife’s perfectly natural body like that,” Tigran rumbles, looking annoyed. “Breastfeeding is normal and incredible. She’s a fucking miracle.”

“I’m just saying.” Evan hands Amelia over to my husband, his face red with embarrassment, and Tigran hands her over to me.

She has a little trouble latching at first, but we eventually get there.

“You’ll get used to it,” I whisper to her, stroking her hair.

Evan sits in a chair, looking anywhere but at me.

He’ll get used to it too eventually. Or not, that’s his problem, not mine.

I exchange a look with Tigran and roll my eyes.

“You know what’s weird?” I ask, enjoying the warmth of my baby girl against my chest. “They’re just going to let us leave.”

“That’s how it happens,” Evan says, glancing over at me.

“I know, but this is ababy. I don’t know anything about taking care of her.”

“You’ll be fine.” Evan shakes his head at the look on my face. “No, really, I mean it. Look, this is lame as fuck, so please don’t ask me to ever say it again, but—” He takes a deep breath. “This kid’s loved. You two love each other too, which is amazing. There’s enough love between you three to power a fucking small midwestern city. It’ll be hard, but you’ll be fine.”

“We’ll have nannies,” Tigran offers with a tired grin. He takes my hand and holds it as Amelia feeds.

“I know. I know. I’m just—I’m just getting used to this, that’s all.”

“You guys are going to be fine.” Evan pushes himself to his feet. “All right, let me fetch you both something to eat.”

“I can provide food for my family,” Tigran protests with a hard glare.

“Easy there, caveman, we’re all aware of your hunting prowess. Take a moment alone and let me help. Lord knows you’ll wish you did later on when that baby’s crying at two in the morning.”

“Didn’t know you were an expert on childrearing,” Tigran grumbles, but he sinks back down and leans against me.

Once Evan’s gone, I sit back and enjoy the quiet. My husband watches our daughter, and I watch them both.

My brother’s right. There’s enough love in this room to last forever. And maybe I am freaking out a little bit over the logistics of raising a kid, but plenty of people do it all the time.

It can’t be that hard, right?

“We’re going to be good parents,” Tigran says, kissing my hand.

“How do you know?”

“Because we give a shit.” He strips off his shirt and gestures. “Now, give me the child. I need time with her.”

I laugh lightly and hand her over. Something about big, tatted, dangerous, gorgeous Tigran holding a teeny, tiny baby against his shirtless torso makes my womb spasm with pure obsessive joy.

This might be the best moment of my entire life.

Right up until Evan comes back. “What the fuck?” he says, frowning. “Why are you naked?”

“It’s called skin to skin,” Tigran snaps at him.

“Looks weird.”

“Get the fuck out.”

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