Page 94 of Saved By the Boss

“I love you, too,” he says, his voice thick with emotion. “Of course, I do. How could I not?”

“Are you sure?” I ask, my voice breaking. “Are you really sure?”

He pulls back just enough to look into my eyes, his hands framing my face.

“Jade,” he says firmly. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. Everything I did, even trusting Patrick to have my back, is because I love you. The moment I knew you were in danger, I felt like the world was crashing down on me. I don’t want to be in a world you aren’t in.”

Relief floods through me, and I press my forehead against his, a soft laugh escaping my lips. But then the weight of my secret crashes back down on me, and I pull back, biting my lip nervously.

“There’s something else I’ve been keeping from you.”

He frowns slightly but nods. “Okay,” he says, grabbing my hands and squeezing gently. “Whatever it is, just tell me. We’ll get through it together.”

I take a deep breath, my hands trembling slightly in his. “I’m pregnant,” I say, the words rushing out before I can second-guess myself. “I found out yesterday.”

For a moment, he doesn’t say anything, his expression unreadable. My heart pounds in my chest, and I brace myself for whatever reaction might come. But then he smiles a wide, genuine, joyful smile, and a laugh bubbles out of him.

“Are you serious?” he asks, his voice filled with wonder. “We’re having a baby?”

I nod, tears streaming down my face again. “Yeah,” I whisper. “We’re having a baby.”

Saying those words fills me with an instant sense of relief, replaced quickly by the same joy on Declan’s face. After everything we’ve just come through, it’s so amazing that there’s something so precious to look forward to.

He lets out a whoop of laughter, lifting me off the ground and spinning me around before pulling me into a kiss. “Jade, that’s amazing,” he says, his voice choked with emotion. “You have no idea how happy this makes me.”

Before I can respond, Patrick steps forward, clapping a hand on Declan’s shoulder and grinning. “Congratulations, little brother,” he says, his voice warm. “Looks like I’m going to be an uncle.”

Declan laughs, shaking his head in disbelief. “I swear,” he says, his voice softening as he looks at me. “This is the last of the violence you’ll ever see. I’m going to make sure of it.”

I nod, my heart swelling with love for this man, for the future we’re building together, even if it feels like it’s still precariously balanced. Patrick eventually excuses himself, telling us he has to make sure Ron’s store is fully restored. I watch as he and Declan share a moment, something between them strengthening before my eyes.

I wrap my arms around myself to stay grounded, to keep myself from getting overwhelmed after everything that’s happened in the last few hours. As horrible as that basement was, it’s over now. Fabian is gone for good and I’m free for the first time in two years.

More than that, though, I’m in love with a wonderful man, we have a baby on the way, and he’s actually happy about it. It’ll take me some time to get used to this new reality, but I can already tell that it’s going to be wonderful.

Declan sees Patrick off, then comes back in, turning to me with a mischievous glint in his eye. “So,” he says, his voice teasing. “Paris or Milan?”

I blink at him, confused. “What?”

“For a honeymoon,” he says with a grin. “I need to start planning, don’t I?”

I laugh, shaking my head. “You’re insane.”

“Maybe,” he says, leaning down to kiss me. “I’m madly in love with you.”

And as I kiss him back, the rest of the world fades away.

Epilogue

Jade

One Year Later

Istand in front of a mirror in a sea of lace and tulle, my heart pounding in my chest wildly as I consider what I’m about to do. I’ve survived worse than this, but the idea of everyone staring at me while I walk down the aisle in this gorgeous designer dress is just about to send me over the edge.

Tawny is fussing with the hem of the dress, her fingers tugging and adjusting while she mutters under her breath about wrinkles that aren’t even visible.

“This dress is a masterpiece,” she says for the hundredth time. “And you, my dear, are a vision.”

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