Page 45 of Reclaimed

“Ladies first.” She smirks.

I lift an eyebrow. “By all means, princess. Help yourself.”

“I am eating for two.” She laughs. “God, it feels good to say something like that out loud. I suppose since you now know, I can stop hiding the baby books and my stockpile.”

“Stockpile of what?”

Isla crosses the room to a door along the back wall and throws it open.

“I thought that was a basement,” I say as I lean forward in my chair to peer inside. “It locks from the outside so I didn’t check it when I did the walk-through.”

“Just an extra-large pantry.”

She’s not exaggerating. And her stockpile is pretty big too. There’s a stack of diaper boxes that nearly reaches the ceiling, and a car seat is on the floor near the door. Some other unopened boxes are pushed near the back.

“You’re really prepared.”

“I don’t think that’s actually possible, but I’m making a solid attempt. I’m trying to get as much stuff as I can before I’m forced to quit dancing. Eventually, I’ll get too big for it to be possible, but my doctor said as long as I’m feeling good it’s safe enough for now.”

My midsection tightens like a fist wrapped around my torso and squeezed.

Shit.

The reason is abundantly clear. I don’t want her to dance.

Nothing has changed except now I know that she’s carrying a baby, and suddenly the idea of her on that stage being leered at by strange men feels suffocating.

Or maybe it’s the fact there’s now two people to protect.

I once stepped in front of a gun. But now it feels like there’s a hundred faceless, nameless guns aimed at her from everydirection and I don’t know where to stand to defend them. We don’t have enough information.

Not noticing my internal departure, Isla shuts the door and repackages our late-night snack.

“If you don’t mind, I think I’m ready for bed.”

I don’t turn around until I wipe the relief from my expression. I could use some time to process this. “Sounds good. I could use some rest too.”

“Thank you for standing up for me. And for not freaking out.”

“What is there to freak out about? The threat will be long over before your baby is born and by then, everyone will understand why we did what we did.”

Everyone but me.

Because when I stood up today and said that baby was mine, I don’t think I was faking it.

The thought of Isla and I doing this together makes me feel like I’m right where I belong.

13

Aiden

I tearthe headset off my head just in time to take Isla’s call on my cell.

“Hey.”

“Hi,” she says curiously. “I wasn’t sure if you would pick up. I was just going to leave you a message.”

“I work from home. It’s not often I’m away from my phone.”

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