Page 110 of Bitter Arrangement

Fucking hell, this girl is a whirlwind.

And I’d be lying if I said I didn’t absolutely love it.

Chapter40

Alexan

Iput on my best suit, load my favorite gun, and tie my most comfortable shoes. I check myself in the mirror, strangely calm despite everything riding on this meeting.

I have to trust that the plan will work.

One week ago, I nearly got my ass caught hanging off a drainpipe. Now I’m heading over to drop off a dossier to the local Mantis operative who took over for Jeremy Fong. And who most likely cut off Jeremy’s head.

“Riley? Where’d you disappear to?” I walk down to the kitchen, but she’s nowhere around. I want to say goodbye, just in case. “We have to go over the contingency plan.” If Mantis murders me today, Riley has to run to the McGrath leader, Liam McGrath, as fast as she can. Only he’ll be able to keep her safe. Daron has orders to make sure she stays alive, no matter what happens to me.

My wife appears from the downstairs powder room. She looks pale, and I can’t blame her. A lot can go wrong, and the stakes are impossibly high.

“Alexan,” she says, her voice trembling.

“It’ll be okay, baby.” I go to her, but she holds up her hand.

Clutched in her fist is something white and pink.

I stare, not comprehending at first.

“Alexan,” she says again. “I just took this.”

Then it hits me.

“That’s a pregnancy test.”

“I know. I should’ve said something sooner, but—” She chews her lip and stares into my eyes. Tears roll down her cheek. “It’s positive.”

Fuck.

My world stops.

Everything goes completely still.

The outside doesn’t exist anymore. Riley is the only person in the whole world. I reach for her, my mouth working.

Then joy floods me. It’s so intense, I can barely control it. I crush the distance between us and wrap my arms around her. I hug her close and lift her into the air, laughing like a maniac.

“You’re pregnant!” I yell, flinging her around. “You’re fucking pregnant!”

“Alexan!” she says, laughing too. “Put me down, you crazy person! You’re going to break my spine!”

I lower her back to her feet and bury my mouth in a kiss. My hand moves to her stomach, even though I know I can’t feel the baby yet. But they’re in there. My little child is in there.

“This is perfect,” I whisper, forehead pressed to hers. “God, I love you, Riley.”

“I love you too.” She strokes my cheek, grinning through her tears. “But what if this doesn’t work out? What if?—”

“You know what to do. Brenden will get you to Liam. From there, Daron and Liam will help you disappear. You’ll raise our child and have a good life. You’ll be happy.”

“Alexan,” she says, shaking her head. “I can’t do this without you.”

“You can if you have to. But I promise, baby, if I can come back to you, nothing in this fucking world will stop me. Because you’re mine, and that baby is mine, and I won’t ever lose you.”

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