Page 93 of Crown of Smoke

“Grow up, Blaise. Come on, let's give them a minute,” Ash says.

My brothers' presence fades away. The room narrows to just me and Lucy, to this moment where everything I never knew I wanted hangs in the balance.

"I'm asking if you could see yourself staying. Not just until this is over, but… after. With me."

Lucy's eyes widen slightly, but she remains silent. The pause stretches between us until I can barely stand it.

"Flint, I…" She trails off, uncertainty written across her features.

Lucy's hand trembles in mine, and I fight the urge to pull her closer, to convince her with actions rather than words. But I've pushed too many times already. I need her to want me, to accept me fully.

She bites her lip, looking down at our still-joined hands. The hesitation in her expression cuts deep, but I can’t blame her. I've given her every reason to doubt me. I've lied, hidden who I really am, dragged her into a world of violence and revenge. How can I expect her to choose this life, to choose me?

33

LUCY

I’m speechless as I work to process everything. I know he told me loved me before, but that could have been because of a concussion or pain medication. But here he is asking me to be with him.

I think of all the reasons that should stop me. His criminal family. His focus on violent revenge. His lying about who he was. I realize that today, he and his brothers had the perfect opportunity to kill Ronan, and yet, they saved me. They sacrificed all they’d planned over the last ten years for me.

“You didn’t kill Ronan.”

Pain flashes in his eyes and he steps back, making me regret my comment. “Not yet.”

I touch his bruised face, thinking of how he rescued me today. How he's always coming for me, protecting me, choosing me.

"Yes," I whisper, then clear my throat to say it stronger. "Yes, I'd consider staying, but…" My voice trembles. "There's something else you should consider before…"

His brow furrows, concern flooding his features.

"I'm pregnant." The words come out in a rush. "I wasn't sure how to tell you, especially after learning who you really are."

Flint goes completely still. For a terrifying moment, I can't read his expression. The silence stretches on and on. Flint's face remains frozen, his blue eyes wide with shock. Even his brothers, who moments ago were pretending to be busy ignoring us, have gone completely quiet.

My stomach churns, and this time, it's not morning sickness. "I understand if this changes things. I know your life is complicated, and a baby doesn’t fit well in your plans for revenge. But you should know before making any promises about our future."

The silence continues to stretch. One of his brothers, I think it's Ash, mutters something under his breath that I can't quite catch.

I'd started to believe we could build something real, despite our complicated past. But now, watching him process my news with that blank expression, doubt creeps in like a cold fog. "If you need time to think about it…" I start to step back, but his hand covers mine where it rests on my stomach.

"You're… pregnant?" Flint's voice cuts through my spiral of anxious thoughts. "With my baby?"

Before I can respond, he pulls me into his arms with such force it knocks the breath from my lungs. His mouth crashes into mine, hungry and desperate, like a man starved. The passion in his kiss steals my ability to think, to worry, to do anything but feel.

My heart soars as relief floods through me. I wrap my arms around his neck, pressing closer, feeling the solid strength of him. His hands frame my face as he breaks the kiss, pressing his forehead to mine.

"A baby," he breathes against my lips, wonder and joy mingling in his voice. It's a tone I've never heard from him before. Pure, unfiltered happiness.

His hands slide down to my waist, pulling me impossibly closer as he captures my mouth again. This kiss is slower, deeper, filled with promise. I melt into him, my fingers threading through his dark hair as the rest of the world fades away.

For this moment, there are no Keans, no revenge plots, no complicated pasts. Just us and the new life we've created together.

"I know your world is dangerous," I whisper against him. "But I also know no one would protect us better than you."

His arms tighten. "No one will ever touch either of you. I swear it."

"I love you, Flint Ifrinn."

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