Page 108 of The Broken Note

Pounding drums. Insistent crescendoes.

The song of a madman.

And I’ve joined in his delirium.

Because it doesn’t hit me until the next morning that, all through the night, we never once used protection.

CHAPTERTWENTY-SEVEN

DUTCH

I wake up with my arms locked tight around Cadey’s waist. Her body’s curled into mine.How is she so freaking beautiful?Light radiates from her skin. No makeup. Tussled hair. Lips swollen from my rough kisses.

I graze my thumb over her mouth.

Her face is hot to the touch.

She stirs and I remove my hand, glancing out to the treetops beyond the front door. Sunshine is pouring through the skylight, falling on us as we lie tangled in each other’s arms.

This is the second time I’ve fallen asleep cuddling Cadey.

I’m like a domesticated wolf, only willing to snuggle if it’s her.

“Mm.” Cadey makes a sound in her sleep and nuzzles against my chest. I cradle her closer, resting my forehead against hers and just… breathing.

With her in my arms like this, it feels like all the pieces are snapping into place. The fury inside, the anger, the uncertainty, it’s being stripped away with every sweet breath that leaves her lips.

I can handle my father.

Miller.

The future.

A son.

Excitement explodes in my chest.

I pumped her full so many times that there’s a real possibility one of them took.

At this moment, our kid could be stirring to life.

A phone buzzes. I glance around, my eyes skipping past our discarded clothes until I locate her purse strewn over one of the hammocks.

It’s probably Vi wondering where she is.

Sometime during the night, I allowed Cadence to check on her sister, but it’s morning now. I have to let her go, even if I don’t want to.

“Cadey, you need to wake up.”

“Mm-mm.” She protests. Her mouth stretches into a pout. Her brows knot.

She’s cute as hell.

I graze my lips over her temple. “Come on. Get dressed. We need to pick up Viola.”

“Mff.” Her eyelids crack apart.

I press a kiss to her neck. “Cadey.”

---