Page 65 of Risk

“No.”

“You want something else?”

“No.” His tone is off.

Placing the glass and juice carton on the countertop, I turn to face him. He’s standing across the room from me, his back leaning against the wall. His arms folded across his chest. Everything about his body language screams tense.

I get a pang of worry in my chest. He hasn’t changed his mind about the babies, has he? No, he wouldn’t. But the things my brothers were saying might have freaked him out. I mean, for fuck’s sake, what they said about us being together or getting married—what frigging decade are they living in? And like they would have gotten married if it were them. Actually, Zeus would have married Cam if he’d known back then that she was pregnant with Gigi. And Ares is a little traditional. He would have definitely wanted to marry Ari if she’d gotten pregnant in the early days of their relationship.

“What’s up?” I say to him, trying to make my voice sound normal and not betray my concerns.

“Something you said has been bothering me.”

“Something I said? When?”

“Tonight, at Zeus’s.”

“Okay. What did I say that’s been bothering you?”

“That I don’t want to be with you.”

I let out a small laugh, pick up the carton, and pour juice into my glass. “You don’t.”

“Says who?”

“You.”

He pushes off the wall so he’s standing straight. “I’ve never once said that.”

“You said it when you left the hotel while I was still sleeping.”

“For fuck’s sake.” He drags a hand through his hair. “You want to know why I left that hotel? Not because I didn’t want you.Don’twant you. It’s becauseI’mnot good enough foryou. Because I’m older than you. Because your brother is the closest thing I’ve ever had to family. It was never because I didn’t want you. I’ve wanted you for years.”

I shake my head in confusion.

He moves a step closer. “I want you, Missy. I always have.”

His words shock my system like a nuclear explosion dusting my vital organs. And, God, do I want to believe him, but he’s saying this now. When I’m pregnant with his children. I know Kaden never really had a family, growing up. I know he grew up in the foster care system. It would make sense that he would want a family.

That’s easier for me to believe than him saying that he’s wanted me for years, but never did anything because he thinks he isn’t good enough for me.

I mean, Jesus Christ, look at him. He’s beautiful. He’s smart, thoughtful, caring—when he’s not ditching me in a hotel room.

And I want to be with him, but not like this. Not for the sake of our babies. I want to be with a man who wants me. Not what I now have to offer him.

“I…” I swallow. “I’m sorry, Kaden. I just…”

“You don’t believe me?”

I shake my head. “No, I don’t. How can I know if you’re saying this because you actually want to be with me or because you want the babies?”

“Jesus, Missy. I have the babies whether or not we’re together. I’ll always be in their lives.”

“But being a part-time parent isn’t as good as being a full-time one.”

“Babe, there’s no part-time parenting for me. I’m all in. I’m going to be caring for them when you’re at school, and then I’ll be there with them when you come home at night.”

Babe.

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