Page 42 of The Sinner's Touch

Kade slid off the table and stood there, shock raging.

“Kade,” Angel whispered.

He turned to face her, and all his shock was mirrored in those cat eyes of hers. She looked lost, alone, and so very sad. This wasn’t her fault—well, no more her fault than his. She didn’t need to see him freaking out. She was hurt and scared. That trumped his own fear of what a pregnancy meant.

His hand cupped her cheek. “Hey, now, it’s all going to be okay.”

“I’m sorry.” Her misery washed over him like a tidal wave, and it helped to clear some of his own shock away. She needed him to take care of her more than she needed him to be freaking out right now.

“You don’t have anything to be sorry for, Angel.” He gave her a smile, trying to reassure her and fight back the panic at the same time. It probably came out more of a grimace, if he was honest with himself.

“She sure as fuck doesn’t.”

Peter’s angry voice sounded right behind him, and he turned. Damn, but his friend looked pissed. Kade might be infor a beatdown. Not that he blamed him. The fact they had no sisters was one of the few things the Kincaid brothers thanked God for on the regular. The poor girl would never have survived six brothers. Nor would any guy she ever dared to so much as glance at. What if he had a daughter? God’s sense of humor would surely bite Kade in the ass in the form of payback.

“Peter, don’t.” Angel’s plea made her brother’s expression harden.

“Outside. Now.” He turned and stormed off.

Kade gave Angel a quick kiss on the forehead and followed his very pissed-off best friend to an empty hallway away from the staff and patients. Peter’s fist was balled and ready to land when they finally came to a halt.

“Wait.” Kade held up his hand. “I know you’re mad…”

“You think?” Anger vibrated off Peter, and Kade winced, hoping this would end better than he thought it would.

“No one expected this. We were always so careful.” Kade shook his head. “It is what it is, and…”

He barely registered the fist that swung at him with brutal efficiency, let alone have time to dodge it. The blow landed squarely on his eye, and pain burst to light amid an array of stars. He staggered backward, the wall breaking his fall. Damn, that hurt.

“You stupid, irresponsible…”

“Look, Peter, I don’t know what we’re going to do, what Angel wants to do. This is her decision.”

“But what do you want to do?” Peter eyeballed him, begging him to say the wrong thing.

Hell, what was the right thing to say? He didn’t know. This was too fast, too soon, everything sprung on him with no warning. Did he even want a kid? Could he take care of one? What if Angel didn’t want to keep it? He swallowed. He knew hewanted the baby to have a chance, but he also knew ultimately it wasn’t his decision.

Did he want the baby? He loved Angel, and he knew as panicked as he was right now, he’d love the baby because it was a part of her.

“I want what she wants.” That was the best answer he could come up with.

“And if she wants an abortion?” Peter relaxed slightly, but only slightly.

“As much as that bothers me, I’d support her if that’s what she decided.”

“So, you want the baby?”

“Shit, Peter, I don’t know what the fuck I want.” Kade felt sick, his fear bubbling. “I just found out a few minutes ago there even is a baby. Can I have five minutes to process before you finish the Inquisition?”

“No. You can’t have five minutes, because she’s in there twice as freaked as either one of us, scared to death you’re going to walk out…”

“I love her. I wouldn’t walk away from her because she’s pregnant.”

“That’s all you had to say.” Peter cracked his knuckles. “You’re going to marry her.”

Whoa, what? Marriage?

The air went out of his lungs, and a few spots of darkness crept up around his vision.

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