Page 180 of Stars in Umbra
A laugh escaped him, a broken, disbelieving sound, swallowed almost at once by the sob that tore through him.
He pulled her down with him, onto the floor, into his arms, burying his face in the warm curve of her neck.
His body shook with silent, joyful tears, and she wrapped her hands around him in quiet comfort.
She held him as he embraced her and the fragile new life they had created.
He calmed down after a few minutes, then reared back, as he shared a sudden thought. ‘Are we keeping it?’
‘Of course we are, handsome,’ she chided.
He stared at her, shaking his head in disbelief.
‘I freaked out too at first,’ she confessed, smiling despite the sheen in her eyes. ‘Which is partly why I didn’t share.’
His smile slipped, his brow furrowing. ‘Not sure how I feel about that, woman.’
‘I was also in complete shock, so give me a break. We also needed your enemies out of the way first.’
He soothed her with a hand stroking her jawline. ‘Apology accepted. We had a lot going on.’
‘Still, I wasn’t ready, so I grappled with it for some time, but I got my shit together and accepted we’re having a baby.’
He took an inhale. ‘Does this make us a family?’
‘Naam, forever and a day soldier.’
Rina gathered him close.
He pressed his forehead to hers.
‘Fokkyeah,’ he whispered. ‘Yes to the baby. Yes to a life together. Yes to you. Always. I love you so much.’
‘I love you more.’
Mo stared into her eyes for a long time, shaking his head in disbelief. ‘How did I get so lucky?’
RINA
After her confession, Rina held her man tighter, unable to speak past the emotion swelling in her chest; relief, joy, and the lifting of her guilt.
When she found her breath once more, she cupped Mo’s jaw, her thumb brushing over the rough stubble there, her eyes wet.
‘Set your burdens down, Mo,’ she whispered. ‘I know the sorrow you’ve carried, the past scars, the pain of it all. However, I don’t just see the soldier, or the merc, or the pain. I see the man. I see the god-light in you, whether you believe it or not, and I want to guard it, nurture it, keep it alive with you.’
She leaned closer, her forehead resting against his. ‘Love isn’t always gentle. It can bruise, it can cut, but I’m not afraid of that. Not if I’m facing it with you. Whatever comes, we’ll face it as one.’
Her hand slid to his chest, over the steady thunder of his heart. ‘I know you’ll cherish our child. You’ll protect them and safeguard us, with everything in you. I want that. I want to build a life with you, even if it’s small and humble. A clan of our own. A family we choose, and fight for.’
Her voice broke into a fiercer tone. ‘The truth is, there’s nowhere to hide from you. You’ve stripped me bare in every way that matters. And if it costs me my pride, my walls, even the portion of me that once thought I could walk away, then so be it. Because I would rather lose pieces of myself than ever surrender you.’
MOLAN
Mo cradled his woman, his broad shoulders trembling, his fingers flexing against her back like he didn’t trust the moment to stay.
He had never thought this reality, of a lover, a baby to look forward to, and a found family, would be part of his story. Not him. Not after everything. And yet, here she was. Heretheywere.
Mo’s hand cupped Rina’s face, rough thumb brushing over the softness of her cheek.
