Page 20 of Masked Indulgence
“Of course. You’re having my baby. You have to meet the people who’ll love him almost as much as we will.” He kissed meagain.
This was all going too perfectly. It didn’t make sense. Things never went perfectly in my world. Something would eventually happen to fuck it all up. But for now, things were going well, and I could enjoy themoment.
When our lips parted, he had more great things to tell me. “I know this is sudden. I mean, we’ve been hit with a lot. But you’re not in this alone. And I want to be there for you just as much as the baby. Come to Malibu. Live in my home. I’m not rushing a relationship or anything like that, so don’t get scared off by what I’m sayinghere.”
“You aren’t?” I asked. “I mean, I don’t want to force anything either. Do you have enough room for me to have my own bedroom, so we’re not moving things toofast?”
“I’ve got four bedrooms. You’ll have one, and the baby will have one, and we’ll still have one for guests. All of the bedrooms have their own bathrooms so we won’t be getting in each other’s way.” He kissed my cheek. “I mean it. I want to be a part of this whole thing, the pregnancy too. I don’t want to miss a single thing where this child isconcerned.”
I was grateful to hear how optimistic he was about this whole thing. But I didn’t want to become a burden to him. “I’ll pay half the rent and all the otherbills.”
“Like hell, you will.” He got underneath the blanket with me and put his arm around me. “What is it you do for a living,anyway?”
“I design book covers. I’m a freelancer. I can work from home. I’ll never have to leave the baby with a sitter to do my job.” I smiled. The flexibility of my job made me happy. With all the worries I had about having this child, knowing that I wouldn’t have to find a babysitter was a greatrelief.
“Cool. Not that you’ll have to work. I’ve got more than enough money. But if you want to do it to keep yourself busy, go right ahead.” He gave my shoulders a littlesqueeze.
“I won’t be able to be your little slave for quite some time. Are you going to be okay with that, Nix?” I asked, as I had no idea what he’dwant.
He chuckled. “Yeah, I know. It’s okay. I only get that urge a couple of times a year anyway. It’s not my full-timething.”
Glad to have heard that, I laid my head on his chest and felt safe in his arms. I’d never felt as safe as I did when he held me. I had a father for my child. A man who wanted to be there for me and ourbaby.
I couldn’t believe that a chance meeting at a BDSM club had ended up likethis.
With me pregnant with a wealthy man’s child, being swept off to Malibu, California, to live for who knew how long. The future looked a hell of a lot brighter than it ever hadbefore.
But that niggling thing inside of me that hated to get my hopes up about anything came to pester me.Things never go right for you, Katana Reeves, you know that. Something will rear its ugly head and make this thing go south. Just youwatch.
I pressed my lips against Nix’s chest and tried to silence the nagging voice in my head. For now, everything was going right. For now, I had a man who was going to stand up and do the right thing. This hadn’t been planned, but it had happened, and he’d had the level-headedness to deal withthat.
For now, I would beokay.
Chapter13
Nixon
Katana sleptlike a baby in my arms the rest of the night. I suppose finally having someone there for her might have had something to do with that. I had no idea what it felt like to be all alone in the world. It must feel terrible. That’s not a thing I would wish onanyone.
I found it hard to believe a woman as beautiful as she could be so alone in this world. Whatever her past held, her future was bright. She’d never be alone again now that she carried our child. And no matter what, I’d never turn my back on her. But I had no idea how much of my heart I’d be able to giveher.
It wouldn’t be fair to her to ask her to marry me after knowing each other such a short amount of time. I didn’t believe in divorce—that’s just the way I was raised. My parents had been married a long time and taught us all that when you married someone, you stuck with them through thick andthin.
Mom and Dad didn’t let any of us in on their bad times, but we knew they had them. Things would get a bit tense in our household and words were barely spoken between them at times, but before we knew it, they’d managed to work things out behind closed doors. Mom always told us it was important for a mother and father to put their marriage above everything else. Treat it the same way you’d treat a business partnership at a highly profitablecompany.
I didn’t really understand why she’d say such a thing when I was younger. I mean, shouldn’t a couple always put their kidsfirst?
But I’d overheard Mom explaining her ideology to my sister just before she got married. Mom had told her that the marriage was the foundation for the family that would soon follow. Without a firm foundation, everything would crumble. Each and every part of the family was important, and everyone had their part in it. But without a solid marriage, things could fallapart.
I couldn’t make a solid marriage with Katana at this point. It wouldn’t be fair to either of us or the baby. But I could be kind, and I could be there for her. I knew she blamed herself for the pregnancy; she’d told me as much. But I wanted desperately to take that burden off her narrowshoulders.
Then and there, I made a pact with myself to always let Katana know I was over the moon about having a baby. Because that was the truth. I’d never contemplated having a child. Not even once. But I believed that was only because I hadn’t found the right woman for me—that was another strong belief that my parents had instilled inme.
With Katana already pregnant, accident or not, I had no choice. I was going to be a father, end of subject. Why fight it? Why not enjoyit?
My parents wouldn’t be too thrilled with me at first, but they’d come around. They adored every one of their grandchildren, and they’d adore mine too, even if they didn’t agree with Katana and me not beingmarried.
As I held her in my arms and breathed in the sweet scent of her lavender shampoo, I wondered how we’d end up getting along. Would she be okay with us being more like friends and co-parents rather than a couple? Because that’s how I imagined this turningout.
