Page 76 of The Celtic Resolution
“And now?” The disbelief remains in his eyes as he glances between my eyes and my belly.
“Now… Now, I guess I trust you and I’m not so keen on the whole dying part. I want us to get out of here. All of us.”
“Holy shit… fuck.” Bruno turns away to eye the bodies and then looks back at me. “I was supposed to lay low…fuck. It’s okay. I can deal with this. I’ll have to… okay. Okay. I have a plan. You stay here and I’ll be back, okay? Lock the door, don’t let anyone in.” He presses the gun into my shaking hands and cups my cheek once more. “Stay here, okay? I’ll be back.”
“If you’re not,” I gasp, struggling to breathe through the rising tidal wave of tears, “there’s something you should know.”
“What?”
“You… you’re the father, Bruno. It’s your baby.”
33
BRUNO
My baby.
Mybaby?
This is hardly the time to freeze with two dead guards on the floor and the impending knowledge that I may have just royally screwed the both of us but all of it pales in comparison to the words coming out of Saoirse’s mouth.
My baby.
She’s pregnant and it’s mine. But we…
Thinking back, we were lax with the protection but surely, that wouldn’t mean what I think it means? “How… How far along are you?”
Tears of exhaustion slowly fill Saoirse’s eyes. “Uhm… maybe six months?”
“Sixmonths? But we?—”
“Bruno.” She cuts me off softly. “You wore a green mask to the Gala, do you remember? Back in April.”
“I do, but that was…” It hits me like a surge of cold water washing over me from head to toe. April. The Gala. “You?”
“Yes.” Saoirse nods and her damp hair drags back and forth across her shoulders. “You’re my mystery masked man. And we fucked in that closet.”
“I… I remember.” Fuck. I haven’t thought about that night in so long because as soon as I met Saoirse, she took all my interest. I no longer cared about finding the hot mystery woman from the Gala because Saoirse is everything I want and more. It never crossed my mind that they could be the same person. “H–How?”
“You need a rundown on how I got pregnant?” She laughs hollowly and a tear escapes down her cheek. Surging forward, I end up covering her hand as she wipes it away and then I continue to do so to try and clean away some of the blood.
“No, I just— sorry, this is a lot to take in. Saoirse, you’ve been through hell here. Fuck— are you sure you’re still…?” The words don’t come as I glance down at her belly.
“Honestly?” Her voice cracks. “I have no idea. I know I was before this, but now I don’t have a clue.”
“Shit.” In a few minutes I’ve learned Saoirse is pregnant and I’ve become a father. My heart races so fast that the taste of iron creeps up my throat and my entire world shifts to a completely different axis.
A baby. I’ve barely ever been worthy of my own family, never mind creating and having one of my very own. What kind of father would I be? How can I even consider it given what I’ve done?
“I found out just before Rocky’s wedding,” she whispers. “Well, I knew I was pregnant before that, but I didn’t know you were the man behind the mask. I was going to tell you after the ceremony?—”
“And I fucked it. I royally fucked it.” Everything I touch just crumbles to dust. In my youth, I was convinced the world would be better without me in it and in these moments, there’s a growing surge of understanding the same. The things I’ve done,the pain I’ve caused Saoirse and now my baby—her baby—is at risk because of me.
“Bruno—”
“I’m going to fix this.” Cupping her cheek, I kiss her suddenly. It’s one of passion and apology and the touch of her lips is so intense it’s enough to bring me to tears. “I’m so fuckingsorry. Stay here. Lock the door. Don’t let anyone in, okay? Not a soul.”
“What? Bruno, where are you going? Bruno!”
