Page 69 of The Mute and the Menace (The Grove 1)

My hands trail down his shirt covered with splatters of blood, thinking of everything we’ve been through this last six months and how it’s changed me—changed us.

Because he’s a different person, too.

We’re new. And that might be a good thing.

“You’re so much more.” I say, repeating his words from earlier. Validating that, although I’m not sure I’m ready to call him my boyfriend, he is more. He’s so much more, and I’m not sure when that happened or what’s going to come for it.

But right now, I’ll take it.

Something flares in his eyes that makes butterflies flap their big, heavy wings inside my belly. He grabs hold of me as he starts hammering inside of me, making me scream out when my orgasm hits me out of nowhere. Heat flushes through me and I start to sweat. I watch Jackson through hooded eyes as he finds his own release, clenching his eyes shut and the tendons in his neck pulse and stretch tight.

We lay against each other. My heart beats in my ears and his heart beats against my chest. His hands trail up my back. Shivers wrack my body and I giggle up against his neck.

This is different.

There’s a lightness in the heavy air. I’m not sure if it’s our words spoken or being away from The Grove, but he’s here and I’m here, and for a moment, I’m just going to let us beus.

Connected.

Alive.

Happy.

17

Cara

“Ready?” Jackson asks asI step out of my house.

“Nervous is more like it.” I press my hand to my growing belly.

Today is the day.

We’re going to find out if I’m having a boy or a girl. Part of me doesn’t want to know. I’m trying not to get too connected, but every morning I wake up and it feels like this baby gets a little bigger. It fills more of my stomach, and more of my heart every day.

I don’t know how I’ll be able to part with it.

I just keep trying to tell myself to remain strong. That this is the right thing to do and the professor and bakery owner will give it so much more love and a stable upbringing then I will ever be able to give it.

It’s just hard.

“Hey, you okay?” Jackson asks as we hop into Easton’s truck.

Reason number five million why we can’t have a baby. Neither of us have a vehicle—or a license. How would we be able to bring the baby anywhere? Walk?

Yeah fucking right. Not in The Grove.

“I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not. What’s the matter?” He keeps Easton’s keys clutched in his palm, not caring in the slightest if we’re late for this appointment.

Things have been different between us. We’re tiptoeing around the conversation, but he’s acting suspiciously like a boyfriend since we got back from California the other week. He doesn’t dare say the word, though.

I think we’re both too scared to jinx it.

I can’t tell him I’m upset about the adoption. He’ll go right into his speech about keeping it, and I’m not putting myself in that situation again.

“I’ve just been having an emotional day.” I smile at him, trying my best to wipe the lie off my face. “We should go, though. I don’t want to be late.”

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