Page 97 of Savage Prince
Aiden is gone for the night. I’m alone in the bathroom where I’ve been for the past ten minutes, pacing back and forth between the sink, bathtub, and door. I haven’t done anything yet. I can’t. My stomach is doing somersaults.
I bite my lip, worrying at it with my teeth, then force myself to let go and take a deep breath.
Reaching into my purse, I pull out the pregnancy test I bought earlier, when we were out together and I had a moment to myself. I’ve had a growing suspicion and I need to confirm it.
I’ve been on the pill, but I know nothing is one hundred percent effective—especially considering how much sex we’ve been having.
Trying to keep my breathing steady, I pee on the stick and then set the test on the counter. I set the timer on my phone, but even though I know it hasn’t been long enough, I keep glancing over at the little plastic stick.
Could I really be pregnant? How will I feel about it if I am?
I don’t know if we’re ready for a family yet. Our relationship is just finding its way onto solid footing, and I don’t know what a baby will mean for that.
How will Aiden feel? Should I have waited for him to be here when I took the test?
My churning thoughts are interrupted by the alarm on my phone, and I jump, startled. Then I peer down at the little window in the plastic test, and my heart skips a beat.
It’s positive.
I’m pregnant.
Aiden and I are going to have a baby.
I press a hand to my mouth, letting out a sob and then a laugh. I don’t know what this mix of emotions in me is, so many feelings rushing through me at once that I can barely process all of them. I rest a hand on my stomach, placing it over my lower belly as I imagine myself growing round and pregnant.
An image appears in my mind’s eye, vivid and bright. For just a moment, I feel as if I can see the future. I imagine having a little baby, raising him or her with Aiden, and all the beautiful moments that would come with that.
Oh my god, I want that. So much.
A wave of happiness floods me, and I’m lost in that vision when something thuds downstairs. It startles me out of my fantasy, and I almost drop the test.
Aiden. He’s home.
Dropping the test onto the counter, I whirl toward the door. My heart races as I dash out of the bathroom, only remembering to slow down when I reach the bedroom. I need to stay calm.
The grin on my face stretches so wide that I know I’m going to give the surprise away before I can even set him up for it.
God, I can’t wait to see the look on his face. I can’t wait to see what he says, what he thinks. I wonder if he’ll keep it a secret or if we’ll tell everyone. Will we have a party? Will I walk through the halls of his house with him, deciding what room will eventually be repainted and furnished to become a nursery?
I’m almost all the way down the steps when Aiden comes into view, and I stop short before I reach the bottom of the stairs.
His eyes are dark, anger and agitation lingering on his features, his hair wild as if he’s been running his hand through it.
The wild pounding of my heart turns from elation to worry, my stomach clenching as I meet his gaze. I don’t know what’s happened to make him look like this, but whatever it is, it’s bad.
Something is very wrong.
“What is it?” I ask.
“There was an attack.” His voice is low. “Two of our men were killed, and Connor almost died too. Bullet grazed him, but didn’t hit.”
“Oh my god!” My mouth drops open, my hand flying to my chest. “Are you all right? Were you there—”
I move quickly down the last few steps, about to walk toward Aiden, but he takes a step back, holding a hand up as if he’s warding me off.
“Have you talked to your father recently?” he asks.
My brow furrows. I still feel like I’m playing catchup, my mind reeling as I try to process the instantaneous shift from excitement to worry in the past few moments. “Um, not that recently. Why?”
