Page 30 of Shaw

“You guys fucking again?” Tate asks, making me want to hit him in the balls.

Mase stares at the wall. “Nope.”

“Jesus. How long has it been now?” Reed gasps.

“Sixteen months, four weeks, and three days.”

Tate snorts. “You keep track?”

Mase turns his head to face him. “Yeah, I do.”

I shake my head, gobsmacked at my friend’s dedication to his wife. When he married her just out of high school, we all told him he was a lovestruck idiot. He spent the first year blissfully happy and the next god-knows-how-many years miserable as sin. Each time he raises the idea of a divorce, Tara throws herself into the marriage once again. It’s a shame Mase can’t see beyond being a faithful and reliable husband to someone who clearly doesn’t deserve it.

This happens when you have abandonment issues like we all do. In one way or another, we’ve each been dealt a shit card starting out in life, and if it wasn’t for Tate’s adoptive parents, none of us would have a semblance of what a normal family life could be like.

Maybe this is why I feel so attached to Emi and the baby. My worst nightmare would be for my child to grow up without a family, without the support network of what two loving parents can bring.

I clench my jaw. There’s no way I’ll allow that to happen to my child. No way at all.

“You should get this app.” Reed tilts his phone toward Mase as Tate leans in with intrigue. “It’s called Indulgence. So you basically pick the perfect woman for you, and they send her over.”

I smile against my drink when Mase turns his nose up in disgust, the action making Owen throw his head back on a loud chuckle.

“Seriously, Shaw. If it was a kiss, I don’t know what you’re so pissed about. We all know you’ve done more than kiss. I’m sure she knows it too, am I right? She has to deal with your past and yet you only have to contend with a kiss,” Mase says while leaning forward on his elbows.

I mull his words over and sigh, knowing I’m being unreasonable but still annoyed I’m not her first kiss. “I want all her firsts.” I can’t help but pout like a child.

Owen bursts out laughing. “Have you heard yourself? You snagged a Mafia princess who was untouched. I’m pretty sure you’ve had her firsts. It was a fucking kiss, it probably meant nothing. Do you remember all your kisses?” He raises an eyebrow at me, but I’ve no choice but to shake my head at such a dumb question. “There you go, then.” He grins as though proud of his analogy.

“You can’t change it. And let’s face it, your woman is a hidden gem. How many of us get to sample untouched goods at our age unless we go for jailbait? And who the fuck wants to do that?” Owen chuckles with a shake of his head, and I don’t miss the flinch from Tate and how his face pales. We were all convinced Tate had a fling with a much younger girl years ago, but he swears nothing happened between them. None of us missed the longing behind his eyes though.

I sit back and zone out their banter as I consider what my best friends have surmised for me. Maybe she was so young she kissed someone during a game or something? Or a kiss was stolen from her, maybe that was it? After all, her brother had her on such a tight lockdown I’m pretty damn sure he’d have known if she had kissed anyone.

A feeling of regret courses through me when I think back to the hurt on Emi’s face as I stormed out of the house.

I jump to my feet with a new determination.

“Where are you going?” Tate asks, throwing another chip in his mouth.

“Home.” I cringe as I call that monstrosity my home, but as an image of a pregnant Emi flashes before my eyes, I know that’s what it is.

Because wherever she and my baby are, that’s home.

EMI

I stir the sauce again, my mind wandering to Shaw and his outburst. The moment I mentioned he wasn’t my first kiss, he withdrew.Surely he can’t be jealous?

I mean, the man had a girlfriend until I came in and destroyed his relationship with my little truth bomb. If anyone has reason to be jealous, it should be me. After all, I feel like I’m competing with someone he actually loves.

“Something smells good.” I startle at Shaw’s appearance behind me, so far in my head I hadn’t even realized he’d entered the house, let alone the room.

My hand stills on the wooden spoon, and I turn to face him. His blue eyes shimmer and his lip curls into a smile, making my knees weak. His outburst is seemingly forgotten.

“It’s spaghetti carbonara.”

“Sounds good. Should I set the table?” He tilts his head toward the small breakfast table overlooking the grounds, but his eyes never leave mine.God, he’s gorgeous.Heat travels up my neck as I stand here swooning over my husband.

The intensity of his stare makes me squirm as my panties grow moist, and I clear my throat before swallowing hard. “That would be great, thank you.” He smirks back at me, as if knowing my thoughts before turning and opening numerous cupboards, no doubt in search of tableware. I lean back against the counter with a smile on my face when he huffs and puffs in frustration.

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