Page 99 of Greed

I shake my head.

His hand jumps to cradle my chin. “I’m in love with you, Abby.”

Tears well in the corners of my eyes because I’ve longed to hear those words from him, but I can’t accept them as his truth until he knows mine.

“Declan,” I begin, searching his gaze for understanding. “I need to say something.”

“That you love me too?”

A grin tugs at the corners of my mouth. “I do, but…”

“No buts.” He stops me from talking with a gentle kiss on my lips. “I can handle any but you’re going to throw at me. If you love me half as much as I love you, we’ll tackle all the buts in the world together, Abigail.”

I want that to be true, but I did overhear him at Tin Anchor. I know where he stands on children of his own. “Declan, I really have to tell you something.”

“Tell me,” he coaxes me gently. “You can tell me anything, my love.”

My heart swells at those words, and I use that to pull enough courage from deep within me to stare into the eyes of the man I adore and tell him what’s been weighing on me for days. “My period is late, Declan. I’m on the pill, but it’s not foolproof, and we were using Llura condoms, so there’s a chance that I may be pregnant too.”

His response is instant and as unexpected as falling in love at this point in my life has been for me.

“Are you fucking serious?” He jumps to his feet. “A baby, Abigail? Our baby? Soon?”

I start to rise to my feet too, but he’s got his hands on my waist to help me before I can move.

He yanks me close to him. “I can’t believe this. You love me, and we might be having our first baby.”

Through a rush of tears, I laugh. “Our first baby?”

“I want three, my love.” He kisses me again. “I want you to marry me tomorrow, and let me love you forever, and we’ll show those three kids of ours how beautiful life can be.”

“You want to be a dad?” I cup his cheeks in my hand. “I overheard you tell your friend at Tin Anchor that you weren’t ready for daddy duty.”

His gaze locks on mine. “You knew then that you might be pregnant?”

I nod softly.

“My sweet Abby.” He sighs. “I’m ready. I’m eager, and I want nothing more than to be the father of your children. What you heard that night was a man who just held a newborn in his arms, and he couldn’t admit to himself how much he envied his best friend and little brother.”

“If I’m pregnant, you’ll be happy?” I whisper. “You’re sure?”

“I’ll be fucking ecstatic,” he says. “Let’s get you tested now.”

“I have two home tests at my apartment,” I confess. “I couldn’t bring myself to take them. I’ve been scared, Declan. I want a baby so much, but I’m scared.”

He moves back to take my hand in his. “We’ll do it together. Whatever the results are, I love you, Abigail. I want you forever.”

“I want you forever too.”

“You have me.” He pulls me close again. “I’m not going anywhere. I’ll love you until the day I die.”

CHAPTERFIFTY-THREE

Abby

I closemy eyes as Declan’s strong, bare arms surround me.

As soon as we got to my apartment, I took one of the pregnancy tests, and as we waited for the results, we made love.

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