Page 76 of Voracious

Jason shakes his head. “Keeping secrets never unravels well, kid. It’ll definitely blow up. She’s gonna be more pissed that you both kept it from her than the fact you’re with her best friend. I reckon she’ll see how much you love each other and are good for each other and actually be happy for the pair of you.”

Is it bad I don’t give a shit what my sister thinks? If she’s against the idea of me dating Stacey, she can fuck off.

I sigh again. “Maybe. But I’m just going at Stacey’s pace. When she’s ready, I will be too.”

“Where’s my little brother? You sound whipped. I never thought I’d see the day you even had a girlfriend, never mind being wrapped around her finger.”

I chuckle and get to my feet. “Fuck you.”

“Does Aria know?”

I nod. “My dad was kind of mad at me for being careless but said he’d do what he can to help from afar.Ewanoffered to set up the nursery and build all the furniture.” Fidgeting, I rip the label from the bottle. “I declined though.” After finishing my beer, I walk into the open-planned kitchen and toss it in the glass bin. “We want to do everything. I’ll build her a house and work my ass off to be the best for them both.”

Jason follows me to the front door. “Are you nervous?”

“I’d be a crazy bastard if I wasn’t nervous.”

He grins. “Do you even know how to wipe your own ass, never mind change a baby?”

I flip him off and walk to my car, raising my hand as I get in and turn on the engine. Stacey will be finished soon – but first, I want to go grab some snacks from the supermarket and get the dogs new bones.

When I get there, I stand in the baby section with the metal basket, staring at pinks and blues and creams, the odd red and green, and decide to buy a little princess dress for a newborn. Stacey is adamant that we’re having a girl – has a strong notion that we will – and as much as I don’t care about the sex, the thought of seeing Stacey’s eyes and my hair surrounding a silver tiara makes me grin and stuff the outfit into the basket.

By the time night comes, and I bring Stacey to my room, she sees all the snacks and the princess outfit in the middle of the bed. I expect her to smile or clap that excited way she always does, but instead, she cries into my chest.

It’s only when I lie her down and strip her of her clothes that I notice the bruising on the back of her neck. When I feel murderous, she tells me to calm down, that she hurt it when she was trying to do the neck hold on the aerial hoop.

She promises not to do it again.

The night after, when I sneak into her bedroom through the window, I stop in the middle of the room and watch her silently weep into her pillow. She startles when I climb in, begs me to leave before Nora or her dad comes in and promises to message me in the morning.

It takes a lot for me to go, but I kiss her, make sure we’re okay, that she’s okay, and spend the night in my own bed alone,textingher for hours until I fall asleep.

Two weeks later, we find out that we’re having a girl. Stacey cries in happiness the entire drive home while gripping my hand in her lap.

I’m going to be a girl-dad. A mini-Stacey by my side – my little princess.

When we get to the manor, we tell everyone the news – barLuciella, since Stacey wants to wait until her best friend is home from uni to drop such a huge bomb. So, really, not everyone. Only Jason, my dad, my mum andEwan.

I can’t even tell my friends yet, but when I do, I reckon Base will fightDezfor godfather duties. Or the title of Best Uncle.

My head is on the small bump that seems to be growing at a snail’s pace. I can’t wait for her to get bigger, to feel the kicks against my palms and cheek.

Stacey is the opposite. As much as she wants to feel the kicks, she’s dreading it. After reading far too many forums for first time mothers online, she thinks she’ll be the size of a house. She also thinks I’ll become bored – that I’ll want someone with slim hips and perky tits.

It seems she has no idea how much I’m obsessed with her. Not just with her looks, but her heart, her fucking soul.

I love her. I love Stacey, and nothing will ever change that. She could cut off my dick and refuse to have sex with me for the rest of our lives and I’d still bend over backwards for the girl.

Kind of whipped, but I don’t care.

“Do you think she can hear me?” I ask, resting my head on Stacey’s abdomen as she brushes her fingers through my hair. “She might want to listen to something a little more soothing than your singing voice. Poor girl.”

She giggles, shaking me. “You love my singing.”

I absolutely do not.

“Regardless, hi.” I wrap my arms around the back of her thighs as we lie in bed. “I’m going to be your daddy; do you know how lucky you are? I’m pretty messed up in the head, but I’ll go for more therapy before you arrive, I promise. And I’m going to spoil the life out of you, then we’ll gang up on Mummy with Nerf guns.”

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