Page 59 of Reaper Razed

“I’m twenty-four,” I breathe out a sigh, then look at them both as they look at me and then back at each other.

“What do you mean you're twenty-four?” Steel asks, looking at Tank and then back at me again.

“When Ray found us, she really looked after us and made me feel safe. The others were so much younger than me that when she asked, I lied. I didn’t have anywhere else to go and no one to look after me. I’d never… been out in the world alone before, and I was so scared. Ray protected me and made me feel safe, so I lied so she would still help me. I didn’t think she would if she knew I was older than her.” I hang my head in shame.

“Does Ray know now?”

“Yes!” I breathe out, my bottom lip quivering slightly as I look between Dice and Steel. “I’m pregnant,” I say, just blurting everything out and sighing with relief.

Steel's gaze shoots to Tank. “Did you knock her up when you thought she was nineteen or when you found out she was twenty-four?”

“Steel — ”

“Dice, can you take Tank into the room he’s been staying in, please? I need to talk to Skye alone.” Steel stands and folds his arms across his chest. This guy is huge and totally scary, so I turn to Tank and nod, giving him a tight-lipped smile.

“Come on, man, give ‘em a sec, yeah?” Dice puts his hand on Tank’s shoulder and leads him through the door towards the bedrooms.

“Skye… I need you to be honest with me, okay? Did he force you?”

“No, God, no, we haven’t…”

He nods, “Did anyone else force you?”

My lip quivers again, and I look away from him. “Tank is gonna be the baby’s father.” I say as I turn and meet his gaze. He nods in acknowledgement of the underlying truth in my tone.

“Why did Ray take off? What did she say?”

“She asked me if I wanted this, as I don’t have to get married. She said she would support me herself. She would take care of the baby and me. I told her I wanted this. I want me and Tank and the baby to be a family. She asked what kind of wedding I wanted, and she would pay for everything, and then she said she was going out to get my wedding present.”

“She stormed out of here, dragging Dane along like they were heading out on a murder spree, to get you a wedding present? That’s all she said?”

“Yeah.”

“Then why the tears?”

“She just told me she loved me and would protect me no matter what, and no one ever looked after me before I met Ray.”

He sighs, stands, pulls me to my feet, and drags me to him, holding me tight. “Whatever you want, we will all help you, okay? But is this honestly what you want, to stay here? You don’t wanna fresh start somewhere else?”

“This is my fresh start.” I smile up at him. He hugs me tighter.

“Do I get to play uncle?” I gasp as I pull back, staring into his face to see the lie, but I feel so much love from him that my eyes swell, and a tear rolls down my cheek.

“You would want that?”

“Sure, Tank is my brother, and you’re my… I suppose my little sister is a little weird if you're marrying my brother. Shit, now I know why that was weird for Ray.”

I stare up at him, confused, but smile, as he and Ray have been the only true parental figures I’ve ever really known, the only people who give a damn about me besides Tank. “It’s a boy!” I smile.

“Holy shit!” He beams. “Congratulations!” He spins me around, and I let out a little squeal as Tank comes barrelling through the door and stops dead in his tracks when he sees Steel spinning me round the living room.

He lowers me, and I skip to Tank's arms and throw myself into them. “Steel wants to be the baby’s uncle.” I beam at him.

“He does?” Tank looks over at Steel and mouths, “Thank you.”

“Uncle? What the fuck?” Dice spits out.

“I’m gonna be a dad.” Tank grins, and Dice throws his arms around us both.

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