Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 107823 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107823 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
“And look how fuckin’ well that worked out for Cage. You take care of the baby that resulted from his wrap failin’.” Not that she needed that reminder. “Why didn’t you get the mornin’ after pill? Or at least said somethin’ to me and I would’ve gotten it for you.”
“I actually planned on it…”
“You planned on it? When? After the fuckin’ baby was born?”
She squeezed her eyes shut and he saw her sway. He went to jump up to catch her but Jemma was there, settling her in a seat across from him before she went down. She lifted a hand indicating she needed a few seconds and he gave it to her, despite the impatience clawing up this throat.
“Early the next morning I had to rush Dyna to the pediatrician for her ears. Cage and Jem were at work… Dyna was screaming and crying and in pain… There was nothing I could do to stop it and it became overwhelming. With everything going on, I just… forgot.”
“Don’t you think sittin’ in a pediatrician’s office woulda reminded you that babies, like Dyna, come from failed birth control?”
“Easy,” Jem warned under her breath.
He ignored her and waited for Tessa’s answer.
“I know. But… Dyna wouldn’t stop crying. I hadn’t had any sleep and was exhausted. It slipped my mind. It was a long fucking day and it was hectic. By the time Jemma got home from her patient’s house, it took everything I had just to climb into bed.”
“It slipped your mind? Ever thought about askin’ me to get it for you? You know, the other person that was affected when it ‘slipped your mind?’ This is the kinda shit that happens when you don’t fuckin’ communicate. Jesus. A few words, Tess. Just a few words coulda prevented this.”
It wasn’t like he could ask because she hadn’t wanted them to having a fucking conversation!
Jesus Christ, he wanted to fucking break something right now. They might not be in this situation if they had a simple fucking discussion about it.
“Like I said, I planned on getting it. Dyna kept having issues with her ears and after the appointment I couldn’t leave the house with her because she was so miserable… And… And… I didn’t want to ask Jemma to pick it up for me on her way home because she would’ve asked too many fucking questions.” Her gaze flicked to Jemma before landing on Easy again. “And then…” She grimaced.
“And then it slipped your fuckin’ mind. That’s a lot of goddamn excuses, Tess, when you coulda simply sent me a fuckin’ text!”
“Easy,” Jem warned softly again.
“Can you give us a few?” Easy asked her. He didn’t need her to keep interjecting.
“I don’t think that’s smart,” Jem answered. “I get you’re both upset—”
“Upset? She’s fuckin’ pregnant and it coulda been avoided.”
Tessa’s mouth got tight and her chin rose. “You think I planned this?”
“No, Tess, know you didn’t plan this. That I’m fuckin’ sure of. If it was anyone else, I’d think you were tryin’ to trap me. ‘Cause it’s you, I know for a goddamn fact that’s not it. You made it quite fuckin’ clear in the beginnin’ you didn’t want anythin’ more than to use me to… for your needs.” He rubbed at his chest, trying to relieve the tightness.
“You didn’t stop it, E.”
“No, you’re right. My fuckin’ mistake. I shoulda stopped it. Shoulda told you fuck off and go fuck with someone else’s head.” Jesus fuckin’ Christ.
“Mistakes were made all around,” Jemma interjected.
“Yeah, well, this one is kinda a fuckin’ big one, Jem. A really fuckin’ costly one, too. It could also cost me my goddamn colors.” And losing his colors meant losing everything. His brotherhood, his family, maybe even Tess.
“It won’t,” Jemma assured him.
“How the fuck d’you know?”
“Because it takes a unanimous vote for that and there’s no way in hell that all of your brothers would vote to strip you of your colors simply for this. That won’t be an issue. Even as president, Trip alone can’t take your colors from you. He might be really pissed right now but eventually, he’ll calm down. He always does. Once he does, he’ll see this for what it is. A gift. You might not see it like that right now, either, but you will. You two just have to make good choices from here on out, that’s all.”
“That’s all,” Easy muttered. “Fuckin’ simple.” Make good choices. Riiiiiight. Over the last thirty-one years, he tended to make more bad choices than good ones. So, if his future hinged on making good choices, he was fucked.
“I know you don’t want this any more than I do, Easy,” Tessa said quietly.
“Am I ready for a kid? Fuck no. Are you? Apparently not with that fuckin’ comment. But guess what? That fuckin’ ship has sailed. Now we gotta step up and keep that fuckin’ ship from sinkin’. Especially since you blurted the news out to everyone without even fuckin’ tellin’ me first!” He winced when it felt like someone was knocking on the inside of his skull.