Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 122242 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 611(@200wpm)___ 489(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122242 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 611(@200wpm)___ 489(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
"You have plenty of time," Mila reminds me. "Roman and I didn't mean for me to end up pregnant. It just kind of happened." She shrugs and pats her belly. "I don't mind though. I'm so happy I'm going to be a mom. Even though pregnancy isn't a lot of fun, I wouldn't change anything." She grimaces, her lips curving into a frown. "Except the being shot and almost dying in a fire parts."
"Do you still think about it?"
"Sometimes, but not as much now that I'm in the last trimester and the baby is okay. Every day, I breathe a little easier. I think Roman struggles with it more than I do." She tilts her head, studying me. "Are you still having nightmares?"
"Sometimes," I whisper. "Not as often anymore. They're usually about the shooting. I never want to go through something like that ever again."
"I don't blame you." Mila reaches for my hand to squeeze my fingers. "I can't even imagine how scared you were. But I'm proud of you, you know? Despite everything, you let Octavio in. You learned to trust people again. You've already changed so much since he brought you home."
"I'm happy," I mumble, my cheeks heating at her praise. "I've never been this happy before."
She grins at me. "Happy looks good on you."
A car pulls in outside. I jump up and rush to the windows, but it's not Octavio or Roman. Michael Kincaid climbs out of an SUV and circles around to the passenger side to help January down. Once she's on her feet, he puts his arm around her, and they head toward the front door.
"It's Kincaid and January," I mumble to Mila, hurrying to the door to open it for them.
"Thought we'd find you here," Kincaid says, dropping a kiss to the top of my head once they're inside.
January wraps her arms around me in a big hug. "I miss not being neighbors with you," she says before releasing me. "You're way more fun to gossip with than he is."
"Hey, I'm fucking awesome at gossiping," Kincaid protests, crossing to Mila's side to pull her into a hug.
She laughs, wrapping her arms around him. As usual these days, her belly kind of gets in the way. It's large and in charge.
"You doing good, sweetheart?" he asks her, letting her go when January steps forward to hug her.
"I am." Mila laughs when the baby kicks and January jumps, her eyes going wide. "She's being an acrobat today."
"Your men aren't back yet?" Kincaid asks, looking between the two of us.
I shake my head.
He frowns. "They didn't leave a bodyguard?"
"Knox is parked across the street." I like Knox. He's nice, but he usually stays outside instead of coming inside. I don't know why because he doesn't scare me anymore. But anytime we tell him he can come inside, he just shakes his head and smiles at us, telling us he's good where he's at. I think Octavio told him he has to stay out there.
Kincaid crosses to the windows and peeks out, grunting in satisfaction when he sees Knox out there. He drops the curtains and turns back to us. "I have news, but I'd rather wait until Octavio is here to tell you."
"Okay." I shrug, preferring to wait for Octavio too. With him by my side, I feel like I can face anything. Without him…well, I'm still figuring all of that out. All I know is that I feel stronger when he's with me.
January smiles at me like she gets it. Maybe she does. She spent a long time living without Kincaid, and I don't think it worked out very well for either of them. January has told me a little about what happened to them growing up, and how they ended up apart for six years. I'm glad they found each other again. And I'm really glad January is okay, and Kincaid didn't go to jail. I love them both.
"I have something for you!" January cries like she just remembered. She hurries to the door, only for Kincaid to catch her around the waist and move her aside.
"I'll get it, baby girl," he murmurs. "You shouldn't be carrying shit."
"Cade, I'm fine," she huffs.
"I know." He picks her up and sets her on the chaise beside the couch, beaming down at her. "Now you can be fine sitting your little ass right there in that chair while I go get your shit out of the car for you."
She rolls her eyes at him but doesn't argue, which makes Mila laugh softly.
"He's impossible," January mutters once the front door closes behind him. Her emerald eyes sparkle with happiness, making it obvious she doesn't mind that he's bossy and overprotective where she's concerned.
We chat back and forth for a few minutes before he comes back inside, carrying a box.
"For you," he says, setting it at my feet.