“If you don’t?” She barely managed to get the words out.
“Be happy and don’t forget I love you.”
“I love you, too,” she sobbed. “Pierce…”
“Shh. Take care of you both.” He dropped his hand to her belly.
“Brea?” Daddy asked a bit more loudly through the closed door. “Who are you talking to?”
“J-just a minute.”
She didn’t dare speak another word to Pierce. Instead, he pressed his lips to hers, lingered through a few short heartbeats, then eased away with a caress. She was still clutching his hand when he climbed out the window, looking back at her with a black-eyed stare full of longing she’d never forget—as if he meant to memorize her.
Then he was gone.
With her heart wrenching and clutching, she tried to stem the tide of her tears as she smoothed her hair, tossed on a robe, padded to the door, and pulled it open.
Daddy stood in the portal, his phone in hand. He raked her body up and down, focusing on her middle. A frown furrowed his brows. “We need to talk.”
Her heart stopped. He’d read the gossip. He knew she was pregnant.
It had become an ingrained habit to conceal her relationship with Pierce, along with the life that had resulted from it. But she was tired of hiding her love. She wasn’t going to keep acting as if she was ashamed. Yes, she’d be cautious about Daddy’s heart, have her phone ready and an aspirin nearby. But she was done burying her head in the sand.
Pierce was facing their obstacles head on. It was time for her to do the same.
“All right.”
“I’ve made a pot of coffee. Why don’t you get dressed and come to the kitchen?”
After a quick few minutes with her toothbrush, she dragged on some yoga pants and a baggy T-shirt with shaking hands. Everything else in her closet was getting too tight. Once she’d donned fuzzy socks and pulled her hair back, she padded out to the kitchen, grabbed the bottle of aspirin, took a deep breath, and met her father’s gaze. “You want to ask me if I’m pregnant.”
He looked taken aback by her directness. “Yes.”
“I’ll save you the breath. I am. I’m sorry if that disappoints you—”
“It’s not Cutter’s, is it? You’re pregnant by the man who left you.”
“Pierce. That’s his name. Yes, the baby is his, and I love him. He didn’t leave me, Daddy. In fact, he was just here to explain how he intends to keep me safe. His job is dangerous and—”
“Now that you’re expecting, his most important job is to take care of you. And he’s…where? It seems as if he’s shirking his responsibility.”
She got mad on Pierce’s behalf. “You don’t get it. He’s leaving tonight, alone, to hunt down a man the whole world views as a criminal. For me. And all he’s asked me to do is wait here and continue pretending I’m engaged to Cutter so I don’t become a target. Pierce is risking his life in the hopes the three of us can have a future together, but we both know full well he may never come back. And he still didn’t hesitate for an instant to put his life on the line for us.” She cradled her belly as her tears fell. “So don’t lecture me about his lack of responsibility. And don’t tell me that what I’ve done is an affront or a sin to you. I love you, Daddy, but this is my life. And Pierce is my choice. I love him.”
He came closer, his expression placating. “I appreciate that he wants to keep you safe, but if he can’t be here and provide for you, maybe his nobility is misplaced.”
“I can provide for myself and the baby. I’m not worried about that. But I fell in love with Pierce because he’s so larger-than-life. He’s a warrior and a protector. I can’t ask him to be someone else just because I’m pregnant.”
“Have you thought at all about your reputation, your standing in the community, your livelihood, your—”
“I’ve been worried about those things since the moment I found out I was pregnant. I wish now I had that time back to focus on what really matters.”
“This man?”
“Yes. Pierce loves me, Daddy. More than anything.”
“Cutter doesn’t like him at all.”
“I can’t help that. And I know none of my choices are making anyone’s lives easier. But you’ve always said you want me to be happy. Every moment I’m with Pierce, I’m ecstatic. He understands me. He encourages me.” She caressed her stomach. “I’m glad that, no matter what, I’ll always have a part of him.”
He sighed, clearly wanting to understand but struggling. “He impregnated you without marrying you. Has he even proposed?”
“It’s not really important anymore. I refuse to care what other people think.” She glanced at his phone. “I’ve seen what the world is saying about me right now, and it’s horrible. But I know the truth. The gossip will blow over once the paparazzi finds a new scandal. Our love and our baby? That’s forever. And if it’s too much for you to accept, I understand. I’ll move out if you’d like me to.”
“No.” He looked shocked. “No. I would never force you to go. You’re my daughter.”
“No matter what, I always will be. And I’d rather not leave, because I’m worried about your health—”
“Oh, honey… I’m worried about yours. You’ll be going through childbirth. Your mother—”
“I know.” Mama’s tragic death had crossed her mind. There was no way it couldn’t. “But I have to have faith. Don’t you always preach that? Medicine is better now. I’m strong. My will to live so I can raise my son or daughter will see me through. I owe it to my child. And I owe it to Pierce.”
Daddy looked at her, blinking hard in confusion. “You really aren’t a little girl anymore.”
“Because I’m pregnant?”
He shook his head. “Because you’re not hiding or leaning on me the way you
