Fidelity (Infidelity #5)(98)

“We’ve lived with enough of that. There’s been enough regret. Spend your energy getting better, growing stronger. Decide what you want to do about Montague Corporation.”

“Me? It will be yours.”

“Ours. As I’ve always said, I don’t want it. If you do, make it a success. Show the world a female Montague is better than the male in her stead. Besides, I’m going to be a little busy.”

Before I could go on, we both turned to Oren and Nox coming through the doorway toward us. Though Nox had been happy, perhaps even joyous, when we’d arrived, both his and Oren’s expression had turned. Lines cluttered their brows. Even their steps seemed slower, creating a cloud of unease.

“Is everything all right,” Mother asked.

“I was about to ask the same thing.”

Nox sighed as he sat in a nearby chair. “Everything is fine. Work has been piling up. It’s time to get back to the city.”

Momma reached for my hand. “I’d hoped you’d stay here a little longer.”

“I have a few more weeks of class and finals. There’ll be no honors this semester. I’m hoping to pass.”

“I’m impressed you’ve been able to keep up to date as it is,” Oren said.

“Yeah, it’s been a little difficult.”

“You have your life to keep you busy. I understand,” Mother said.

I’d been right when I’d told her to stop with the regret. Alton was dead. Bryce was in jail and now so was Suzanna. My mother was sober and clean, and most importantly she was alive. My monsters were caged, and miraculously, we’d survived. It was time to focus on the future.

“Nox?” I asked.

His eyes opened wide as joy returned to his light-blue eyes. “Are you sure?”

A grin covered my face as I nodded. “I am. Let’s concentrate on good things.”

“Alexandria, what is it?” Momma said.

“Yesterday,” I began, “at the standoff at the hotel, I fainted.”

“Lennox told us,” Oren said.

“You called from the hospital,” Momma said. “Were you hurt more than you said?”

“No,” I replied unable to contain my smile. “Even though I hit my head when I fell…” I touched the back of my head. “…and it’s still sore, they didn’t do a scan.” I shook my head. “This is really weird talking to both of you like this.”

“It is,” Nox agreed. “I have no idea what you two plan on doing, but no matter what, Charli and I need to let you know that you’ll share a grandchild.”

Oren shot to his feet. “Did I just hear you correctly?”

The cloud of death and poison infiltrating our thoughts disappeared as Momma reached for my shoulders. “You’re pregnant? My baby’s having a baby?”

I lifted my shoulders. “That’s what Dr. Beck said.”

“Dr. Beck…” She sighed.

“Yes, he asked about you.”

“Alex, are you all right?” Oren asked.

It was Nox who answered. “Dad, she’s perfect. We had an ultrasound last night. You should have seen…” He pulled the picture from his pocket.

I couldn’t stop the tears. My damn emotions were on overdrive. The man who’d told me he never wanted children, the same one who warned me about his father, was oozing joy and excitement, explaining to that same father about the ultrasound and how our child was safe and secure, exactly where he or she belonged.

When I turned to my momma, her eyes glistened with the new tears. For once, they weren’t from sorrow or pain. Tears of joy blurred our vision.

“What?” Silvia asked, coming back into the room. “What’s happening?”

Nox turned. “How does Aunt Silvia sound?”

Her face paled as she looked from Nox to me and back to him. “It sounds great,” she said cautiously. “And you’re happy? You’re really happy.”

“I am,” Nox said.





THE BED DIPPED as I cuddled toward Nox’s warmth. His cologne filled my senses as he wrapped his arm around me providing his hard shoulder as a pillow.

“That went better than I imagined,” he said.

“How is this going to work?”

“What work?”

I lifted my head. “Hi, baby, this is your grandmother and grandfather. What will our baby think when he or she figures out they’re your dad and my mom. That should make grandparents’ day at school interesting.”

Nox’s shoulder shrugged. “Who knows? It’ll work. I don’t know how. I have no idea what they plan to do.” His nose wrinkled. “I don’t think I want to know.”

Laying my head back on his shoulder, I giggled. “I agree. Not going there…” Unwanted images flashed in my mind. Things a child never wants to imagine with her mother. “Ewww… now I’m going there. Yuck. Make it stop.”

Nox rolled me to my back with a soft laugh. “We could replace those thoughts.”

“What, sir, do you have in mind?”

Our lips united, fueling a hunger I hadn’t realized I had. He pulled away. “I love you. I plan to say that every day. There’s just one thing I need you to do for me.”