Over the Edge (Bridge #3)(67)

I sighed as a little more of my tension melted away. At least he was here…with me. Suddenly it occurred to me that I shouldn’t take that for granted. Being in a relationship didn’t guarantee that he’d be on board for fatherhood. He could have bailed the second he found out I was pregnant. He still could.

“Are you going to stay with me?” I didn’t recognize my voice, so small and raw.

His grasp tightened. “Yes,” he said, his tone steadfast. He pressed his nose against my hair and inhaled. “It’s going to be okay, I promise,” he whispered. “Whatever happens, I’m with you. I’m not letting you go.”



I woke early and managed to slip out of bed and leave the penthouse without rousing Will. Ian would be due back from his night shift soon, and I wasn’t nearly ready to face him. The numbing shock of learning that I was pregnant had settled into a reality I was gradually getting used to.

I didn’t have much choice but to accept it. Will had been careless, and here we were. He’d accepted the blame, but I should have been more vigilant too. I’d been so wrapped up in his bubble of sex and sharing and kinky f*ckery that I’d gotten too comfortable.

Nothing about life was going to plan lately, and becoming pregnant by one of my two boyfriends certainly fell right in line with that.

I grabbed a coffee and a muffin at my favorite café and made my way to the hospital.

Cameron had texted me a couple of hours earlier with a photo of my newborn nephew. Aidan Jacob had been welcomed into the world at a healthy six pounds, ten ounces. He was a beautiful little red-faced angel wrapped up tight in a hospital blanket, and I couldn’t wait to meet him.

I could have used another day or two to come to terms with being pregnant myself, but nothing was going to keep me from seeing my family today.

The bright sun marking a new day filtered through the hospital windows as I passed doors on my way to their room. I knocked and entered on the sound of Maya’s voice. She greeted me with a smile, and I went to hug her. She looked a little pale but beamed with happiness.

“How are you?”

“Good. So relieved to have him here finally,” she said.

“I bet.”

Cameron’s eyes were bright too, considering he probably hadn’t slept a wink all night. He sat in a chair beside her hospital bed. My nephew’s small body was tucked into the nook of his elbow. I peered over, eager to get a look. He was perfectly still, snoozing contentedly in my brother’s arms.

Instantly, tears stung my eyes and emotion clogged my throat. “He’s so beautiful.”

“Do you want to hold him?” Cameron’s voice was quiet.

I nodded, and he gingerly passed the precious bundle to me.

The baby made a little grunty noise, but quieted as soon as I brought him to my chest. I sat in the chair beside Cameron and looked down in wonder.

The baby opened his eyes and stared up at me. In an instant, my heart felt like it had been carried away, high into the clouds.

“Hi, baby Aidan,” I whispered, feathering a light touch down his cheek.

I pretended to listen while Maya and Cameron relived the highlights of the delivery, but I was more captivated by my perfect nephew. Between his wide-eyed stares and my whispers of adoration, we were having a big talk. Somewhere in it, I made him a silent promise that only he could hear. He would have a cousin very soon.

WILL



I stared out the window of my office. The view of New York stretched from floor to ceiling. Hundreds of cars and people milled around below. Life went on, day after day. Nothing ever made this city slow down.

But yesterday’s news had stopped me dead in my tracks. Olivia was carrying my child. Barring something tragic, our lives would be forever changed. She’d been pregnant for weeks, and we never knew it. I’d committed everything to her since then. I’d professed my love to her, and I’d meant it with all my heart.

Had I known somehow, deep down, that she would be forever tied to me after that night?

I’d held her all night, until the tears slowed and she clung to me like I was the only one who could bring her peace. She’d fallen asleep against me, and as I stared into the darkness, I contemplated how dramatically life could change. In the blink of an eye, everything had taken on new meaning and purpose. Olivia needed me, and in nine months, so would our child.

Waking up to an empty bed filled me with a kind of anxiety I’d never experienced. I heard Ian’s voice in my head, telling me to give her time and space. Seeking that might have been her first instinct, but I wasn’t accepting it. I’d created this situation, but I wasn’t letting her go. From this moment forward, she was mine to care for in every way, and I’d be damned if I was going to let anything get in my way.

I pulled my phone from my pocket and dialed her number. She picked up after the first ring.

“I got worried when you weren’t home this morning,” I said.

“I woke up early and didn’t want to disturb you.”

“Is that the truth?”

She was silent a moment. “Not entirely. I wasn’t ready to face Ian. And Cam and Maya had their baby last night. Seeing them was more important than dealing with any of my own drama this morning.”

“How are they doing?”

“Really good. The baby is beautiful.”