Addicted After All (Addicted #3)(23)

“Do you need anything else, honey?”

“No, I’m good.” She has stapled papers in her hand, and she waves to the nurse as she leaves. When Daisy spins around, Ryke approaches her without hesitance or caution—he kisses her on impact with deep concern. And she holds onto his waist, her body curving towards him in acceptance and want of that embrace.

I’m about to look away, but he pulls back and says, “You f*cking scared me.”

“I scared myself,” she whispers, searching his eyes. “Don’t make me cry.”

“It’s okay to cry, Dais.”

My stomach knots.

She nods and stands on the tips of her toes to kiss him once more. Then she says, “I love you.”

His shoulders almost relax, but his face stays hardened. He whispers in her ear.

After I give him the time to say I love you back, I clear my throat, and they both turn to look at us.

Daisy steps forward, her eyes widening. “Lily—”

“The baby’s fine,” I explain. Lily still holds onto me like she’s learning how to breathe again. “What’s with the papers?” I gesture to the stack in Daisy’s hand.

“Oh…” Daisy pauses for a second, and she glances between me and my brother. “Guess what?” She waves the papers theatrically in the air and outstretches her arms. “I’m pregnant.” Then she bows.

The room is dead silent.

My brother’s face falls.

I go utterly still.

“What?” Ryke says, his hands resting on his head.

Lily’s jaw has dropped to the floor.

And then Daisy straightens up with a playful smile. “Just kidding.”

Ryke lets out a long breath that turns into a growl. “Fucking hell, Daisy. I’ve had about five heart attacks in the past f*cking hour.”

“It was a joke,” she says quietly. “You know, the ones where you laugh at the end.”

“I’m not f*cking laughing.”

“Wrong crowd,” she says. “I must’ve missed the room with the boyfriend who would’ve laughed.”

“Must be the boyfriend who doesn’t know you that well.” He grabs the papers out of her hand and flips through them. She used the “I’m pregnant” announcement to deflect whatever those papers are about.

Ryke’s features turn grave, and I understand how serious it must be.

“What is it?” Lily asks Daisy.

She shrugs weakly. “They want to put me on some medication again.”

Ryke folds the paper, which must be prescriptions that she’ll need to pick up, and he stuffs it in his back pocket.

My phone buzzes, but so does everyone else’s.

We all check the group text.

Please, one of you, f*cking call me. We’ll reschedule the meeting. I just want to know if my grandson’s alive. – Dad

He’d probably be here if traffic wasn’t gridlocked from the wreck. I’m the first to text him back.

Yeah. I hesitate on what else to add, my body binding with more emotion. I try to smother these feelings on instinct. I swallow and type: He’s okay.





{ 10 }

LOREN HALE



With a grocery bag in hand, I slowly open the door to my bedroom. I hope Lily is either asleep or watching Thor from where we left off—right before she craved apples and cream cheese icing. Both of which, weren’t in the house. I had to take Lily’s car—since mine is out of commission—to make a run to the store.

When I walk through, I see Lil on our bed, my tablet cupped in her hand while her brows furrow. The moment I shut the door, she flinches and hides the tablet beneath the comforters.

Not porn, is my first and only thought.

“Hiding something?” I ask her.

She holds out her hands for the grocery bag, her eyes widening. I stand at the foot of the bed. She looks ridiculously adorable dressed in her red Spider-Man onesie, pajamas that she bought in college.

“Did you get the icing?” She perks up and reaches for the plastic bag.

I retract my arm, keeping a hard demeanor. “How about we trade? Give me the tablet and I’ll give you the food?”

“I wasn’t doing anything wrong,” she says, but makes no movement to grab the tablet.

I suddenly seize her ankle and tug her to the edge of the bed quickly. The breath rushes out of her, and her eyes land solely on my package. I put my face very close to hers so she stares right into my gaze. “Lily Calloway, are you looking at porn?”

“No,” she says. I don’t detect the lie.

“Were you on Tumblr?”

She presses her lips together.

I give her a no-nonsense look. “Lil.”

“Lo.”

I shake my head at her. “What could be so goddamn interesting that you’d risk your precious apples and icing?”

She raises her hands. “I can explain.” Her mouth stays frozen, wide open, and no words escape.

To cut to the chase, I rest a knee on the bed, lean forward and steal my tablet back. She doesn’t even attempt to retrieve it. She just buries her face in the comforter, her cheeks reddening in embarrassment.

I’m more confused. I type in my password on the lock screen. And what pops up is an article, not on Tumblr, titled: Best sex positions during pregnancy.