Temptation [h.s.] ✔

Chapter 48.

My words ricochet off every surface. They echo, ringing in my ears, until they finally peter out into silence.

I'm still standing here, my arms around my stomach, only now my eyes are on the floor. I can't look at him. He's not talking. He's not moving. He's breathing though, and that's the only noise in the apartment right now.

"Pregnant?"

"I found out this morning," I answer quietly. "I went to my OBGYN and she took out my implant and confirmed it."

"Why the fuck didn't you call me?"

I step back into the wall. "I was in shock. I still am."

"When is the... You... Us... Shit." He exhales loudly. "When is the due date?"

Is it mine? is what he's really asking.

"I don't know for sure, but the test said I'm five weeks. My OBGYN guessed mid to late December. I have an appointment with her in two weeks. She said she'll know better when she's seen the baby."

"Seen the—seen the baby? Like a scan?" His voice trembles.

I finally look up. He looks like he's seen a ghost. I don't blame him.

I feel like I have.

"Yeah." I nod slowly and hug myself tighter. "Like an ultrasound."

"Wow. Shit." His fingers go through his hair again, and he blows out another long breath. 

"And you didn't know? At all?"

I shake my head. "I feel fine. I just...had a feeling this morning."

"I knew something was wrong with you." He drops his hand. "Why didn't you tell me?"

I raise my eyebrows. "On a gut feeling that could have been nothing but paranoia? Really?"

"Okay, but you should have called me. As soon as you fucking knew, Liv! Fuck. If you feel half as rattled as I do right now, I should have been here for you!"

It clicks.

His anger isn't at me.

It's because he wasn't here with me.

"I'm sorry," I whisper. "I just... I panicked. Then it was positive and I had to get that stupid failing piece of crap out of my body so it didn't hurt our baby and then I panicked some more and then you called and then I panicked a little more and then I panicked myself all out."

His lips twitch. "Still got a little in there, huh?"

I exhale shakily. "A little? A lot. But I figure I have eight months to panic, so why waste all that in one day?"

"You..." He sighs and walks toward me. He wraps his arms around my shoulders and pulls me into him.

His hold is strong and certain. Warm. Steady. I turn my face into his chest. 

I turn my face into his chest. "You don't have to stay, you know. If you need to go to...digest it...I get that," I murmur into his shirt.

"Silly woman," he says into my ear. "My silly, panicky bitch."

I crack a small smile at those words.

Harry pulls back and rests his palms against my cheek. "Look at me."

I do.

"I'm not going anywhere," he says slowly and clearly. "You got that? You'll have to remove me with brute force to get me out of this apartment, and even then, I'd put up one hell of a fuckin' fight."