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“Yeah.” I hang up. It’s not going to be a comfortable talk for either of us, but it won’t be any worse than the one I need to have with Emma. The thing is, not telling a woman who you’re spending the night with who you really are is one thing, but the mother of your kid being in the dark is something else altogether.

I head back inside after texting my dad Emma’s address and get to her room just as the doctor leaves. “Is everything okay?”

“I was just letting Emma know she can go home in a couple of hours. I’ve signed her release forms. I just want her to try to eat something first and see if she can keep it down. I’ll have the nurse bring her prescriptions for her anti-sickness medication. You can have it filled in the hospital pharmacy, but she’ll need that asap.”

“I’ll make sure we have it before we leave.”

“Good. Then all I can say is good luck and congratulations. Make sure she rests. In my experience, women never know when to stop, because they are so busy looking after others, they forget to look after themselves.”

“Oh, she’ll rest.”

“Excellent. Have a good day,” he says as he walks away.

I push the door into Emma’s room and watch her for a second as she stares aimlessly out of the window. “Hey.”

She turns to look at me, a single tear slipping down her cheek. I rush over and wrap my arms around her as she cries quietly into my shoulder. I don’t pretend to understand how this must feel for her. I mean, it’s been a mind fuck for me, but she has two grown children. She probably thought her childbearing days were over. She was beginning to rebuild her life, and now a tiny foetus-shaped grenade has been launched her way. It’s enough to make anyone’s head explode, let alone someone who doesn’t have much of a support system.

Well, that shit stops now. “I’ve got you, Emma. I’ve got you.”

13

Emma

Ifeel physically and emotionally wrung out by the time I’m allowed to leave. Lick had someone collect chicken noodle soup for me and hands down, it was the best thing I’ve ever tasted. Maybe that’s one of the reasons I don’t put up a fight when Lick heads off to collect my prescription or when he loads me into his car and drives me home.

We don’t speak. The air in the car isn’t hostile as such, but it’s certainly tense between us, and yet I don’t know what to say to make it better. And honestly, I’m not sure it’s even my place.

When we get to my flat, he helps me out of the car and slips his arm around my waist. I grip onto his arm, still feeling wobbly on my feet, and let him lead me up the flight of stairs to the first floor. When we get there, two men are putting a new door on my flat. I don’t recognize them, but I do recognize their leather vests. These men are members of the Royal Bastards MC. Fab, just what I need.

“Henny, Gator. This is Emma. Emma, this is Henny and Gator.”

“Hi,” I offer gently, not sure what to make of them.

I look up at Lick. “Um…what happened to my door?”

“I couldn’t get to you.” He says it as if it explains everything, and I suppose in a way it does. It’s sweet, if a little intense.

“But this is a new door? How badly did you damage the old one?”

“That door might as well have been made from paper. You need something that will keep you safe.”

I open my mouth and shut it again. Not sure why I feel the need to argue about it. After all, he broke it, he can fix it because lord knows money is going to be even tighter for a while.

“We’re almost done here, Lick,” the one called Gator states. I really want to know why he’s called that but bite my tongue. I’ve read somewhere that it’s a no-no to ask a biker about his road name.

“Thanks, I appreciate you guys coming out here.”

They both nod before their eyes meet mine. I barely refrain from cringing under their scrutiny, knowing I look like hell.

“Nice to meet you both,” I offer and receive a nod from Gator and a smile from Henny.

“Head inside. I’ll be right there,” Lick tells me. Not needing him to ask me twice, I give the guys a small wave and head in when they give me a wide berth to pass. I make my way to the kitchen and pop the kettle on. I rummage through the cupboard until I find my favourite teacup, then throw a tea bag in it as I wait for the water to boil.

I’m just adding milk when Lick walks in.

“Tea for one?”

“I didn’t know if you’d want one or if you even planned on staying.”