Page 24 of Victory at Prescott High (The Havoc Boys 5)
I just stare back at him and then reach my hands up to lay them over his. Our fingers intertwine, pretty HAVOC tatted knuckles on either side. His left, my left. He leans in and kisses my lips, a soft, easy kiss with no demands for more. Just a promise to listen.
“Was,” I correct, frowning hard. “Was pregnant. I’m pretty sure this is a chemical pregnancy—”
He cuts me off with another kiss, one that lingers just a tad longer. He only pulls back enough to talk, our mouths brushing together with each word.
“You don’t have to analyze every little thing. You don’t have to be Vic to be queen. Are you okay?”
“I …” I start, but I’m not sure what to say. How do I feel? I don’t know. I didn’t want to be pregnant, so I feel relieved. Also, a little bit sad. And maybe I want to kill every motherfucker in the GMP to make up for that beating I got on the lawn. “It’s not really that big of a deal, but it’s … weird.”
Aaron smiles at me and then reaches up to push wet hair back from my forehead. Me and him, we’re parents already. We have Heather and Ashley and Kara locked away in an ivy-covered tower known as Oak River Elementary. The last thing either of us needs or wants is a baby, but it still isn’t fair that I had to find out about this the same day I started bleeding and cramping.
“I’ll be okay,” I promise, sliding my palms along his arms until I get to his taut shoulders. “Just … bring me one of the reusable cups from the duffel I have in your room, make up a hot water bottle, and grab some ibuprofen?”
Aaron nods, but he doesn’t let go of me, pressing a kiss to either of my cheeks and one to my forehead. His breath feathers against me and I shiver, the water steaming around us as it finally reaches its maximum temperature, scalding me the way I want it to. I stare at the Bernadette tattoo on his right arm.
First chance I get, I’m tattooing all of their names on my skin. I don’t care where. I just want them somewhere. That, and I want my name on all of them. Does that make me a crazy person?
I lick some of the warm water from my lips and look back at Aaron’s face. As soon as he gets out of here, he’s going to punch something. I can tell by the way he skims my bruises, taking in all the damage I received at the hands of a rival gang. Can’t say I blame him. If they’d done this to my girl—whether she wanted a baby or not—I’d be furious.
Inconsolable.
Murderous.
“Don’t tell anyone else yet,” I say, touching my hand to his arm. His skin is hot enough to burn; it draws me to him like a moth to the flame. That’s probably how they think of themselves, Havoc. Like the flame that burned away my wings and kept me trapped here in Prescott.
Well, I know for a fact that Aaron feels that way. Oscar. Maybe Hael. Cal, I don’t know. Vic is the one who would gladly flick the wheel on a lighter and offer it up.
Toxic. Irresponsible. Broken.
That’s me and those boys and this pregnancy-that-isn’t.
I exhale.
“I won’t,” Aaron promises, his voice a fierce slash, some of that anger managing to creep out even though he tries so hard to hide it. “I promise I won’t.” He lets go of my face finally and steps back. “Take your time. When you get out, we can start looking for Cal again. Then you can tell them all together.”
He turns to leave, pauses, and then whirls around so quickly that a small sound of surprise escapes me. Aaron slams his palms against the shower wall on either side of me and takes my mouth like he honestly believes all problems in this world can be solved with the right kind of kiss.
As my fingers come up to brush against his muscular chest, and his tongue takes over my mouth, I think that there’s at least a small chance that he’s right.
“Keep ahold of my leash, your majesty. Because the next time I see somebody with that hideous fucking clown tattoo, I’m going to go daddy Aaron on their asses.” He grabs the side of my neck, kisses me hard enough to bruise, and then lets go, staring down at me with steam and dew collecting on his wavy hair. “Fuck, you’re the strongest woman I’ve ever met,” he breathes, finally turning and leaving the bathroom in such a whirlwind that the steam swirls around like clouds in a summer breeze.
A smile almost manages to catch on my lips, but then I remember I have to actually take my cup out and the bleeding starts all over again. There are a few clots, but nothing unusual. If the hospital hadn’t told me my blood tests showed that I was pregnant, I might not realize this was a miscarriage at all.
