Page 156 of Iced Up Love: Part Two
But I feel him.
I feel the way something in him locks into place, something heavy and final, something that doesn’t ease, doesn’t soften, just… settles.
“That’s our baby,” he says quietly.
The words land differently than anything else has.
My throat tightens.
“I didn’t even—” My voice breaks. “I didn’t know.”
Jackson lets out a breath, softer this time, leaning in closer to me.
“Hey,” he murmurs, brushing his forehead lightly against mine. “We know now.”
Zach’s hand tightens slightly around mine.
“You kept them safe,” he says, his voice lower now, more grounded, like he’s holding onto that as something solid. “After everything, you kept them safe.”
Something in my chest cracks at that.
“I didn’t— I couldn’t—” I shake my head, tears blurring my vision. “I didn’t do anything.”
Elijah’s hand comes up then, finally, his fingers brushing against my cheek, catching one of the tears before it falls further.
“You survived,” he says quietly. “That was enough.”
The sound keeps going.
Fast.
Unstoppable.
Real.
Jackson laughs under his breath again, shaking his head like he can’t quite believe it.
“Fuck,” he murmurs. “We’re really doing this, huh?”
Zach huffs out a breath that almost sounds like agreement.
“Yeah,” he says quietly. “We are.”
Elijah doesn’t say anything else.
He doesn’t need to.
His hand doesn’t leave my face.
When the scan ends and the room clears out, it feels like something has shifted that can’t be undone.
Jackson leans in first, pressing a soft kiss to my temple.
“You did so good,” he murmurs.
Zach adjusts the blanket again, slower this time, more deliberate, his hand lingering for a second longer than it needs to.
Elijah stays close.
