Page 129 of The Viper's Wife

Ah, fuck.

“That’s my pretty girl,” I hiss into her ear as I thrust into her. “That’s my little slut—begging to be bred by her husband.”

She nods against my mouth, and I burst, pulsing as I sink deep into her like I can make our fantasy a reality—like I could give her a baby through sheer force of will and bind her to me forever, and the rest would just fall into place, the universe giving way to a love so powerful that it reshapes destiny.

After, we lay like that for a long time.

My ribs hurt like shit, but I don’t care. I won’t move from her.

“Nico,” she says, writhing under me. “You’re heavy.”

“Shh,” I whisper, holding her underneath me. “We have to stay like this. To make it stick.”

It’s a fantasy. I know she has her birth control, but she plays along regardless. She stills underneath me, before kissing my neck. “It’s okay, Nico. I can feel it. You did it.”

I kiss along her face, arousal surging, my dick giving a valiant effort. It’s pretend—it’s all pretend—but I don’t care. I’m happy, euphoric as an addict at the peak of their high, before the crash.

She pushes against me, and I give her one more kiss before tumbling off. We stare up at the early night sky, our hands joined, listening to the ocean waves lapping against the shore.

“Where would you want to raise our kids?” I ask, the question leaving my mouth the moment it sparks in my mind. “If you could pick anywhere?”

Her hand squeezes mine. “Not Chicago. Or New York. Anywhere else, far away.” Her broken tone tugs at my heart.

I roll my head to look at her. “We’d need a big house. Something with enough rooms for all the kids.”

She turns toward me, a guarded expression on her face. “All the kids?”

“Yeah, all six of them.”

A rare smile graces her mouth before falling.

“I don’t think I’d make a good mom.”

I cup her face, rubbing my thumb along her bottom lip. “Why would you say something like that?”

“My mom left me with a note that said towatch yourself. She knew at least some of this would happen, and she rananyway. And, I’m not even that sad she’s gone. I’m mad at her and I know it’s not right, but her disappearing is almost a relief. It’s one less thing for me to deal with. Same for my dad. He’s dead, and I don’t even care.” She laughs bitterly. “I think I’m a really fucked-up person.”

I pull her against my chest, ignoring the pain in my side, and stroke her hair. “No. You’re not fucked up. You grew up in the worst possible conditions, with the worst family, and still became someone who was smart and kind and loyal. You’re nothing like your parents. You’re like…” I search the endless ocean for the words, “like one of your collages. You take all the trash and scraps and shape them into something beautiful. Something valuable. And I see the way you love your friends, and how you love me. I know, without a doubt, that you’ll make the best mom any child could ask for.”

I can see it, too. Valeria smiling warmly at a little girl with dark hair and dark eyes and none of my features, because that’s the only way she’ll be able to have that for herself.

She sighs and nestles into me, and I hold her close, wishing I could hold on to this moment forever.

26

VALERIA

This is madness.

And it’s misery.

I stand in the ocean, letting the waves lap up against my belly and breasts, squinting against the brilliant blue stretching long into the horizon. The sun casts a drowsy warmth over my face and shoulders, and the water is salty and tepid as bathwater. I can still taste the ice cream we had after lunch.

I love him. And he loves me.

With Nico all the way on the shore, he won’t be able to notice the movement of my arm as I place my open palm on my lower belly.

I’ve been too scared to get a pregnancy test.