Page 172 of When She Falls (The Fallen)
“Leaving you was a mistake. The worst mistake of my life. I couldn’t stand the thought of you losing everything for me, but now I see that I should have trusted you to make that decision for yourself. I was scared, Ras. So scared that you’d wake up one day and realize I wasn’t worth it. You told me I was enough, but I didn’t believe you.” She tucks a strand of espresso-colored hair behind her ear. “Cleo made me realize how my parents screwed me up. I have all of these beliefs about love and affection that are kind of messed up, and all these memories I'd forgotten and when they came back—oh I don't know what I'm saying.” She drags her fingers through her hair and sighs, seemingly frustrated with herself.
I stare at her mutely.
She clenches her fists by her sides. “I’m sorry, Ras. I’m so sorry for what I said to you. For how I hurt you. I promise that if you take me back, I’ll never hurt you like that again. I’ll work on myself. I’m not going to let my past dictate my future.” Her cheek turn pink. “I swear, I had a far better speech prepared, but I forgot it all as soon as I got here.”
I put my hands on her forearms. There’s something weird happening inside my chest.
“Did you say you’re pregnant?”
The pink on her cheeks deepens. “Yes. I probably threw up the morning-after pill. I know this is totally unexpected. I don’t expect you to be thrilled about it—”
I press my index finger against her lips. “I’m thrilled.”
Her eyes soften with relief, and her lips turn up against my finger.
My heart is pounding against my ribs.
She broke off the engagement.
She’s pregnant with our kid.
She must have jumped through so many hoops to come here.
And she did it anyway.
She chose me.
I engulf her in my arms. I press my nose into her hair. Her scent is the sweetest thing I’ve ever smelled, and now I’ll have it around me forever. “Cazzo. I can’t believe this. Do you know how badly I wished to have you back in my arms? Not an hour’s gone by without me thinking about you. I feel like I’m dreaming.”
“You’re not mad at me?” she asks, her voice muffled against my chest.
I should be. There’s a small part inside me that wants to punish her for walking out the way she did, but I push it away and focus on what’s more important.
I’m going to be a father.
That’s not a thought I’d expected to have today, but I am thrilled. I’ve always wanted to have kids, and to have them with Gemma is a gift. A privilege.
She’s mine. All mine.
I press my lips to the crown of her head. “I forgive you.”
Her body sags with relief.
My thoughts are still racing to make sense of everything and I pull back to look at her. “Those phone calls—”
She gives me a wry smile. “If you have just picked up, it would have made my evening a lot easier.”
“Gemma.” My voice cracks at the thought of her trying to reach me and not being able to.
She shakes her head. “No, not Gemma. Call me that other thing you always say to me.”
I cup her cheek. “Peaches.”
Her lips quirk up. There’s a slight wobble in her chin. “Yeah, that. I love it when you call me that.”
I slip my hands underneath her outrageous jacket, feeling the hollow of her waist and the flare of her hips. They fit perfectly beneath my palms. “You’re mine now. I hope you know I’m never letting you go again.”
She stands up on her toes and tips her head back, her eyes shining. “I know.”
