Matt
Raven’s car was already in the parking lot when I got to the hospital, but Rory wasn’t waiting on me. Instantly, my gut clenched and my heart started pounding. I jogged into the hospital lobby, looking for any sign of her even as I pulled out my phone.
It rang twice before she answered. “I’m in the bathroom. Stop freaking out,” was her greeting. “Give me, like, two more minutes, okay?”
I let out a relieved breath. “Okay, baby. Take your time.”
I found the women’s bathroom and stood outside the door as I waited for her, scrolling through the group texts on my phone I’d missed earlier. There was one from Bash to all the MC brothers, letting us know to avoid Bates for the moment, and he would explain more during church later that night.
Nothing unusual about that. We were always avoiding Bates, but something about the text left me feeling uneasy.
The door to the bathroom opened, and Rory came out, still drying her hands with a paper towel. I took one look at her and knew something was wrong. Her face was pale, and there was sweat on her brow. Her eyes were unfocused as she stepped into the corridor, as if her mind was a million miles away.
When she realized I was standing right in front of her, she jumped in surprise. “You didn’t have to wait for me,” she said, her voice weak.
I took her hand and guided her down the hall to the chapel. Shutting the door behind us, I turned to face her. For some reason, I felt anxious just looking at her. Whatever was going on, I needed to fix it now. I knew something had been off with her since Jos arrived. The whole confrontation with Butch still hadn’t been discussed because I’d been so fucking busy.
“Are you sick?” I asked, touching my thumb to her forehead and wiping away a smear of sweat.
“Just an upset stomach. Maybe I shouldn’t be here, after all. I don’t want to chance giving Tanner this stomach bug.”
“Stomach bug,” I repeated, shaking my head. There were enough pregnant women in the clubhouse for me to recognize the signs. A grin started to tease at my lips despite the shit we still needed to talk about. “Is it really a bug? Or did you catch something else?”
She looked away, and I had my answer.
My grin disappeared before it even fully formed. “Were you going to tell me?”
“I just found out, okay?” she snapped and walked toward the front of the chapel. Sitting down on the bench, she glared up at the cross on the wall. “I took a test while I was in the bathroom. I’m still trying to process it.”
“What’s there to process?” I asked, crouching down in front of her. “We’re going to have a baby. I’m pretty damn happy.”
“Well, I’m not,” she whispered, tears spilling over her lashes. “I don’t know how to be a mother. I don’t know how to deal with this jealousy that is eating at me. And I can’t fucking breathe right now.”
My heart stopped, watching her struggle. “Don’t say that,” I choked out, more scared than I’d ever been in my life. “Rory, we’ll figure it out.”
She lowered her head, her hair falling into her face and effectively shutting me out. My fingers shook as I pushed it back, desperate to touch her. “Why are you so jealous? What happened to make you doubt me?”
“I don’t doubt you,” she answered, her lashes fluttering closed. “I know you love me. I know you’re mine. I’m struggling with the three years we were apart.”
“I thought…” I paused to clear my throat, trying to stay calm. “I thought you were putting that behind us.”
“I thought so too. Then Jos showed up, and I realized that any number of women could show up out of the blue with a kid, saying you were a daddy.”
“Fuck,” I laughed, so relieved, I nearly fell on my ass. “Is that what you’re so worried about, girl?” She glared at me, and I could only laugh again. I dropped to my knees between her legs, my hands sliding around her waist and locking at the small of her back. “I can tell you right now, that isn’t going to happen, Rory. Other than that bitch Steph, I didn’t fuck anyone else while you were gone.”
“Don’t lie to me,” she cried, trying to push me back.
I leaned in, kissing the corner of her mouth. “I wouldn’t lie to you. Not ever. I felt dirty after Steph. I fucking hated myself, baby. We weren’t technically together, but I felt like I’d cheated on you, and it was hard to face myself in the mirror after that.” She began to relax, her lips opening slightly to give me access to her mouth.
I kissed her slowly, taking my time, savoring the taste of her on my tongue. When I pulled back, I pressed a kiss to the center of her forehead. “I love you. I fucked up once, but I couldn’t do it again. Please believe me.”
“I-I do.” She melted into me, her head landing on my shoulder. “I’m sorry. I guess I’m going a little crazy. Ever since Jos came, I’ve been all over the place.”
One of my hands cupped her stomach. “I think we know why now, huh?” She laughed softly, nodding against my arm. I sighed contently. “Does this mean you’re going to marry me now?”
Her head snapped up so fast, it was a wonder she didn’t have whiplash. “What did you say?”
My brows lifted at the surprise on her face. “Ah, come on, girl. Marriage was always on the table. I was just waiting on you to get used to me a little more.”
“You still have to ask me, mister,” she growled, crossing her arms over her breasts as she leaned back and glared at me.
“Asking means I don’t know your answer. But I already do, so there’s no reason to ask.”
She slapped my chest. “Don’t pull that alpha shit with me today, Matthew Reid. I will seriously kick your ass right now.”
“Girl, you already have me on my knees, isn’t that enough?” Her bottom lip pouted out, and I knew I couldn’t tease her anymore. I clasped her left hand, lifted it to my lips, and kissed her ring finger. “Rory, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I’ll love and cherish you until the day I die. Please, baby, please marry me.”
I expected her to give me that smile that lit me on fire from the inside out, but a sob escaped her instead. Her tears flooded down her cheeks, and she shook her head. My confidence in her answer nose-dived, and my heart stopped for the second time that day. I tightened my hold on her hand without realizing it. “Rory, please,” I whispered in desperation.
“Yes!” she screamed, a laugh escaping her even as she sobbed again. “Of course, I’ll marry you, dummy.”
A relieved breath whooshed out of me, and I enfolded her in my arms, my heart finally kick-starting once again.