me, like a hurricane approaching. His voic

ou keep hi

d somehow make the question less strong. "Do you think I was hiding him?" My voice was tense and strained, but I wouldn'

nd astonishment crossed his fa

at you were going to do. I didn't know what kind of person you were. Y

arder. "I left because I thought you d

left me alone when I needed you the most." You think you can just

es showed rage and fury. But there was also a strong

Juniper, I," but t

s," and my voice shook. "I've moved

ssion softening, but I couldn

ringing back memories I had buried deep in my memory. Memories of a time when Callum

for a second, and

hands on my bulging belly. I had just gotten a call about a design project th

the hallway, and suddenly t

ce, "You don't need me any

motionless, with my heart b

and walked away wi

e back to the present.

ely above a whisper. "You left me. From

lit second, he looked like the man I used to know and trust. But the wall

d, his voice softer now and full of

"You didn't even

hings we hadn't addressed, and the past felt

ion in the flat. My heart stopped, and my body went

and as he walked towards the

the nursery door without thinking, my pulse racing in my chest.

that felt like forever, I forgot about everything else. The space between us got smaller, and in the heat

face was screwed up in pain. I couldn't breathe. "It's oka

d. His eyes softened, and the harsh edge of his fury turned into something other, s

s hold on to me as I rocked him gently. But I wasn't su

hing. He observed while I calmed Ben down with kind

d formerly been a harsh reminder of all that had gone wrong bet

breathing as he finally nestled on my chest robbed the momen

loser, as if something we couldn'

"I never wanted i

forehead to calm my own beating heart. This moment, as weak as i

jaw tense as he talked. There was something softer under

ut steady voice, "I

lot more than I thought they would. "What?" I said in

t going to let you raise him by yourself." He's a

ack after all this time and tell me what's best for hi

Juniper." But I'll never let him g

ice shook. "I won't let my life ge

, as if the reality had finally gotten beyond the barricades

at do you want in return, Callum?" You think you can just walk back

but I stood my ground. "I'm not asking for anything i

in my gut. I felt like I was going to die when I

ing away with my heart racing. "I've w

ng the room feel heavier and more oppressive. I could still hear w

f his coat and remarked,

iced the contract he put across the table. My hea

d shook my head in aston

pt his eyes on mine. "A

like someone had

A deal for business. We get married. "You keep your f

too strange to understand at first. "Do you t

r him. He ran his finger along the border of the contract. "You des

y hands made everything seem too real. "You think this is what I nee

ly. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm giving you protection.

t was about to suffocate under the wei

it up and leave. But the other side, the one I detested, want

and need. It was hard to breathe because of the te

know wh