Page 134 of Sinful Wrath

I still can’t quite believe this is all real.

I need a fucking drink.

“Now, how far along do you think you are?” Dr. Harlow asks as she takes a seat beside Lucia.

“I don’t know.” Lucia glances at me.

I shrug, realizing that we’ve never once used protection. I sort of assumed it was taken care of as Lucia never brought it up, but it seems we were both irresponsible.

But I don’t regret it for one minute.

“Have you been actively trying, then?”

“No,” we both say in unison.

She glances nervously between us.

“So, it’s a happy surprise?”

Lucia glances at me, and I see the question in her eyes.

“A very happy surprise.” I bring her knuckles to my lips.

Lucia instantly relaxes as I offer her a reassuring smile.

“But it could be up to six weeks?” Lucia says, frowning as she tries to do the math.

“The haunted house.” I shake my head. “It would be fitting that that’s where our child was conceived.”

“I don’t remember a baby being on the bucket list.” Her eyes dance with mischief.

I wink at her before turning my attention back to the doctor, eager to know that everything is all right.

“Have you experienced any symptoms so far?” Dr. Harlow squeezes some ultrasound gel onto the long probe.

“I had some cramping the day I took the test.” Lucia looks at the probe warily.

I tense.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” I try not to sound hurt.

“It was when Dimitri took me to visit my father. I took a test as soon as I got home, and then…” Her voice trails off, but she doesn’t need to fill in the blanks.

I know all too well what happened next.

“Some cramping is perfectly normal,” Dr. Harlow explains.

I squeeze Lucia’s hand tighter, and she looks up at me with wide eyes.

I can’t even imagine how overwhelming this is for her, and it only makes me even more in awe of her.

“Shall we take a look, Mom and Dad?”

I can’t seem to keep my hands off Lucia, needing to feel her warm skin beneath my fingers. I clutch her hand in mine as I gently stroke her hair with the other. Even though she barely flinches as the probe is inserted,my entire body is on alert, watching her face intently for any sign of pain or discomfort.

“Now, depending on how far along you are, we might not be able to hear a heartbeat yet, but don’t panic. It typically only shows up after the six week mark, sometimes even eight, so it’s nothing to worry about.”

Lucia lets out a breath as she squeezes my hand tighter, her eyes glued to the monitor.