Page 73 of Wed to the Devil

"Thank you," he says stiffly. "Your words mean a lot to me." We all take a sip of our drinks in unison and the tension in the room begins to dissipate.

But then, Remy clears his throat again and turns towards me. "I must admit that when I first heard that you two were married, I was skeptical." He gives me a pointed look before continuing. "But you have proven yourself worthy of my grandson's affections."

I blush red as a beet, but I hold my head high despite the scrutiny I am receiving from Dare's grandfather. I can sense the hurt in my husband's eyes from Remy's words and I want to do something to make him feel better. So I take Dare's hand in my own and look into his eyes with love and admiration before turning back towards Remy.

"I may not come from a prestigious family like yours, but I love Dare more than anything else in this world." I pause for effect before continuing. "I'm proud of everything we've accomplished together - marrying each other despite our different backgrounds; proving those who tried to keep us apart wrong; building an amazing life together."

Remy's mouth pinches slightly at my words before he finally nods begrudgingly. It's more dismissive of me than it is an acceptance of Dare and I getting married and having a baby. I know that, but it still feels like a kind of victory to me.

After Remy's toast, I finally manage to drag Dare away from the estate and into the waiting SUV that will take us home. He settles in the back seat with a grumble. But when I put my head on his shoulder and intertwine my fingers with his, he runs his fingers through my hair and makes the quietest sigh of satisfaction.

Not a word is said on the car ride home. But I feel like I've figured out something vital. If I can make Dare happy enough when we are alone, it makes up for his family being a mess. Maybe if I can try to charm and enchant him, we can someday be free of the Morgans forever.

ChapterTwenty-Three

TALIA

I'm hurrying through the grocery store, trying to hunt for the exact brand of ramen I've been craving all day. In my mind’s eye, I can see it. A yellow and orange packet with some Japanese writing down the right side. Frick and Frack are behind me, purposely giving me room to breathe. I have been cranky all day, so I appreciate it.

"Are you pregnant?"

When I hear the question, a chill slides down my spine. I turn around and see a woman in her thirties pointing at my stomach, as if I needed her to highlight my baby bump.

I give her a wry smile. "I am."

"Congrats!" She beams at me, then her expression sobers as she looks at the cheap ramen packets I'm holding. "You shouldn't have salty foods. Too much salt in your diet will basically pickle your baby."

"Are you taking over as my obstetrician?" I ask.

The woman's face colors. "Uh... no."

"Oh! That's good. I thought that you were trying to tell me what I should eat because you were going to take my actual doctor's place. But since you're not, and since I'm a complete stranger that you've never seen before, I think it would be in your best interest to stop giving out advice."

The woman's jaw drops. "I... I'm sorry?"

She turns and scurries away. I scowl after her as I take one of the packets off the shelf and head to the cash register. Frick and Frack are both pointedly avoiding my glare.

That's good, because I'm not looking for any more unsolicited input on my pregnancy.

I am five and a half months pregnant. When I go out shopping, I can feel the stares from passersby as I walk down the street. At the cash register in fancy stores, older women come up to me and tell me about the latest craze in pregnancy advice. What to eat, how much to exercise, what rituals will supposedly determine the sex or intelligence of my baby.

I'm overwhelmed. It's exhausting hearing all this unsolicited advice and it makes me feel like a broodmare - like all people see when they look at me as just a vessel for their opinions and expectations.

But despite all that, there's something else, too - a deep satisfaction in knowing that Dare and I are making this incredible life together. That there is something growing inside of me that we both created with love.

That thought keeps me going when times get tough and helps sustain my patience with all the intrusive comments from strangers. Because at the end of it all, Dare and I are creating something beautiful together for ourselves - our own little family unit with so much potential for a bright future ahead of us.

So despite feeling exhausted from carrying around this growing bump and dealing with endless belly rubs from strangers, I take comfort in the knowledge that Dare will love this baby.

He might not yet, but the second he sees his child, he'll fall for it. Or that's what I like to fantasize about, anyway.

I get a call from a number that I don't recognize one morning while I am leaving a maternity clothing store, bags hanging from both of my arms. It's a struggle to answer the phone but I get it out of my purse and shove it between my face and my shoulder.

"Hello?"

I almost drop my bags and Frack appears, as if summoned. He collects the bags and then hurries me into the SUV idling at the curb.

"Is this Miss Chance?" a strange woman asks. Her voice is high pitched and terse.