Page 96 of Desert Loyalties

But now? Now I have something I never thought I deserved.

Closure. And more than that — afuture.

With my old man.

My partner.

My husband.

And now, the father of my child.

I’m still healing. But I’m no longer just surviving.

I’m living. Loving. Becoming.

And that’s more than I ever dreamed for the girl I used to be.

Chapter 40

MANDRAKE

I’m gonna be a dad.

An actual dad.

Holy shit.

I should be freaking out. Any normal man would be. Hell, the version of me before Skye would’ve bolted straight through the fucking wall at the thought. But right now?

I’m not scared.

I’m steady.

Skye’s sitting on the edge of the bed, hair a little messy, eyes still glassy from crying. There’s a red patch under one eye where she rubbed too hard. And somehow, she’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.

Her hand covers mine on her stomach, her warm skin, soft under my palm. It’s not even a bump yet. Just flat and quiet. But under there?

Life. Ours.

Then she shifts, slow and certain, sliding her hand down, guiding mine with it. Lower.

I don’t need more of a hint than that. I get on my knees on the side of the bed, kissing her stomach through her shirt, causing her to laugh and grab the hair on the top of my head. She grabs it in her fist and pushes my face, pulling me up against her. She’s so damn close, I push her shirt… my shirt over her mound, exposing her wet pussy to my face.

Her fingers stay tangled in my hair, as I latch onto her clit, her hips rising to meet my mouth. Skye’s breath comes in stutters, falling into a steady rhythm. I eat her out like the best meal I've ever had, tongue circling, flicking, the taste of her is everywhere. She’s so goddamn wet, and I’m lost in it, sucking, teasing, my face slick with her. Her thighs squeeze my head, but that doesn’t stop me from thrusting two fingers inside her.

She moans, a long, low sound that makes me throb, her hands pull me deeper into her clit. She rolls her hips, and I’m right there with her, feeling her pulse against my tongue, holding her steady as she starts to shake. Her gasps get sharper, higher. Legs tightening, her fingers dig into my scalp. She’s right on the edge, and I can feel the moment she goes, the tremor that runs through her, all the way from her stomach to her toes, her body arching beneath me.

I keep going, licking her through the aftershocks, until she’s comes down, until she’s still again, breathless and wrecked. Herhands tug me up, and she’s pulls me against her, kissing me hard, tasting herself on my tongue. Her smile is wide and lazy.

“Wow.” Skye says, spreading her legs for me to settle between. Reaching between us, she guides me into her, hot, wet and tight heat. We both groan, her nails bite into my shoulders. I lean on top of her with my forearms caging her in, careful not to crush her stomach. I thrust, slow at first, until she moves with me, hips rising, taking me deeper. I can’t hold back anymore.

I start pounding into her, her moans and gasps get louder in my ear. Her walls flutter, squeezing, and I know she’s close again, so damn close. I reach between us, finding her clit, rubbing till she cries out again. I’m right there with her, the world narrowing to this, just this, the heat and slide of her, the coil getting tighter and tighter until it snaps, hard.

She screams my name, the sound echoing through the walls. Ifuck her harder, each thrust making her gasp, her mouth is open, head tipped back, hair spilling across the sheets. She grips me tighter, pulling me deeper, her legs locking me in, and I’m lost. Stilling inside her, I cum hard. Painting her pussy with my cum until it’s dripping out of her.

My arms finally give out, and I collapse against Skye, both of us shaking, slick with sweat. Her hands are soft now, smoothing the hair off my forehead, stroking my back, heartbeat to heartbeat.

I roll to my side, taking her with me. Holding her close, I touch her belly again.

“I’m gonna be a dad,” I say, and it’s still true, still everything, still the best damn thing I’ve ever heard.

Skye grins, and it lights her up, makes her glow. “You’re gonna be amazing.”

I rest my forehead against hers. “We both are.”

Outside, the world can wait. The noise, the heat, the ghosts, all of it. Right now, it’s just us.

Whatever comes next, we’ll face it together.