Page 169 of If You Claim Me

“Message if you need any help,” Romero says.

“Thanks, man.” I give him a chin tip and press the button for the parking garage.

The doors slide closed, and Lexi leans against the railing. “The rest of the team will come around.”

“I’m used to being on the outs.”

Her eyes narrow on my jaw. “What happened to your face?”

“Flip and I had a discussion.”

“With your fists?”

“I deserved it.”

She sighs and continues rubbing her belly. “I really hope this doesn’t send you back to last-season-style conflict.”

“He’s pissed that I’ve messed up my life and his best friend’s, but his focus is on the team.”

She grimaces and grips the rail.

“Let’s not talk about this. I feel like it’s causing you unnecessary stress. Are you sure you don’t want me to take you to the hospital?”

She shakes her head. “My water hasn’t even broken. I’m better off at home. Thanks, though.”

We walk out to her car, and I get her settled in the passenger seat for the drive to her and Roman’s place. Once she’s upstairs, I make sure she’s comfortable. “You sure you don’t want me to stick around until Roman gets home?” I ask.

“He’ll be home in an hour. I’m just going to clean the cupboards or something.”

“Shouldn’t you be resting?”

She shrugs. “I feel better when I’m moving around. Thanks for the ride, though.”

“No problem.” I open the door.

“Connor.”

I look back over my shoulder.

“The first step to cleaning up the mess you made is to reach out to Dred.”

“I know.”

I need to prove to myself and Mildred that I will never hurt her like this again. That I won’t let my fears get in the way of my love for her.

CHAPTER 48

DRED

“Connor’s here.” Everly’s nails are digging into my arm.

She’s been halfway in my lap since we arrived at the hospital over an hour ago. Apparently Connor drove Lexi home sometime after practice, and a couple hours later she realized her Braxton-Hicks contractions were actual labor.

I offered to drop Everly and Victor off at the group home—explaining that babies come in their own time and we’d likely be hanging around the hospital for a lot of hours—but they said they’d rather be with me, so here we are. I have a feeling they wanted to come partly because they hoped Connor would show up.

Since leaving Connor, I’ve been surrounded by my friends—particularly Roman, Lexi, and Callie, who have very much become my family too—and the twins have been like shadows. In my downtime, I’ve been fully immersed in gala preparation and working towards getting myself on the foster parent list. Thankfully those two things have kept me preoccupied. I haven’t told Everly and Victor yet, because I don’t want to set them up for disappointment if it doesn’t pan out, but my happiness eggs are fully in this basket.

There’s no adequate way to prepare for the way it feels to seeConnor in three dimensions. I’m sad and angry that he can’t own his feelings. My heart aches with the loss and races with longing. I wish I could magically erase everything that’s happened between us since Christmas, when the best news for Meems signaled the beginning of the end for us.