Page 50 of Living for Truth (Broken Shelves #2)

Hannah

I haven’t heard from my mom since the farewell almost three weeks ago. I’m taking that as a sign she doesn’t want to be part of my life anymore.

We started renovating the nursery, since I’m almost halfway to my due date. Dr. Badar explained twins usually come before thirty-seven weeks, so technically, I’m more than halfway. We’re hoping I can make it to the thirty-two-week mark.

I’m on my lunch break at work, writing thank you notes to the participating vendors for the summer program when I feel it.

I thought I was having gas pains, but I don’t think that’s what this is.

The babies are moving.

I stand abruptly from my desk and walk quickly outside while I dial Morgan.

“Hannah? Is everything okay?” he answers frantically.

“I felt them move!” I practically scream.

“Felt…? Oh my God, the babies? You felt them move?!”

I’m nodding my head excitedly even though he can’t see me. “Yes, the babies. I felt them move.”

“Hannah!” Sage rushes out to me. “Are you okay? Is something wrong?”

“I’m fine, Sage, I felt the babies move and wanted to call Morgan to tell him.” I point at the phone.

“Oh, thank goodness,” Sage sighs in relief. “That’s so exciting! Tell Morgan I say hi.”

“Tell Sage thank you for checking on my girls,” Morgan says, obviously able to hear Sage.

“He says hi, and thank you for checking on us.”

“You’re welcome!” Sage shouts as she walks back inside.

“We’re having babies, Morgan,” I whisper as more tears of joy fall down my cheeks.

“We sure are, Butterfly.” A bell dings in the distance on his end of the phone. “I’m sorry to cut this short, but I’ve got to help a customer. I’ll see you in two hours. I love you.”

“I love you, too, bye.” I hang up and head back to my office where Sage is waiting for me with a big grin on her face.

She helps me finish the notes while she rants about her latest boy drama. Sage is very prone to making snap judgments when it comes to men and not giving them a chance to prove her wrong.

One time, Liam tried to set her up with one of his friends so we could have someone to double date with. Sage didn’t even make it past the appetizers before she decided he was a pretentious douchebag not worth her time and spent the rest of the night ignoring his many attempts at a conversation.

She wasn’t wrong in her assessment.

Liam refused to set her up on a date again, which is probably a good thing because his friends are assholes.

Not that Sage needs any help in the dating department. Men trip over themselves to get her attention.

“I can ask Morgan if he has any friends to set you up with if you want. I’m sure he doesn’t surround himself with finance bros like Liam. I’m sure we can find you someone great. Oh! I can ask Kendall if any of the rugby guys are single?” I suggest.

Sage’s cheeks turn pink as she shakes her head. “No rugby players.”

Hmmm… Sage isn’t telling me something. She was very into the idea of a rugby player just a few weeks ago. “Why not?”

She waves me off. “I don’t have time for a sports dude. Plus, they’re so… sweaty and massive. I don’t want a caveman. I want a nice smelling, gentle lover.”

Sage and I both burst out laughing because the last thing Sage wants is a gentle lover. She has… particular bedroom tastes, and gentle is not part of the description.

“When you’re ready to tell me why you’ve changed your mind about rugby players, you let me know,” I say with a pat on her hand.

“Nothing—”

“Hey, ladies!” Janine bursts into the office without knocking, interrupting Sage’s denial. “Hannah, your ex-husband is here, asking to speak to you. Do you want me to kick him out?”

Ugh. Fucking Liam.

“No, I’ll go talk to him.” I stand from my chair and make my way to the front of the library.

I text Morgan Liam is here, and I’m speaking to him, but I’m okay. Then I round the corner, and there stands my ex-husband.

“To what do I owe the displeasure, Liam?” I ask quietly but harshly.

He gives me a thorough onceover, his gaze locking on my stomach before finally bringing his eyes back to mine. “Can’t a guy just visit his ex-wife at work?”

“No. But I don’t want to have this conversation here. Follow me.”

Liam sighs like I’m being unreasonable, and it has me straightening my spine and putting more guards up. He follows me without a word into a conference room that almost never gets used.

He barely waits for the door to close before he says, “Twins, huh? Weird how you can keep this pregnancy, but you killed every single one of our babies. It’s like you were trying to lose them so I would divorce you,” Liam spits with a tone used to scold a child.

“The fact you think I would actively put my body through that pain not once or twice, but seven times shows just how out of touch with reality you are, Liam.”

“It’s just strange, Hannah. Makes me think you weren’t actually fully committed to our marriage.” He shrugs.

“I was more committed than you were! I wanted to get testing done, Liam. I wanted to go to couples counseling. I was willing to try. You were the one who called it quits. You gave up when things got hard because you were looking for an out.”

Liam scoffs. “Why should I get tested when it’s clearly your fault you can’t stay pregnant?”

“It’s clearly not my fault. I got tested when I found out I was pregnant with the twins. The doctor hypothesized it was mostly likely a problem with the previous sperm donor. That whoever was getting me pregnant before didn’t have strong enough sperm to help the embryo grow.”

His jaw clenches at the blow to his fragile ego, but I’m just stating facts.

“You can’t possibly prove that,” he says through gritted teeth.

“Not one-hundred percent, no. Not unless you go and get tested. But the only difference between my previous pregnancies and this one is the father. Now tell me why the hell you’re at my place of work, Liam. I’m done with this petty conversation.”

“Whitney told me you were pregnant with twins, and I wanted to confirm it for myself. I also wanted to tell you to call off your guard dog. He can’t take full custody of the kid, it would look bad for Whitney.”

“I’m not going to tell Morgan what he can and can’t do when it comes to Alyssa. Why do you even care? You’ve made it clear you don’t want anything to do with her.”

He shrugs. “Like I said, it would look bad for Whitney. She can’t afford the legal fees it would take to fight him, and I sure as hell am not going to be fronting that bill.

She’s been trying to convince me to get her pregnant so she can rub it in Morgan’s face, and I think she’ll back off if she doesn’t lose custody of the brat. ”

“Liam, I couldn't care less about what’s happening in your personal life. Your and Whitney’s issues are none of my business, and what Morgan does with custody of Alyssa is up to him. I’m not going to tell him what to do.”

“You just want to see me suffer.”

I throw my hands up in the air. “This isn’t even about you!

If you don’t want anything to do with a woman who has a kid, then break up with Whitney!

Don’t bring your relationship drama to me because you and I?

We’re over, Liam. You made that clear when you handed me fucking divorce papers.

My life is none of your business, and frankly, I don’t give a shit about yours.

I don’t want to see or talk to you ever again, so please just leave. ”

Liam scoffs again. “You always were a bitch. I don’t know what he sees in a fat, selfish, defective—”

“You better not say another word about my fiancée,” Morgan’s deep voice interrupts, and Liam and I both whip our heads in the direction of the open door.

“What are you doing here? How did you know where we were?” I ask as he comes and wraps an arm protectively around my waist.

“I was already on my way when you texted me he was here. The woman at the front desk told me she saw you come in here. This kind of stress isn’t good for you or the babies.

I’ll take it from here.” Morgan places a kiss on my forehead, then turns to Liam.

“If I need to take out a restraining order because you’re harassing Hannah, I will.

You have no reason to be here, so leave. And do not contact her again.”

Liam puffs up his chest, trying to stand tall, but he’s not as big as Morgan, so he only reaches his chin. “Back off from Whitney, and I’ll back off from Hannah.”

Morgan gives a condescending chuckle. “Whitney is the one who keeps contacting me. I’ve already told her any contact will be done through our lawyers from here on out. If I need to get lawyers involved here too, I will. I will protect what’s mine at all costs.”

It’s got to be the pregnancy hormones making me all tingly at the way he growls “mine.” Overprotective Morgan is hot as hell, and I’m seriously wishing we weren’t in public right now.

“Whatever, man. Enjoy my sloppy seconds,” Liam spits, then turns to walk away.

Morgan speaks just loud enough for only the three of us to hear, “Oh, I enjoy her very much. And she sure as hell enjoys me if the way she screams my name every night is any indication.”

Liam freezes, and I watch his hands ball into fists. I think he’s going to take a swing at Morgan, but instead he just stomps out the front doors of the library like a petulant child stomps out of a room.

“Was that necessary?” I whisper, turned on as hell.

“Hell yes it was, Butterfly. He should know how much more… satisfied you are now.”

My cheeks heat to a million degrees. I should be feeling upset and hurt by what Liam said, but I’ve heard it all before. If anything, it cements that the divorce was the best thing to happen to me, even if it was extremely difficult at the time.

These damn pregnancy hormones have made my libido sky rocket, so instead of feeling upset, I’m feeling horny at the show of Morgan’s protectiveness.

“That was very hot. I really wish we weren’t at my place of employment.” I sigh, and Morgan’s eyes darken, even as his brow furrows with a hint of worry.

“You’re not… upset by what just happened?”