Page 56 of Savage Promises (Quinlan Empire #2)

Shane

“ S hane,” Lennox huffs at me, adjusting the blindfold as I guide her forward. “If this is some weird gender reveal-slash-kidnapping situation, I swear to God—”

I chuckle, squeezing her hand. “It’s not. And for the record, I don’t want to know the sex of our baby. I want to be surprised.”

“Like you were a surprise?” She lets out a soft laugh. “You don’t care what the sex is?”

I stop walking and lean in close, my lips brushing her ear. “It’s mine and yours. That’s all I care about.”

Her breath catches, and for a second, I just stand there, my hand resting over the tender curve of her belly. One month ago, I thought I lost her forever. Now, she’s carrying my child, and I get to spend the rest of my life proving I’ll never let her go again.

I press a kiss to the side of her head. “Now come on. Just a few more steps.”

I signal the guards to wait in the lobby. With Dorian recovering from a bullet to the shoulder, I’ve assigned Blade and Jett to guard my wife.

I help her inside the elevator and hold on tight as it rises with a jolt. Lennox shifts beside me, probably trying to guess where the hell we are, but she doesn’t pull off the blindfold.

When the door slides open, I lead her inside, then reach up and gently lift the red satin fabric from around her eyes.

She blinks and spins around. Jaw dropped, she cries out, “Shane... What is this? Where are we?”

I’ve brought my wife to the center of the sprawling loft that I blackmailed from Farrell.

For this exact purpose. This exact moment.

Three thousand square feet of open space gleams with grayish-blue wooden floors and high ceilings.

Rows of arched windows offer an incredible view of the East River.

The golden summer sunset casts a soft glow over everything, making the space feel even more warm and welcoming.

Yeah, I’m gonna need shades on these windows. Especially with what I plan to do to my wife here every night.

“It’s a loft. We’re near the UN and my office,” I say, shoving my hands into my pockets as I watch Lennox take in the space. “It’s a brand-new building. Tom Farrell is developing this block with a few other buildings for foreign dignitaries. He gave me this one.”

Her lips part in shock. “He gave it to you?”

“To us.” I smile, crossing one ankle over the other. “It’s a place that’s ours. Not just mine.”

She turns to the windows, resting her hands on her belly as she stares out at the river. “This view is incredible. Hawk will lose his mind not knowing which window to perch in front of. And there’s so much space.”

I step beside her, letting her take it in before I nudge her forward. “Come on. Let me show you the rest.”

We pass through a massive kitchen that is sleek and modern but with warm finishes. Lennox’s fingers trail over the marble counters with copper veins.

The living room is just as flawless, anchored by a built-in gas fireplace encased in seamless glass with a mantle I will fill with photos of just my wife.

We move past a floor-to-ceiling open bookshelf that will make space for an office with two desks. One for me. One for her.

“We can put a king-sized bed right there.” I point to the back wall with two massive windows. “And right there can be the nursery. There’s room for a crib, a chest, a changing table, and a rocking chair.”

Lennox follows my gaze to an arched nook next to where the bed will be.

I never thought fatherhood would feel like this.

Like I have a higher purpose. Like fire and calm are swimming in my veins all at once.

I’ve already downloaded every book I can find, went to the first doctor’s appointment, and plan to be at every single one, no matter what until the birth of this baby.

Lennox spins around, her expression unreadable. “Hang on. This is all...one room. There’s no—” She hesitates, stroking her throat. “There’s no privacy for you. You always said you wanted your own space.”

I wrap my hands around her waist and pull her close. “And that was the biggest mistake I made with you. Letting those insecurities put distance between us.”

She stills. “Um...”

In the week since the shooting, Lennox and I moved into the villa at The Sterling.

I wouldn’t force her to move back into the brownstone, a house I made her leave.

I respect her more than that. And I came to hate the place.

We’ve slept in the same bed every night.

It felt amazing. It felt healing. I could never go back to separate bedrooms.

I cup her face, my thumb stroking her cheek. “This is to prove to you that I never want a wall between us. I never want a door between us. We don’t have to live here forever. When the baby is older and we’re ready to make more babies, we’ll buy a big house. Together. ”

Her breath hitches.

“This isn’t just a place to live, Lennox. It’s a promise.” I press a kiss to her forehead, then whisper against her skin, “I’ll take care of you and our children. Always. Front and center. No hiding. No secrets.”

She looks up at me with glassy eyes, slowly threading her fingers through mine.

“That’s all I ever wanted. You and me. Together forever,” she whispers.

I tighten my grip on her hands, resting them over her stomach. “Together forever, Mrs. Quinlan,” I echo.

And now I know forever is exactly what we’ll have.