Page 110 of Suck This

“I think I want her to have my babies,” I said into the silence.

Con snorted. “You can’t have babies, but even if you could, I’m not sure that’s how it works.”

“What did you say?” I asked, going very, very still.

“Oops.” Fox stood up.

Abraham and Pavlov did the same, and soon, everyone in the room was gone except for Con and me. My brothers discreetly leaving us be without saying a word. And for that, I was thankful.

“I can’t have babies?”

Con looked at me.

“No.”

“How do you know?” I asked, being very careful about how I let my anger show.

“Because when you were in that car wreck, your organs were compromised,” he said carefully. “That was likely why you lost your baby when you did.”

I looked away, a feeling of loss hitting me so hard that I could barely breathe.

“You’re not joking, are you?”

He shook his head.

“No, baby,” he whispered. “I wish I were.”

I wrapped my arms around his neck and cried for the kids I would never have.

It hurt.

But what hurt worse, was that Con wouldn’t ever have them either.

“It’ll be okay, baby,” Con whispered sometime later.

My eyes hurt. My throat was scratchy, and my abs were sore.

“How do you figure?” I asked, looking away.

He brought my eyes back to his.

“Because I have you.”

“How did you know that was what I was upset about?” I challenged him, wiping my eyes.

He stroked his hand down his beard. “It’s the Viking way. We just know.”

I punched him in the shoulder.

“That’s the biggest bullshit answer I’ve ever heard.”

He shrugged. “Maybe. But for right now, it’s the only one you’re going to get.”

And for some reason, I was okay with that.

“I love you, Con.”

His grin was wide.

“I love you right back, woman.”

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