Page 27

I t had been three long, frustrating days since I’d heard a single word from Bo.

Not a call, not a text, not even a damn emoji.

Just silence. I’d been blowing up his phone, leaving messages that started sweet and supportive, then gradually turned into “I know you see my damn texts” and “Don’t play with me, Bo.

” The only reason I hadn’t completely lost my mind was because I saw the read receipts.

He was alive. But that only made it worse.

So you’re reading my messages… but ignoring me?

That part right there had me pacing the floor of Lexi's living room, phone in hand. A war between love and pride was waged inside of me, and I was two seconds from choosing violence.

I could acknowledge that he was going through it after his mama dropped a whole lifetime of secrets in his lap.

Finding out his real daddy wasn’t who he thought it was had to be a full blown mind fuck, but I’m supposed to be his girl.

His peace. His home. The one person he doesn’t shut out when the world gets too loud.

So, why the hell am I the one sitting here in silence?

I threw my phone on the couch and flopped down next to it, arms crossed, and jaw tight. Every minute that passed without a word chipped away at the peace I was trying to hold onto.

“Bestie… just give him time. He’ll come around,” Lexi said gently, settling beside me on the couch like she hadn’t just uttered the most annoying sentence in the world.

“I can’t, Lex. I’m really worried about him.” I let out a long sigh, pulling my knees to my chest and resting my chin on them. “It’s been three days. No call, no text, no nothing. And I know he’s reading my messages.”

Lexi gave me that patient, big-sister look she was known for. “I know, Liv. I know it’s hard. But give him one more day. One. If he doesn’t say anything by tomorrow, I’ll have Dom track his stubborn ass down, and then we’ll both go jump him for putting you through this.”

That actually made me crack a small smile. But the smile faded just as quickly as it came. “I can’t even eat. My nerves are so bad. Every time I try, I end up throwing it up.” My stomach churned just thinking about food.

From the kitchen, Denim strolled in with a bowl of fruit in one hand and that smug little smirk she always wore when she was about to say something slick.

“That’s because your ass is pregnant.”

I blinked. “Girl, what? I ain’t pregnant.”

Lexi’s head snapped around so fast, I thought she pulled something.

Denim plopped down in the armchair and casually stabbed a piece of melon with her fork. “Don’t what me. Y’all acting surprised like Olivia hasn’t been walking around crying over every damn thing for the past few weeks.”

Lexi’s mouth was wide open now. “Liv, are you pregnant?”

I opened my mouth to answer, but no words came out because now that they were saying it, I started counting the days of my missed period. And everything Denim was saying suddenly didn’t sound so far-fetched.

Then I thought about how Bo and I hadn’t used protection in a minute.

Fuck!

“Got you thinking, huh?” Denim stated.

“Oh God! I’m pregnant,” I said more to myself than them.

The next hour was a blur.

Lexi had practically dragged me to the car. My heart pounded the entire ride to the nearest pharmacy. Lexi stayed quiet, her eyes bouncing between the road and me, and I could feel the weight of what we were about to confirm—or rule out—hanging heavy between us.

It wasn’t that I wouldn’t be happy if I was indeed pregnant; it was the fact that Bo and I had just made things official. Was he ready for a baby? Is it too soon? All these questions played back in my head.By the time we got back to the house, I was shaking.

“Breathe, Liv,” Lexi said softly as I stood frozen in the bathroom doorway with the box clutched in my hand.

“I’m okay…” I whispered.

“You sure?” Lexi said, leaning on the doorframe with her arms crossed. I nodded, not really sure myself.

Finally, I shut the bathroom door for some privacy.

My fingers fumbled with the wrapper as if I was trying to solve a Rubik’s cube while my life was potentially changing forever.

When I was done, I set the test down on the sink and backed away like it might explode.

Five minutes felt like five years. I paced the bathroom, chewing on my nails, my thoughts spinning so fast I thought I’d pass out from the anxiety alone.

Was I ready for this? Was Bo?

“You good?” Lexi asked through the bathroom door. I cracked it open, and Denim and Lexi walked in.

“No,” I whispered. “I think I’m going to throw up,” I said, feeling nauseous. Then, the alarm on Lexi’s phone buzzed.

The three of us went quiet. Dead silent.

“You want me to check?” Lexi offered gently.

I nodded, unable to speak. She stepped over, looked down, and froze. Her eyes widened just slightly.

“Well?” Denim asked, getting impatient.

Lexi turned to me, holding the stick in both hands like it was a sacred scroll. “Liv… it’s positive.”

The room spun for a second. I grabbed the counter, steadying myself.

“You’re really pregnant, bestie!” she hyped up while I was trying not to pass out.

My mouth parted, but no words came out. And for a single second, everything inside me stilled. All the fear, the worry, the uncertainty—it didn’t disappear, but it quieted. No matter how crazy things were with Bo, there was a little life growing inside of me.

I took a few deep breaths and pulled myself together, forcing a smile for Lexi and Denim even though my insides were still rattling. They didn’t press me any further; they just pulled me into a tight group hug before letting me go.

“I’ll call you both later,” I whispered.

“You better,” Lexi said, her eyes soft with concern.

“Text us if he shows up,” Denim added.

I nodded, grabbed my keys, and headed out the door like I was going to my parents’ house, but my heart knew better.

I drove on autopilot, hands gripping the wheel tighter than necessary. When I reached the turn that led to my parents’ neighborhood, I drove right past it, the steering wheel moving like it had a mind of its own. My heart knew where it needed to be, even if my pride didn’t.

Bo’s driveway was empty. I sighed but still got out and let myself in. The house was quiet—still.

I climbed the stairs, went straight into his bedroom, and peeled off my clothes like they were suffocating me. I stood under the hot spray of his shower, eyes closed, letting the water wash away the anxiety, the fear, and the unknowns clinging to my skin.

Afterward, I slipped on one of his old tee shirts. It still smelled faintly like his cologne. I curled up on his bed, phone in hand, and stared at our last message thread. Still nothing. Still unread.

I typed one final text before falling into a deep slumber. I don’t know how long I was asleep when I felt the sheets shift, and a familiar scent filled my senses. Woodsy and warm, both unmistakably him.

I stirred, halfway between sleeping and waking, when a jolt of pleasure rippled through me. My breath hitched, my lashes fluttered open, and I found Bo lying between my thighs, eyes locked on mine like I was the only thing in the world.

“Bo…” I whispered—my voice barely there. His hands gripped my waist gently, grounding me as he continued his slow, tender exploration of my pussy. No rush, no demand, just him loving me the only way he knew how: fire and care.

“I’m sorry I left you in the dark,” he murmured against my skin. “I just needed time to breathe. But I couldn’t stay away. I missed you… more than I can explain.”

My fingers slithered over his bald head as my body arched off the bed. The pain, the worry, and the days of silence melted away, being replaced with a growing desire that only he could give me.

My body flamed with heat and yearning as his thick tongue circled my clit before he suckled it in his mouth. I moaned from the feelings he was giving me.

“God… Bo…” I moaned, feeling my release near. My body felt like it was floating as my stomach quivered.

“Let it go, Cin. Don’t hold back. Give me what I want.”

“Slow down… I’m close,” I breathed out, my hips moving instinctively.

Bo’s response wasn’t verbal. He knew my body too well by now. His touch shifted, deliberate and steady, sending a blaze up my spine. His fingers worked with maddening precision while his mouth moved against me with a rhythm that had me trembling.

I gasped, my hands tangled in the sheets, my body arching into him as the pressure built and finally broke. Waves of release crashed through me, and he held me through it, never letting go and never letting up until my body collapsed against the bed, limp and spent.

As I tried to gain my composure, Bo moved up my body like a snake, stopping at my belly and placing soft kisses there.

He then scooped me into his arms without saying a word, his grip firm and possessive.

My legs wrapped around his waist on instinct, but instead of laying me back down on the bed, he exited his bedroom.

The hallway was dim and quiet until he turned, opened a door we hadn’t stepped into in a while and entered.

His red room.

A soft glow from recessed lights cast a sultry hue across the walls.

Deep burgundy velvet, leather straps, and sleek black furniture surrounded us.

The air felt thicker here, charged with old memories and a heat that hadn’t burned in months.

It was our playground once, where pleasure and power danced hand in hand.

Bo carried me over to the bed tucked in the far corner of the red room, where secrets lived in the walls, and passion clung to the air like incense. The cool silk sheets kissed my skin as he laid me down gently, red wrapping around me like a lover’s promise.

He didn’t say a word. He didn’t have to.