Page 35 of When We Fall: Part One

“I know it was. I screwed up that night. It hurt everyone.”

The pain laced in her words had me reaching forward and tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. I knew about bad fucking decisions. Mine still haunted me. “Fuck everyone. How are you? I heard things.”

She looked away from me again. “I’m alive.”

I gave her a sad nod, knowing that feeling too. “But dead inside. I get it. I’ve been there.”

She hesitated for a moment before licking her lips.

“Cole?”

“Yeah?”

“Can we talk?”

I blinked at her, surprised she wanted to get to spilling the proverbial tea to me already. I didn’t want to seem too eager, so I covered it with a joke, hoping to lighten the tense mood surrounding her. “Wait. We aren’t talking? Are we barking at each other?”

A smile spread across her face before she let out a soft laugh.

I gave her a smile and nodded for her to follow me. “Of course we can. Come on.”

I led her to a table and we sat, her across from me. She was quiet again, and I didn’t push the matter. If she needed time to gather her thoughts, I’d give it to her.

“Can you keep a secret? From the kings?” she finally asked softly.

Well, fuck.

“Uh.” I looked around to make sure Vincent and Levin weren’t nearby before letting out a huff of laughter. “I mean, yeah. As long as it doesn’t get Dom’s fucking gun pointed at my skull.”

“I just… you were-were going to be a dad before, right?”

My heart felt like it had stopped as I stared at her. The pain of losing our Blossom squeezed my heart. I inhaled deeply before answering. “I was.”

She licked her lips before continuing. “I-I’m pregnant.”

Her words floored me into silence.She was pregnant. Fucking hell. She was going to have a baby. Wait, did I hear her right?

“You’re pregnant?” I repeated, wanting to make sure I hadn’t misheard her.

She nodded wordlessly, her blue eyes downcast.

“Fuck. I-is it… Tate’s?” The words were acid on my tongue as I said them. Hate roiled from the bottom of my soul all the way to my chest, making it tighten with awful memories.

She wiped at her eyes, sniffling.

“I don’t know,” she whispered, her voice wobbling. “He-he raped me.”

“Fuck.” So many emotions washed through me as I tugged at my hair in anger.Motherfucker hurt her. Might have gotten her pregnant.My mind raced before settling on one thing. My Rosebud. Our baby. The fury was replaced by an endless sea of sadness. Not just for me and my girl, but for Bianca and the kings.

“I-I went to the doctor. I had some tests done. I-it’s twins. One is Fallon’s. The other was inconclusive, so it might be Tate’s,” her voice trembled before cracking.

“Bianca, I’m so sorry,” I managed to say, noting the strain in my voice. My hands shook as I said the words. “What can I do? We’ve been looking for Tate. He’s fucking dropped off the face of the earth. We’ll try other tactics. Fuck. Goddamnit.”

“I need some advice, I guess.”

“OK.” I inhaled deeply and forced myself to cool my shit and focus.

“Everything is different now. Dominic… he’s bad. Levin and Vinny… Even Fallon. There’s just so much going on in my head. I don’t know what to do, and now I’m pregnant. I want to have the babies. I just don’t want the other to be Tate’s.”