bad.”
“I know,” he murmurs, his hand coming up my back and tangling into my hair. “But it doesn’t change anything. If you want to have this baby, then I’ll be right there by your side.”
I shake my head. “I can’t ask you to raise someone else’s kid. That’s not fair.”
Colton pulls me off him, a hand on either side of my face as he looks deep into my eyes. “Any child of yours is a child of mine. No matter what. I'm with you, Ocean, and nothing is going to change it. You and me … we’re in it for the long haul, so if you decide to keep it, just know that this baby will have a father. I’d sooner lay down my life than let you do this alone.”
The tears well in my eyes again, and I lean into him, brushing my lips over his as his love wraps around me, completely overwhelming me with emotions. “I love you,” I whisper, my lips gently brushing against his. “But the more I think about this, the more adoption is looking like my best option. I know that with you, we’d be able to give this child a great life, but I just … every time I think about it, all I can see is Jude forcing himself onto me. I think any child we have deserves so much better than that. My baby deserves unconditional love and I just don’t think I could fully give it to him ... or her.”
Colton brushes the dirty hair off my face and swipes his thumb over my bottom lip. “You know that whatever decision you want to make, you have my complete support. But have you really thought about this? I don’t want you to get a few years down the track and realize that you regret giving up your baby.”
I shake my head. “To be honest, too much has been going on that I haven’t exactly had a massive chance to really think about it, but so far, that’s what I’m wanting.”
“Okay,” he whispers. “You still have time to think it through. There’s no rush. Why don't you sit on it for a few weeks? If you’re still feeling that way then, we can start looking into adoption agencies. We’ll find the baby a perfect family that will love them like never before.”
I nod, my heart shattering while knowing deep down that it is truly the best option. “I’d like that,” I say, leaning into him only to pull back as a knock sounds on the window.
I glance up to find Christian standing over the car, staring down at us. “It’s time,” he says, nodding back over his shoulder to where the Wolves all stand in a group, their eyes on me.
I watch as the paramedics pack up their ambulances, and within moments, they’re gone, shooting down the street with all of our fallen men. The police are long gone, leaving just the Wolves, anxious to figure out a plan. My eyes trail back to Christian’s, and I nod. “I’m ready.”
With that, he opens the door and offers me his hand as I climb off Colton’s lap. I get both feet down to the ground, and I stand with my shoulders back, and my chin raised, more than ready. Colton climbs out behind me and with his hand on my lower back, we walk toward the group of pissed off, anxious, and broken-hearted men.
“What’s the plan, boss?” one of the guys says, making a rumbling sound through the group as all eyes stare at me.
Colton stands at my side, his hand always on me. “Has anyone gone in?” I ask, nodding back to the burned warehouse. “Where are we at with weapons?”
Christian shakes his head, his lips pressed into a tight line. “All gone,” he says. “All we have left is what we had on us, in our cars, or at home. It’s not looking good. We can’t stand against the Widows like that.”
“Then we won’t,” I tell them, watching as each of them pulls back, ready to start arguing, but I get in before they have a chance. “Dominic needs to be stopped, and not a single one of you can get anywhere near him without your head being blown off. We can’t go to them as a group, so I go alone. I’ll end this on my own.”
They all shake their heads, not liking the idea at all. Colton’s hand moves from my back to clutch onto my elbow,