Where Winter Finds You (Black Dagger Brotherhood #18)- J.R Ward Page 0,84
been a product of circumstance, a door prize for the shit luck he’d always had, like that mattered when iAm needed something?
Just because the imbalance was understandable, and arguably forgivable, didn’t mean it was a fucking party.
And now, on the far side of the cluttered desk, the other male was looking caught, an invisible cage locking down on him, his eyes lowering and likely to stay that way. Oh, and P.S., he was still bleeding at the palm, and doing nothing about it.
“She’s pregnant,” Trez said. “Isn’t she.”
iAm’s eyes shot up. And the silence was the answer.
“Oh, my God,” Trez said with a growing smile. “Really? You’re going to have a young? That’s incredible.”
iAm’s shock at the congratulations was apparent. And something Trez added to his list of regrets.
“Hey, I’m honestly happy for you.” He leaned across the desk and took the broken pencil out of his brother’s hand. “I’m so happy for you both.”
“I didn’t want to tell you.”
Trez opened his mouth to ask why, but that would be two rhetoricals in as many minutes, wouldn’t it.
“Well, I’m glad you did.” Trez reached into his back pocket and took out his silk handkerchief. Pressing it to the wound, he found himself choking up. “It gives me something to live for.”
iAm took a deep breath. “I want you to be the blessing one for her.”
“It’s a daughter?” Trez blinked. And then found himself smiling again. “A daughter… and yes, I would be her blessing one. I am honored.”
“I would have no one else but you do it.”
They sat there for a while, as the wound sealed up, and Trez was amazed. For the moments as he held his brother’s hand in his own, and tended to the injury, and smiled at the good fortune that had befallen maichen and iAm, he felt something in the center of his chest that relieved the pain.
This is real, he thought to himself. And this moment… this present… was the first piece of his life since his shellan’s death that didn’t hurt.
A next generation, born out of love, born into love.
“I can’t wait to meet my niece,” he said roughly.
iAm’s smile was short and hidden, as was his way. He had always been the quiet one, the self-effacing, take-a-back-seat one. But like he’d had a choice? Trez had always been the marching band headed for a cliff.
Too much noise for anyone else to take up space.
“And she’s going to love her uncle,” iAm said in a hoarse voice.
“I’m going to make sure of it.”
“You won’t have to work too hard at that.”
Trez peeked under the handkerchief. “Just a little longer, so it can take some wear and tear on the healed part.”
“I didn’t even know I’d broken the pencil.” Then, as if iAm wanted to avoid any more emotional anything, he asked, “So… what brought you this way? Just a chat?”
“Well, that and I need some food. For, ah, Therese. And her father and brother. Her mahmen’s at Havers’s in the ICU. They need sustenance.”
As iAm looked up sharply, Trez shook his head and peeked under the handkerchief. “And before you ask,” he said, “yes, I am going to talk to her. I’m going to explain… everything.”
“You could fall in love again, you know.”
“I thought you didn’t want me to be with her.”
iAm put up his forefinger. “I don’t want you to be with her if you think she’s someone else.”
“She is, though. Someone else, that is.”
“Well, when you’re ready, if you ever are, maybe you can give it a shot. If not with her, then with someone else.”
“I can’t think like that right now.”
“I know and I don’t blame you.” iAm got to his feet and flexed his hand. “In the meantime, I will cook for her and her family. And I will make her the very best meal she has ever had.”
Less than ten minutes later, iAm was at the stove, his injured hand gloved up, the spices flowing, the sauces simmering. He was cooking like the expert he was, nothing sloppy or distracted now, and the smells were heaven. What was even better? As Trez sat on a stool and watched, some of the tension left him.
Although he knew it would return as soon as it was time to go back to the hospital and see Therese again—
Hey, check it. He could think her name without hesitating now.
Great. Good job, sport.
Shit, he really needed to talk to her. But like it was appropriate with her mahmen’s condition?