Finally (Neighbor from Hell #12) - R.L. Mathewson Page 0,93

to spend the rest of my life with someone and what my promise would mean for you.”

“You don’t have to explain,” Charlie said, because she already knew why he’d made that promise and as much as she hated it…

She couldn’t hate him for it.

“Yes, I do, Charlie. If I had known that you would walk into my life one day and completely fucking destroy it, I would have done so many things differently. I never would have made that promise and I sure as hell never would have wasted the last five years trying to keep it. When I made that promise I didn’t consider what it would mean for you because I never expected to find the love of my life.”

“Please stop explaining, Devin,” Charlie said, opening her eyes as she pushed away from the kitchen island. “You don’t have to explain anything. I know why you did what you did, and I get it, but I just need time to accept it, okay?” Charlie said, heading for the door.

“Charlie, wait,” Devin said as she grabbed her bag, deciding that she’d pick up the pizza instead of having it delivered to give herself some time to clear her head.

“Charlie, please wait,” Devin said as she headed for the door.

“I’ll be right back,” she said, opening the door and-

“Charlie, please!” he said, gasping in pain, making her frown as she turned around to find Devin, who was looking really pale, holding onto the kitchen island as he struggled to stand up.

“What the hell happened?” she said, dropping her bag on the floor and rushed over to help him.

Shaking his head, Devin continued to gasp in pain as she stood there, struggling not to freak out but it was really difficult to do with him muttering, “Please kill me,” as he dropped to his knees.

“Okay,” she said, nodding like an idiot because she had no idea what was going on. Licking her lips, she dropped to her knees, looking for something that would explain why Devin was now dropping onto his side with another muttered, “Kill me,” as he curled up into the fetal position.

“I’m really going to need you to tell me what happened, Devin,” Charlie said, giving up on trying to figure out what was wrong and rushed back over to her bag to grab her phone only to frown when he said, “Four months.”

“What’s four months, Devin?” she asked, trying to figure out who she was supposed to call.

There was a gasp of pain and then, he said, “Until I can give you a baby,” making her frown as she glanced back over to find him in the fetal position, cupping himself, and making her frown as she replayed his words in her head and when she did…

“Oh, my god, Devin! What the hell did you do?” she asked, dropping her phone on her bag and rushed over to the freezer.

“B-begged my cousin to call in a f-favor,” he said, only to end that with another pained gasp as Charlie grabbed the bucket of ice out of the freezer and quickly made an ice pack for him.

“I don’t understand,” Charlie said, rushing over to him and moved to place the ice pack on him only to decide that it would probably be better if he did it.

“Two weeks to heal, four months before I can give you a baby,” Devin managed to get out as he rolled over onto his back and shoved the ice pack down the front of his pants as he slowly exhaled.

“Better?” Charlie asked, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth.

“Not even a little bit,” he said, shaking his head as he pressed his hands over his face.

“You were only gone for four hours, Devin. How did this happen?” Charlie asked, rushing to the bathroom to grab the Advil.

“Only took two hours to reverse the vasectomy. Pain meds started wearing off a little sooner than I thought they would,” he said when she walked back into the room.

“Devin, I-”

“I’m going to give you a baby,” he said firmly as she grabbed a bottle of water off her nightstand before rushing back over to join him on the floor.

“I don’t understand why you’d do something like this,” Charlie said, dumping a couple of Advil in her hands only to cringe in sympathy when he grabbed the pills out of her hand and shoved them in his mouth, swallowing them dry.

“Because I love you,” he said, rolling onto his side with a mumbled, “That’s better,” only