Dancing with a stranger

Chapter|18 ✨

I woke up to Kian nowhere in sight. Panic prickled at the edges of my mind, and I rushed to the bathroom, slamming the door behind me and trying not to throw up the food from last night.

"Hey, is everything okay in there?" Kian called from the hall.

"Yeah, everything's fine. I'll be out in a minute," I replied, opening a new toothbrush he had left out and tasting my mouth. He seemed to give up, realizing I wouldn't let him in.

When I finally came out, I found him at the stove, flipping pancakes. He turned at the sound of me and pulled me into a hug.

"What was that for?" he asked, a teasing tone in his voice.

"I can't just... hug you?" I said, giving him a strange look.

He placed a plate of pancakes in front of me. The smell of bacon made my stomach churn. I bolted to the trash, trying to throw up again, but nothing came out. Kian's worried expression made me feel a little guilty, but there was no hiding the turmoil inside me.

After breakfast, I took a shower, changed into a tank top with a cardigan over it, and slipped into joggers. When I found him sitting on the patio, I took a deep breath.

"Can we talk?" I asked.

"Yeah, sure. What's up?" he replied.

I sat in the chair next to him, wrapping the cardigan tighter around me. I stared across the lake for a long moment, gathering my courage.

"I... I don't know how to say this, but I think I'm pregnant."

His expression shifted slightly, and my chest tightened. "Is it... mine?" he asked, his voice careful.

"Yes," I said softly, pausing before adding, "I haven't slept with Steele. You're the only one I've been with in a while."

Kian said nothing, and I walked back inside to give him a moment to process. I tried keeping busy, watching TV, but my mind refused to settle. Every thought kept drifting back to him, to the way he looked when he realized what I had just told him.

Three episodes of Friends later, he came in and sat next to me. He took a deep breath, bracing himself before speaking.

"I just need you to know—I'm willing to help raise this baby if that's what you want," he said, taking my hand in his. "And... I've been wanting to tell you something too. I love you. I've loved you since before the party when your father and mine introduced us. We don't have time to take it slow if you're pregnant, but we don't have to rush everything else either."

I didn't hesitate. I kissed him, and he kissed me back, deep and steady. He laid me down on the couch, and for a while, we just held each other, letting the intensity of the moment settle into warmth. Later, we cuddled, watching Friends, the world outside forgotten for a little while.

That night, he called a family friend in the next town—a doctor—and got me an appointment. Since then, he's been checking on me constantly, asking if I need anything.

For the first time in days, I could sleep a little. The rain tapped against the roof outside, soothing in its steady rhythm. I curled up under the blankets, letting Kian's presence anchor me. My mind raced, thinking about what comes next—about the baby, about him, about my father's empire—but for once, I felt a sliver of peace.

Kian's voice drifted in from the hallway as he spoke quietly on the phone. I didn't need to hear the words; the calm in his tone told me everything. He was taking care of me, and of our future.

Eventually, he returned and quietly sat on the edge of the bed.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, his voice low and gentle.

"I'm okay," I whispered. "Just... trying to process everything."

He didn't rush me. He simply reached for my hand. "I don't want to pressure you. I just want you to know—I'm here. We'll figure this out together."

I nodded, the knot in my chest still there, but lighter. "Thank you," I murmured. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

He leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead. "You'll never have to find out."

The warmth lingered, and for the first time in a long while, I felt like maybe, just maybe, things could be okay. Even with the secret growing inside me. Even with the chaos waiting outside. In Kian's arms, I felt like I was finally home.