✓ WICKED VOWS| JAKE (Book II )

64-Thank you, Mom

Anastasia

I hesitated for a moment, my gaze straying to the door through which Jake had vanished with Nymeria. Niki was right: I knew I needed to go to him, to bridge the gap that had stretched out between us. I got up with a nod and headed towards the door; my heart bucked in my chest.

I found Jake standing near the edge of the cliff, with the breathtaking scenery of the mountains stretching out before him. A gentle breeze wafted through the trees, carrying the scent of pine and earth, but my attention fell upon the sight of him cradling our daughter in his arms. Serene, yet his body was coiled tight with an underlying tension that spoke volumes. He was wearing a dress T-shirt, tucked in and displaying the cloth clinging to his dark jeans over his muscular frame. He was almost perfect, more like a dark, tempting dream just come to life.

I walked toward him slowly, the silence thick between us. His eyes remained fixed on the horizon, his jaw clenched as if he were fighting himself, fighting the emotions that were trying to spill over. In his eyes, I could almost see the struggle going on, the pain he tried to keep concealed.

"I'm so sorry," he finally said, his voice low, yet carrying a load of regret.

I frowned, and confusion washed over me, as I stood next to him. "Why are you apologizing?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper, as if afraid to break up the fragile moment between us.

He didn't turn to me; his gaze remained affixed on the mountains in front of him. "For not being here with you," he began, his voice thick with emotion. "For having lain in the hospital while you were raising our daughter in pain and alone. I-" He stopped and swallowed hard, as the lump in his throat bounced up and down with the effort of finding the right words. "I don't even know what your cravings were, or how you gave birth to this princess. I don't know what you didn't like to eat during your pregnancy, or what side effects she caused you-"

His voice finally broke off, and I could sense the catch of raw emotion in his throat, all the guilt and the regret he'd been carrying since the instant he woke up. My heart ached at the sound of his voice the pain that seemed to seep from every word. Instinctively, I reached out and laid a hand on his arm, silencing his rambling.

"I had a lot of cravings," I said, startled by how steady my voice was when speaking of those memories, clearly in their deep and colorful detail. "Surprisingly, they were all sweets. I craved the strangest things, like pickles dipped in chocolate. Weird, huh? It was bizarre, but I couldn't get enough of it. Though, the smell of coffee. couldn't stand the stuff. The aroma used to comfort me, but in those months, it made me nauseous."

Jake didn't say a word, only stared off at the horizon, the peaks beyond, as a breeze stirred the trees. He had Nymeria tucked close, her little body clutched tight against his, but I could tell by the set of his shoulders, the look on his face, he was blaming himself.

"My body was sore everywhere, inside," I continued, words now streaming, a release that I did not even know I needed. "It was like each and every part of me was breaking down, preparing for the arrival of our daughter. Some days, the pain was just unbearable, my body at war with itself. And then when July came, it was as though the world was closing in on me."

And then that day came surging forward, unbidden and intense. "The pain was like nothing I'd ever felt before. It was relentless, waves of agony that wouldn't stop. I was alone, and I remember screaming, praying for it to be over. But the minute I heard her cry, everything else disappeared. She was so small, so fragile, but she was perfect."

Jake's hand tightened on Nymeria just a bit, the knuckles white as he took in every word. He still didn't look at me, but I could see the storm rising in him, all that guilt and anger he fought so hard to keep down.