Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 102184 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 511(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102184 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 511(@200wpm)___ 409(@250wpm)___ 341(@300wpm)
“Sounds like approval to me,” Ashley says. She whisks Greer away to find more lights in their plethora of decorations.
“Do you need anything, Chloe?” Vin asks as he steps past me with a bunch of pink and blue balloons in his hand.
I smile. “I’m all good.” I glance around, looking for Devereaux.
He’s standing near the back door with Roman and Ledger. His whiskey-colored eyes meet mine and like always, a low and pleasant hum warms my blood. He says something to the twins and then makes his way across the patio to where I’m beached like a whale.
“Hi, beautiful,” he says, pulling up a chair to sit next to me. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m ready for this baby to come out.”
He leans over, rubbing his hand on my back. “I know. Soon.”
Not long after, once a few more lights are hung, Greer and Roman join us.
“How you doing, Mama?” Roman asks, using the nickname he’s been calling me since he found out I’m carrying Devereaux’s baby.
“Tired. But happier than I’ve ever been.”
“Are you still working or did you take your leave yet?”
I rub my stomach, hoping to ease some of the aches I have from the pressure of holding this giant baby inside my belly. “I’m working on a few small cases.”
Devereaux told me I could quit and he’d provide for me and the baby, but I love my job. I thought about all the hard work I put into becoming a detective and I just couldn’t throw it all away.
Captain Adler and Katherine enter the fray and shake Devereaux’s hand.
“Chloe, you look radiant,” Captain Adler says. “I’m really proud of you for catching Guy Adams. Never would’ve guessed that one. I can’t believe he worked for the police force for as long as he did.”
“I’m sorry about your mother,” Katherine says to Devereaux and Greer.
“Me too,” Greer says with sadness clouding her bright eyes.
Devereaux grabs my hand and squeezes tight. When he found out that Guy had murdered his mother, he didn’t know what to think. He’d spent so many years believing it was a suicide. That his mother didn’t care enough about him to stick around.
And now, his emotions are all over the place about it. He hasn’t spoken to his father, but maybe one day he’ll reach out to the man he’s blamed for so long.
“Today’s a happy day. To celebrate new life,” Devereaux says, changing the subject. “I don’t want to think about Guy or what he did to my family.”
Now it’s my turn to squeeze his hand. He hasn’t spoken to me about the fact that Guy was his brother. That their father ignored his existence. It’s like he doesn’t want to face any of it. I don’t blame him. It’s a lot to take in, and now, a baby on top of that. I’m just glad Devereaux appears happy.
“I agree. Let’s get this party started.”
As if on cue, Vin and Addison beam as they help my mother set the cake box on the table full of refreshments. One of the things I was insistent on was a cake with pink or blue frosting to reveal the sex of the baby. I can’t wait to find out whether I’m having a boy or a girl.
Devereaux stands and hugs his sister before helping me out of my chair. I’m not even embarrassed because there is no graceful way for me to get up anymore.
“Who’s ready to find out the sex of the baby?” he asks the guests assembled for the party.
Everyone’s made it today. Everyone who is important to me and Dev anyway.
Ledger and Roman cheer, wanting to know if Devereaux will father a little girl. Greer, Ashley, Mom, and Addison all claim I’m having a boy. They say they know by the way I'm carrying the baby.
A few people from my department are here, and even Finn dropped by earlier to offer his congratulations and a baby gift. He didn’t stay, said it wasn’t really his scene.
A few of the girls from Club Greed are here, but not many since Devereaux fired anyone who knew about the prostitution ring. Raven, Sugar, and Brandon are still being charged with that crime.
My mother looks ready to explode with excitement when she says, “Ready?” Her hand rests atop the box, ready to open the hidden cake.
“Ready,” Devereaux says, standing behind me, wrapping his arms around me in some kind of broken semi-circle because I’m quite large. It’s good enough to make me feel loved.
My mother opens the top in excruciatingly slow motion, and I may go into labor and have the baby before she reveals whether a boy or girl is hibernating inside of me.
When I’m ready to die from suspense, she whips the lid off and it’s a gorgeous blue cake with little race cars along the top. And I’m crying because I see the mist in Devereaux’s eyes when he says, “Our boy is going to be so fucking loved he won’t know what to do with it all.”