Page 25 of Oz (Marked Skulls MC 4)
“Please don’t thank me for this, Kaya. None of this would have happened, your friend wouldn’t have gotten hurt, if you didn’t know me. This is all my fault and I should have stayed away from you,” he replied.
I tucked some of the curls behind my ears and shook my head.
“I have been blaming myself for all this too…but really, there is no point in blaming ourselves. I feel like all this was meant to happen, and we can’t change the past.”
Oz was searching my eyes as I spoke, like he was looking for some sort of clue. A clue to what?
“I’m still sorry. I should have known better. I shouldn’t have made you my weakness,” he added.
Hearing him say that tugged a cord in my soul. Was I really his weakness? Could it be possible that he had feelings for me too? It seemed far-fetched, but it was now or never.
“There is something I need to tell you, Oz,” I began and he furrowed his brows with curiosity. I took a deep breath.
“I found out today that I am pregnant,” I blurted.
For a few moments, there was complete silence between us. Oz hadn’t made a move, he hadn’t said anything—all he did was just stare at me.
“The baby is yours, Oz. I haven’t been with anyone else in several months. Not since my ex, and we broke up nearly six months ago and…”
He interrupted me.
“You don’t need to convince me, Kaya, I know the child is mine,” he said. His voice was gruff and deep and I had no idea where to look. I couldn’t keep looking into his eyes because I felt like I would just burst into another volley of tears. My hormones were killing me!
Oz didn’t add anything to that. I didn’t know what was going on. Was he thinking? Was he deciding? Was he going to leave? Was he horrified?
“I didn’t tell you this right now because I want anything from you, Oz. But I just thought you should know, you have the right to know. That’s all,” I said.
Oz drew in a deep breath and shook his head. I watched as he ran a hand through his hair.
“How could you think, Kaya, that I wouldn’t have anything to say to that? You’ve just told me I’m going to be a father. And you think I don’t want to do anything about it?”
I looked away from him. I still didn’t know what exactly he wanted to say to the news.
“Kaya, look at me, please,” he said. There was a weakness in Oz’ voice now and I looked at him, like he wanted me to.
“This is the happiest news of my life. I never realized how much I wanted to be a father until this moment. I want you to know, Kaya, that you will never have to raise this baby alone.”
My mouth nearly dropped open. I was expecting either anger or disinterest, but I definitely wasn’t expecting this. A man like Oz…wants to be a father?
I gulped, I was at a loss for words. What was I even supposed to say to that?
“I’m not trying to say that you need to agree to a relationship with me. After everything that has happened, I will completely understand if you want me to stay the hell away from you and the baby. All I’m saying is that I will always be here to help you in any way that I can—if and when you need me.”
“You want to be a part of this baby’s life?” I blurted out. I was literally choking on my own words.
“Is that so hard to believe?” Oz asked, and there was a smile creasing his lips now. I nearly smiled too.
“I didn’t think there was any place for a baby in your life.”
“I didn’t know there was either, but now that I know I’m going to be a father—I can’t imagine it any other way. I want to take care of you and the baby, Kaya, but only if you want it that way.”
My heart was racing fast in my chest. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. How was this even possible?
“Of course, I want you to be a part of our lives!” I exclaimed.
Oz smiled at me wide and I smiled at him too. When he reached for my hand, I let him hold me.
“This is the best thing you could have told me today, Kaya. You’ve made me the happiest man alive,” he said and I laughed.
“I really wasn’t expecting this reaction from you!”
“Why not?”
“With the life that you lead, the kind of work you do—your responsibilities. I didn’t think you would want a child. Another weakness.”
Oz drew in a deep breath and nodded.
“I can see why you would think that way, but the truth is Kaya, that I love you.”
The world seemed to stand still now when he said those words.
“I am in love with you. I think it was love at first sight for me and I’ve been trying to fight it ever since, but there’s no point in that. I’m a goner.”
Shock after shock.
I wasn’t expecting a man like Oz to say those exact words either.
“I love you, Oz…”
He pulled me into his arms and kissed me then. When I felt his lips on mine, I felt like I was melting. Like there was nothing in the world more important to me in that moment than being in Oz’ arms. We kissed like long lost lovers, and neither of us cared that we were in a hospital waiting room or that there were people around us.
When he finally pulled away from me, my lips felt swollen and my breath was heavy.
“I’m always going to keep you safe, Kaya. You and the baby, forever,” he said and I nodded. There were tears pooling in my eyes again, but this time it was purely from happiness. I was overjoyed that he was here, that he’d kissed me, that Oz actually loved me!
“I can’t imagine spending my life anywhere else, or with anybody else,” I said and he held my hands tightly, bringing them up to his chest.
“Aren’t you af
raid? After everything that’s happened?” he asked, and I shook my head.
“It’s a small price to pay for being with you. For the kind of happiness I feel when I’m with you,” I said, and he leaned in and kissed my lips again.
“Are you okay with having a weakness in your life now? Aren’t we going to be liabilities?”
Oz shrugged his shoulders.
“Small price to pay for the joy you and the baby will bring. And I’m not going to trade you two for anything in the world. My life was never about peace and quiet to begin with,” he said, and we both laughed.
“Your family is going to hate this!” he exclaimed and I rolled my eyes.
“If they truly love me, they’ll accept these new changes in my life once they see how happy I am.”
He kissed my forehead and I laid my head on his chest. It was amazing how calm I felt right now, despite the chaos from just an hour ago. It wasn’t until several minutes later that Oz’ phone rang. He took the call and I could hear the anger and panic in his voice.
When the call ended, he ran a hand through his hair in frustration.
“It’s Dash. They still haven’t found him. Abe called to tell me they need my help.”
I was nodding my head already.
“You should go. You should go and find him. I’ll stay here at the hospital, until I hear news about Melody’s surgery,” I said.
Oz kissed my lips again and stroked my cheek as he stood up.
“I’ll see you soon,” he said and I nodded.
Then, I watched him running down the hospital corridor. I couldn’t drag my eyes away from him. He was my man. The father of my child. The man I was looking forward to spending the rest of my life with.
And the funny thing was that I wasn’t afraid. I was excited. I had butterflies in my stomach. My life was going to be a real adventure.
Chapter 31
Oz
Abe called me at the hospital before they were about to raid the warehouse where they thought the Dark Legion were holding Dash. I drove the car over to the spot just as the other bikes started to arrive.
Everything was quiet and there were a few Hell’s Drifters bikes parked outside. We charged in before any of those fuckers had the time to react. But, even going in, I knew this wasn’t where they were holding Dash. I just had a feeling about it.
