Page 115 of Penny & Royce

“You heard me. You gave up way too easily.”

“Whoa. Okay, Morgan. That’s not fair,” Quinn murmured, her voice gentle as if she already knew she was about to step between two wild animals out for blood. Her hands were up, and her eyes darted between them.

Morgan didn’t even glance her way. “If she means so much to you?—”

“She means everything to me,” Royce growled.

“So prove it.”

Royce’s whole body felt like it was vibrating now. “I’ve done everything I can. I tried, Morgan. Don’t you think if there was anything else I could do, I would? I fought for her. I gave her every reason I could think of. I…” His voice shattered, and emotion clung to each word. “I poured my heart out to her, and she handed me those papers like I was supposed to know how to survive without her.”

Morgan watched him, emotion shining in her own eyes. She gripped the sheet of paper so tight in her hand it crinkled.

“Family means everything, Royce.” Her lashes fluttered several times, and she swallowed hard. “You’d do anything for family. No matter the cost. Right!?!

Confusion gripped him. Was she still talking about Penny? Or was she trying to make a point about their family and the chaos they’d had to deal with their entire lives?

“What?”

She took a step toward him. Then another. “No one can argue with that.” Her voice was barely above a whisper. “Not you. Not Lincoln. Not even Dad. Family? Blood? It’s…” This time, her voice cracked. “Nothing is more important. Not even some feud.”

Still struggling, Royce searched his sister’s eyes.

What was she saying?

Then Quinn gasped.

In one large step, she was beside them both. She reached out and gripped Morgan’s shoulders. “Penny’s pregnant?”

29

PENNY

Penny stared blankly at the wall in her quiet apartment. Daytona was completely over snuggling in her lap and had chosen instead to curl up beside her. Maybe the kitten knew she still needed the support. Or maybe that little fur ball was wondering when Penny would finally get off her behind and open a can of cat food.

It was Sunday.

If Morgan followed through with her ultimatum, then Royce would know about the baby by tomorrow morning whether Penny had a hand in telling him or not.

The hours were ticking by, and she had her phone in her lap. She’d attempted to type out a text several times. Not to tell him he was going to be a father, but to ask him to come over so they could talk. Each time she got the message written, she chickened out and deleted it.

Then she returned to staring at the wall.

Penny had to be the one to tell him. She wouldn’t forgive herself if he found out through Morgan. She could already see the hurt in his eyes, feel the pain in his chest when he realized she’d kept it from him and his sister had found out before he did.

Groaning, she let her head fall back on the couch.

All the additional nausea made sense now. The fact that she felt like death each and every morning before she had something to eat. The tenderness. The exhaustion. All of it had been dismissed because she’d thought she was just too stressed out.

What was she going to do if Royce hated her?

Would he still want to follow through with the divorce and raise the baby in a co-parenting sort of way?

Her heart splintered at that thought.

She’d known Royce would make an excellent father. He loved with his whole heart. Every action he took was with others in mind. She’d seen it in the way he talked about his family and the job he wasn’t thrilled about. She’d experienced it firsthand with the way he treated her.

She placed a hand over her still-flat stomach and sighed.