Page 80 of Dirty Legacy

“Nice, isn’t it?” I look up as Rowan slips into the room. I’m amazed at how skinny she is all over again.

“Amazing. Beautiful, honestly. I had no clue.”

“Probably because he had you locked in that wing.” She slumps down into a chair across from me and steals a piece of toast. “You okay? After everything last night?”

“Fine. What about you?”

“Got a lecture to end all lectures a couple hours ago.” She glowers at the windows. “Ever been woken up by a grumpy, pissed-off mafia boss? Not pleasant.”

“Sorry to hear that.”

“I deserved it, though. I knew better than to help. But it’s just—“ She chews and swallows. “It’s you.”

“I should apologize. I never should have put you in that position, and I’m sorry.”

“Nah, don’t worry. I get it, and we did have some fun.”

“I’m not sure I’d call that fun, exactly…”

“It was a blast. I’d do it again if given the chance.” She finishes eating and helps herself to my coffee. “It’s pretty crazy though, isn’t it? This whole thing?” She gestures between us.

“Crazy is one word for it.” I adjust myself, crossing my legs and sitting on them. “I’ve thought a lot about you over the years. Always wondered if you were okay.”

“Oh, great. Look at me.” She waves at her scarred face. “I’m a beauty.”

“You really are pretty, Rowan. The scars are interesting.”

“Tell that to the boys at school.”

I snort and look away. “Trust me, in my experience, the boys at school aren’t worth impressing. The ones that are won’t be scared off.”

“Connor means well, you know.”

I carefully refuse to look in her direction. I study the leaves in the trees. “You think?”

“Come on, don’t pretend like him stalking you isn’t heinous and weird, but his heart’s always in the right place. I hear he spared those two idiots last night. That’s got to say a lot, right?”

“He didn’t let them off with nothing.”

“No, but if I know my brother, whatever he did was a tenth of what he really wanted to do, if you know what I mean. That’s how much he cares about you.”

My fingers brush over my belly. “Did he tell you? About the baby?”

“Yeah, we all know.” Her eyes are fixed on me now, openly. “Can you feel it?”

“Not really. I mean, not yet. It’s still pretty early. All I do is puke.”

“Sounds awful.”

“Yep, and apparently it doesn’t get much better.”

“Are you scared?”

I lean forward to take my coffee from her. I drink some, careful to go easy, since I can’t have too much caffeine on account of the baby. I mull her question over, let it rattle in my head.

“For childbirth, not really. But for everything after? Yeah, terrified.”

“Why? You’re going to be a great mother.”