“You’re my best friend. The love of my life. My soulmate. You needed me, and I bailed on you. I promise I’m not going to bail on you again. You can rely on me.”

She smiled. “I missed you. Do you want to see the picture?”

It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her hell no, but instead, he offered her a smile. “I’d love to. First, let me go and shower.”

He didn’t want to go near her smelling of other women. It hadn’t mattered any other time before, but he didn’t want his father to win, not Robin. She was his, and he was going to fight for her.

“I’ll be waiting.”

He rushed toward his bathroom, removing his clothes, and took one of the fastest showers on record. He made sure he cleaned himself thoroughly. There were lipstick marks around his dick, and he cleaned everywhere.

Once he was done, he pulled on a pair of sweatpants and made his way into Robin’s room.

Climbing beneath the covers, he tensed, waiting for her to push him away, but she didn’t.

“Do you really want to see?” she asked.

“Yes.”

She turned her back to him, and he heard her rummaging around in her drawer, grabbing whatever it was she wanted to show him.

“This is my baby,” she said.

He liked how she referred it to “her” baby.

“Do you know what it is yet?”

“No. Maybe next time.” She stroked a finger across the blob in the center. “It makes it so much more real, you know. I’ve got a baby inside me.”

She pressed a hand to her stomach.

“Can I touch?” he asked.

Deep inside, he wanted to scream but knew he had to remain calm. His father wasn’t going to win this.

She leaned back. “Sure.”

He moved in close, putting his hand to her stomach. He couldn’t feel any baby moving, but there was a pronounced bump on her stomach.

“I’m going to get a lot bigger. Be huge.” She did a dome across her stomach. “You won’t even be able to wrap your arms around me.”

“Can I sleep in here tonight? I want to hold you. That’s all I want though, only to hold you close.”

“Yes, I’d like that.”

She turned her lamp off, and he wrapped his arms around her, snuggling in close.

“I’ve missed you, Bishop.”

“I’ve missed you, too. So much.”

Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

Life returned to some kind of reality.

Bishop was like a whole new person in her world. He didn’t walk away, or fight with her. Each lesson he stayed with her until he needed to leave for his own class. In the mornings, he was also there, holding her hair while she threw up.

Robin felt a little guilty because she knew something was going on.