Yasmin leaned back in her chair and looked down at her hands, which were folded in her lap. “I suppose it doesn’t feel real yet. I mean, I know I’m pregnant, but it doesn’t feel like anything yet. And after everything that happened over the past few days, well…” She couldn’t say it out loud. She’d been excited when she found out she was pregnant. Stunned, but excited. A life was growing inside of her, and it was part of her. But after being attacked on the island…

“You worry you might have lost the baby,” Volkan finished for her, a shadow passing over his face. “We will go see a doctor immediately and reassure ourselves that the baby is safe.”

He stood and, taking her hands, tugged her to her feet and toward the door.

“Wait… what?” She followed him because she didn’t have a choice. “Are we going right now?”

Volkan stopped walking and turned to her. “Will you feel better knowing that no harm has come to our child?”

“Yes, but…”

“Then we go now,” he said decisively.

Yasmin snatched up her purse as they passed by the table and together, they left the house and headed to the hospital where Volkan ordered a barrage of tests.

Later, as they lay in bed together, facing each other, they discussed their soon-to-be-baby.

“Do you want a boy or a girl?” she asked.

His gaze seemed faraway as he thought about it. “I was going to have a boy once before.”

That wasn’t her question, but the pain in his voice tugged at her heart. “You were looking forward to being a father?”

He nodded. “After Caria… after she died… I couldn’t bring myself to think of my son. Now, I regret not celebrating him when I had the chance or creating a memorial for him. He was gone before I knew him and now there’s nowhere for me to mourn him.”

She touched his face, cupping his cheek. “It’s not too late. We’ll celebrate him, just as we’ll celebrate this one. He might no longer be with us, but he’s always going to be a part of you.”

Volkan’s gaze was serious as he kissed her, lingering with his mouth against hers. “I don’t deserve you.”

She smiled against his lips. “But you’re going to take me anyway.”

He chuckled and slid his tongue into her mouth.

The heat of their chemistry took over as she slid her hands over his shoulders and he pushed her robe open and explored her body. He worshipped every part of her with such aching sweetness that tears leaked from the corners of her eyes when he finally slid into her welcoming heat.