“Ah, how the mighty do fall.” Brigs grinned as he squirted tomato sauce on his sausages.
“What mighty?” Ben stared at him, and a true smile touched her lips. Ben eyed her. “And what just amused you?”
“You’re mighty, but you’d never fall.” She flicked Brigs’s arm. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“I’m dead serious. He sees nothing but you right now. I should really set him straight.”
Tyler chuckled. “If you don’t, I will.”
“I don’t need setting straight.” With a frown, Ben cut into his sausage and ate a bite. “What I need is confirmation Mia Taita’s charges will stick, and to catch Hyena so our girls can finally get some rest. A year is too long for this case to go on.”
“I’m starting to wonder if things will ever change.” She stroked the back rise of Ben’s black shorts where his shirt flapped free. His gun was tucked in tight under his waistband, his preferred hidey spot.
“They will. Have faith.” He popped some of his bacon strips onto her side plate. “You also can’t build your strength up on fruit and yogurt alone. Protein is important.”
“There’s muesli in here too, and yogurt is protein.”
“It’s not the same as meat.” He scowled at her untouched bacon. “Please, eat some.”
“Okay. Eating now.” She cut the bacon and popped a bite into her mouth. “The more protein, the better anyway.”
“Thank you.” Ben leaned in, his lips against her ear. “Seriously, tell me what the doctor said. Something’s not right between us. I can feel it.”
“Nothing’s wrong.”
“What did the doctor say to you?” He wasn’t going to give up.
“Can we speak in private?” Best to bite the bullet and get the conversation done with.
“Of course.” He pushed his chair back and led her into the lounge beyond the others’ sight.
She sat on one of the white leather couches farthest from the partially pulled wooden paneled door between the rooms.
In front of her, he paced, hands on his hips. “You can tell me anything.”
“I know I can.” She scrubbed her hands over her face then elbows to her knees, leaned forward. “Dr. Hika took my blood and had it tested. He was concerned with how long I’d been unconscious, although he found no trace of any unusual chemicals. The only thing used was chloroform as you’re already aware of.”
“Then what are you hiding from me?”
“I’m sorry, Ben.” She stood, gained some equal footing against him. “That same blood work also gave a conclusive result for pregnancy.”
“What? You’re having a—a—” His face paled and his eyes rolled until the whites showed. He slithered to the polished hardwood floor and landed in a heap at her feet.
“Ben?” She dropped to her knees and lifted his head into her lap. “Ben, wake up.”
“What’s happened? I heard a thump.” Tyler raced into the room with Brigs and Lydia right behind him.
“He didn’t take my news too well. He fainted.” That was the last thing she’d expected.
“What news, Saria?” Tyler grabbed Ben under the armpits and jerked a look at Brigs to take his legs. The two swung Ben onto the couch.
“I’m pregnant.” She tucked a blue and white striped cushion under Ben’s head then perched beside him.
“It’ll be okay.” Lydia rubbed her leg.
“I wasn’t ready to tell him, but he knew something was up.”
Tyler checked Ben’s pulse then nodded at Brigs. “His heartbeat’s a little sluggish, but I’m sure he’ll come around soon enough.”
“See the mighty have fallen.” Grinning, Brigs squeezed Ben’s shoulder even though he was out of it. “You, my friend, are one lucky man. You just don’t know it yet.” He kissed her cheek. “Congrats, Saria. I’ll go tell the others everything’s all right. We had them wait.”
“We’ll go too, sis, only to the next room. Yell out if you need us.” Lydia tugged Tyler along with her.
Gently, she picked up Ben’s limp hands and threaded her fingers through his. “I wish I could have it all, you and the baby. You’d make a wonderful father, and I’m certain of it.” She leaned in, rubbed her cheek against his. “I’ve been too scared to tell you, but I’ve been in love with you for the longest time. I thought I could do the whole fling thing, but—”
“Saria?” He groaned then blinked his eyes open and edged up onto his elbows. He stared at her then his feet. “What am I doing lying down?”
“You fainted when you heard my news.”
“Damn.” He slumped back onto the pillow. “You’re truly pregnant?”
“Yes. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry.” He shook his head as if to clear it. “It takes two people to make a baby, and I’m equally to blame.”
“Yes, but it only takes one to raise it.” She’d expected his reaction and didn’t need to hear him say again how he didn’t want kids and wasn’t after a relationship. She shoved to her feet and wandered toward the glass doors where fresh air breezed in. “I’m ending our fling.”
“What?”