My face fell. “That’s the furthest thing from the truth, Trevor. I love you, you know I do.”
I never used Skull’s real name unless I was serious, and I was being deadly serious right now. I wanted him to know I would never try to cut him out of my life. Ever. He was a huge part of my life.
Skull’s face softened. “I love you, too.”
I smiled and relaxed my features. “What are you doin’ here?”
“I work weekends so my drinkin’ nights are weekdays. I’m here with some lads from the club.”
I bobbed my head but said nothing.
“Are you okay?”
I snorted, “Depends on what you mean by okay.”
Skull stared at me, hard, as he waited for me to explain.
I sighed, “I’m fine. Things are just a mental for me right now.”
“Let’s go back inside, and I’ll buy you a drink. We can talk about it.”
“I would, but I can’t drink.”
“Why not?” Skull asked, perplexed.
I didn’t know how to tell my ex-boyfriend, who at one point was my world, that I was pregnant with another man’s child. So I decided to make a joke out of it. I placed my hand on my stomach, rubbed it around in circles and smiled wide.
Skull looked down my hands and then back up to my face. “Why are you smilin’ and touchin’ your stomach like that? You hungry? Wanna get some food?”
I burst into laughter. “Not hungry. I’ve a human being to think about in there now so no more drinkin’. Not for another few months anyway.”
Skull chuckled but stopped when I made no motion of telling him I was joking. He stared into my eyes and when he saw no traces of a lie he gasped, “I don’t believe you!”
I shrugged. “It’s true.”
“Shut the fuck up!”
I again burst into laughter, “Now that’s just rude.”
“You’re pregnant?” Skull asked, his eye bugging out his head. “For real?”
Could he not see my big belly?
I nodded my head. “Yep.”
“For who?” he asked worriedly.
I chuckled, “It’s not you, don’t worry.”
Skull relaxed. “Sorry, it’s not that I don’t want kids, I do, but you know. Wow.”
I giggled. “I understand. I was pretty shocked when I first found out, too.”
“I can’t believe it,” Skull said dumbfounded. “You’re really havin’ a kid?”
“I am.” I beamed.
“Fuckin’ hell. Me little baby is havin’ a baby,” he laughed. “Congratulations, sweetheart!”
I squealed when Skull stepped forward, wrapped his arms around me and lifted me up off the ground. I latched my hands onto his shoulders, closed my eyes and laughed.
“When are you havin’ the brat?” Skull asked when he set me back on the ground a few seconds later.
I held onto him because I didn’t fully feel steady on my feet.
“January,” I said, smiling up at him. “I’m due on me ma’s birthday.”
“No!” Skull gasped and beamed. “That’s incredible.”
He gave me a big kiss on the cheek that made me laugh. I was about to step back away from him now that I had my bearings, but I remained put when I heard the commotion from my right.
“Kane. No!” I heard Nico’s voice bellow.
Kane?
I looked at my right and widened my eyes when I spotted him storming towards myself and Skull, his face was twisted in rage, and I had no clue why. All I knew was he was pissed, and his focus was completely on Skull.
Fuck.
Time slowed down then as I stepped backwards just as Kane collided into Skull, taking him up off his feet and spearing him to the ground. The noise of Skull hitting the ground struck me like a physical slap, and I heard my ear-piercing scream before I realised the sound even left my mouth.
“Stop!”
I stupidly rushed forward to try and stop Kane from hurting Skull, but Nico was on me in a second. “I don’t fucking think so!” he snapped at me. “You’re pregnant, stay back!”
I blinked my eyes and nodded at him.
He was right, and I hated that it took another person to remind me not to rush into a fight. I should have already known that—I was the one who was pregnant after all.
“Eejit,” I hissed at myself.
I lifted my hands to my face and covered my ears with my palms to block out the sounds of all the chaos around me. I could hear Skull trying to get through to Kane, as well as Nico. I widened my eyes when Nico jumped on Kane’s back and wrapped his arm around his neck. For a few seconds nothing happened. Kane continued to hit Skull, but then ever so slightly his movements slowed and I realised why.
Nico was suffocating him.
“Stop!” I screamed. “You’ll kill him.”
Kane rolled off Skull with Nico still attached to his back like a monkey, and it was only when his eyes closed that Nico released him and pushed himself up off the ground. Kane wheezed a little as he caught his breath back and blinked his eyes open. He stared up at the night sky and laughed like a crazy person.
I stared at Kane then Nico.