Vegas Pete - A Mafia Romance 2 (Completed)

Chapter 21: Part 2

A few days later I was curled up on the sofa, reading a book when Tay joined me. He nodded toward my book. "Is it any good?" I shrugged. I had trouble focusing on anything for long. I'd read the same page twice and still didn't know what had happened. He held out a plate with cookies. "I tried my hand at baking." "You can't bake." Tay wasn't any more talented than me in the kitchen. Lily was the only one who could cook anything remotely edible, but she was spending a few days with Nop's family. Tay, on the other hand, was always around, a constant shadow. "Try them," Tay urged. I reached for one and took a hesitant bite, but the smell of warm dough and chocolate turned my stomach over. To think that I'd loved chocolate before my pregnancy. I quickly swallowed the bite then put the cookie backdown. "Pete, can you please stop starving yourself now?" Tay hissed suddenly. My eyes widened with surprise. "I'm not starving myself," I said. "You see me eat." "I do, and it's not much, and I also see you going to the toilet afterward. Come on, Vegas isn't worth getting bulimia over." He was worth everything. "Do I look that bad?" I looked down at myself. I had lost weight. My body was drawing on my reserves to make sure the baby could grow, and thankfully it did. The doctor was satisfied with its growth after all. Tay rolled his eyes. "You'd make catwalk models jealous." "Sure, except for the ten inches I'm too small." "And then there are your clothes," he said, gesturing at my loose-fitting shirt. "It's like you can't bear to show your body anymore." I closed my eyes. "Has Vegas said anything?" "I'm not really on speaking terms with him, as you know." I knew. My family was falling apart, and there was nothing I could do. Apologize to Vegas. But I had already apologized, had begged him not to destroy our love, and he had pushed me away. Tay's voice tore me out of my thoughts. "From what Macau let slip, Vegas is fucking worried. We all are, Pete. Why do you think Vegas is suddenly spending half the week in here? It's because he wants to keep an eye on you. I don't understand the asshole, but he obviously still cares for you in his own twisted way." I clenched my fingers. I'd noticed his increased presence but hadn't dared hope it was because of me. I peered down at myself, at the almost unnoticeable swelling of my belly. How much longer would I be able to keep the pregnancy a secret? I didn't want us to make up only because of the pregnancy. I wanted us to find our way back together on our own, because our love was strong enough to overcome anything. But eventually I wouldn't be able to hide it anymore. I was in the twelfth week after all. "Pete." Tay's voice brought me back. His face twisted with worry. "Please." I took a deep breath. "I'm pregnant." Tay sat back, gaping. "Fuck." He glanced down at my stomach. "How far along are you?" "Twelfth week." Relief settled on his features. "So that's why you are sick?" I nodded. "I guess it's my bad luck that the sickness didn't stop yet," I said with a small laugh. "Bad luck my ass. You have the worst luck, getting yourself pregnant with Vegas's child." He frowned. "I thought you were taking the pill." "I did. But when all the drama with Lily and Nop went down, I forgot occasionally. I didn't want it to happen. Vegas doesn't want children at the moment." Or ever. Tay leveled his gaze to my stomach and stretched out his arm but stopped a couple of inches away. "Can I touch it?" I glanced around. We were alone. "Sure." He put his palm against my bump, and I relaxed under his touch. "It's still so small. Hard to believe that there is a tiny human inside." "I know," I said, looking down at Tay's hand against my bump and wishing it was Vegas's hand. Tears gathered in my eyes. "Oh, Pete," Tay murmured and pulled me into a hug. "I hate to see you like this." "I'm so lonely, Tay. I miss him." "You see his angry face almost every fucking day, Pete." "I miss how he used to be with me. I miss his kisses and his touch, I miss his body beside me at night. I miss his love." I swallowed. "I miss being held." Tay patted his lap and I lowered my head in it, then he began running his fingers through my hair like he'd done when we were younger. I closed my eyes and allowed myself to relax under his touch. I still had my siblings and the baby in me. Their love would have to carry me from now on. Would it be enough? I wasn't sure, but it would have to be. Tay began to hum a soothing melody, and tears squeezed past my lashes. I fell in, humming a lullaby our mother had occasionally sung to us. He fell silent and tensed under me when steps rang out, familiar steps. I braced myself before I opened my eyes. Vegas and Macau stood in the foyer, watching us. Vegas's face was an emotionless mask. He kept me out as he had in the last few weeks. I lifted my head from Tay's legs, suppressing the urge to touch my belly as I straightened. "Excuse me," I said to Tay and rose to my feet, then walked upstairs. Vegas didn't follow. He never did anymore.