Diesel

Jax and I hadn’t had much time to reconnect, but we still felt like family. We still felt like brothers. He was just as excited as Brett was. “I’m gonna be Uncle Jax. It has a nice ring to it.”

“I’m so happy for you guys.” Brett hugged Tatum tightly. “I know we’ve got almost nine months to go, but they’ll be here in no time.”

We weren’t planning on telling them right when they walked in the door, but they put the pieces together almost instantly. Thorn already knew about it because Tatum couldn’t hide anything from him. He and Autumn unfortunately couldn’t join us tonight.

And I was certain my dad figured it out on his own too.

“What are you hoping for?” Brett asked as he held his beer in the living room. “Boy or girl?”

“Either,” Tatum said. She looked exactly the same as she did last week, but to me, she was glowing. She was glowing like the brightest star in the sky. Her stomach was just as flat and fit as always, but I imagined the baby growing inside her—the baby I put there. “Diesel and I will be happy as long as it’s healthy.”

“If she’s a girl, she’ll be a princess,” Brett said. “Diesel will let her get away with anything, and once she blossoms into a woman, he’ll lock her up in some tower somewhere…”

“Uh, no,” Tatum said quickly. “She won’t be a princess. She’ll be treated exactly the same as if she were a son. That means pushing her just as hard and setting the expectations just as high.”

“Aww,” he said. “She’ll be a little version of you.”

“I hope so.” Tatum was never a pampered girl, so of course, she’d expect the same from her daughter.

I didn’t picture my little girl playing with dolls and makeup. I wanted her to be interested in more than being pretty and popular. In the real world, those two attributes only got you so far. You needed more than that to succeed.

“I’m going to be real with you,” Brett said. “Diesel is gonna spoil her like crazy when you are looking the other way.”

“Spoiling here and there is different,” I said. “And I want to spoil all my kids…once in a while.”

“Diesel and I have similar views on parenting,” Tatum said. “So I think this will work out well.”

I wrapped my arm around her waist, and I pressed a kiss to her lips. “And if we fuck this up, we’ll just keep making more.”

She chuckled against my mouth. “I guess that’s one way to look at it.”

The elevator doors opened, and my father walked inside with Scarlet. He was already smiling, and he never smiled. He knew the news before I formally announced it.

“Glad you could make it.” I hugged my father before I kissed Scarlet on the cheek. “I know it was short notice.”

“I just introduced Vincent to my daughter.” Scarlet’s arm hooked through his. “They really hit it off.”

“That’s great,” I said. “But I’m not surprised. My dad is a pretty great guy.”

His eyes softened. “That’s nice of you to say, son.”

I patted his shoulder. “So, how do you feel about being a grandfather?”

His smile widened, and a whole new expression appeared on his face. He wasn’t on the verge of tears the way I’d been when Tatum told me the news, but he was definitely happy. Just like he was at the wedding, he was overjoyed. “I’m very excited.”

Scarlet beamed as well. “Congratulations. There’s nothing better than being a parent.”

“I’m very happy,” I said. “I think we’ll make great parents. And even if I’m a terrible dad, I know Tatum will pick up the pieces.”

“Diesel, you’ll be wonderful,” my father said immediately. “Don’t worry about that.” They moved to Tatum next, and my father hugged her for a long time, embracing her just like she really was his daughter.

I watched them from the entryway, seeing almost all the people I cared about most gathered around. My life changed the moment I felt for Tatum, and now it was changing in a whole new way. I was responsible for my wife and would lay down my life to protect hers. But now I would be responsible for a whole new person, a person I created with the love of my life.

How did I get so lucky?

Just a year ago, I was bored and empty. Nothing gave me meaning. And now I waswatching my father hug my wife as if he loved her just as much as he loved me. I wished my mother were here to share the moment, but I knew her spirit was in the room.

Tatum and I had an unconventional relationship. It started off as something physical and meaningless but developed into a bond so profound I could feel it in my bones. I didn’t believe in destiny or fate, but something had told me she was meant for me.

That she was made just for me.

I was the only man who could handle such a powerful woman. She never would have met another man who was so secure with his own success that he never resented her for hers. I was the only man who could erase the memory of every single guy before me. I was the only one who deserved her.

I earned her.

And now she was mine for the rest of my life.

I watched her stare up at my father, a beautiful smile on her face. I’d watch her smile at me every single day for the rest of my life. I’d watch her smile at our children in the same way. Time would tear down our bodies, but we would still be beautiful together. Our children would grow into powerful people, and our love would continue on. One day, we would be buried together on a plot of land. For eternity, we would remain side by side. We would forever be the Hunts.

And she would forever be mine.

The elevator doors opened, and Bridget stepped out with her husband by her side. Her eyes immediately went to Tatum, the only person she really cared about. She turned her gaze back to me. “Hello, Diesel. Thank you for inviting me.”

“Of course.” I didn’t shake her hand or hug her. It felt too strange.

When Tatum finished speaking to my father, she noticed me standing next to her mother in the entryway. Her eyes narrowed, and she immediately turned pale. She handed her glass of water to Brett and slowly joined me.

“I asked her to come,” I explained.

Tatum masked her look of anger once the surprise dissolved in her veins. She’d done the same thing to me when she tried to repair my relationship with my father. She never gave up on us—and I was grateful she didn’t.

Bridget stared at her, treasuring Tatum’s expression. “I didn’t mean to intrude. When Diesel invited us, I couldn’t say no… I always love to see you.”

My arm circled Tatum’s waist, and I spoke on her behalf. “I think we’re going to have to take this slow…but we’re open to a new beginning.” I turned to Tatum, silently asking her to agree with me.

Tatum nodded. “Yes…my father would have wanted that.”

Moisture immediately sprung to Bridget’s eyes, and her hands went to her chest. “That’s… Thank you so much.”

“Would you like to tell her?” I looked at my wife.

Bridget kept her eyes on Tatum.

Tatum paused for so long it didn’t seem like she would say anything. Everyone else in the room picked up on the tension, so they watched us. Her hand immediately moved over her stomach. “Diesel and I are having a baby…”

“Oh…” Bridget gripped her chest harder. “That’s…that’s so wonderful. Congratulations. I’m so grateful you shared that with me.” Her hands moved toward Tatum in an attempt to hug her, but she quickly withdrew her embrace, obviously thinking it would be inappropriate.

I dropped my hand from Tatum’s waist in case she wanted to move into the embrace. The choice was up to her.

Tatum nodded. “Thank you…we’re very excited.” She didn’t cross the space in between them and kept her distance. Physical affection was obviously too soon for her. “Please, let me get you something to drink. Be comfortable in our home.”

The offer wasn’t much to a regular person, but coming from Tatum, that was a big deal. She was officially opening the door and letting Bridget walk inside. Her guard was up, but her walls weren’t nearly as high as they used to be.

She was taking a risk.

She took a risk on me.

I took a risk on my father.

Thorn took a risk on Autumn.

My father took a risk on Scarlet.

We all had to take risks sometimes. If we didn’t, we wouldn’t find the things that brought us the most joy. Opening the door allowed bad things to get inside, but a lot of good things too.

Opening the door to Tatum was the greatest decision I ever made. I knew she felt the same way.

And I knew this was another door that needed to be open.