“Shorty, let’s finish this so I can head home and get some sleep,” Veer said as he pulled me into the library to work on my announcement.

It had taken over an hour to handle the aftermath of my father’s departure. I was on the verge of collapse and shaking from exhaustion.

I hadn’t seen any sign of Devin since he left in the middle of the argument, and when I’d asked about him, Ashur informed me that Devin was handling media outlets who were contacting everyone we knew.

I guess it was a good thing I hadn’t seen him. I wasn’t sure what I was going to say when we had a moment alone.

Papa’s words echoed in my mind, and I couldn’t get over the hurt and memories they brought up.

Why did I let my father get to me so much?

Mommy insisted he loved me, but Papa’s form of love was overbearing and controlling.

For such a smart man, he was an idiot who couldn’t see that his actions had now lost his relationship with both his children. My jaw clenched thinking of the jabs he’d made toward Ashur.

What more did Papa want from him? Most parents would think of him as the jackpot in the parenting lottery. Who didn’t want a child who was a war hero and had created a billion-dollar fortune on his own merit?

Tears prickled my eyes.

“Sam, have you heard a word I said?”

I shook the fog from my mind and focused on Veer. “Sorry. Say it one more time.”

He released an exasperated sigh. “Stop worrying about your father. You have too much to focus on to let him dictate your life and your decisions anymore.”

“What the hell are you talking about, Veer?”

“Your father uses his money as a way to control people, but with you he uses manipulation.”

I rested both of my hands against the back of a chair in the corner of the library as I glared at Veer. “I’m not weak minded. I told him to go fuck himself years ago and then I did it again today.”

He walked up to me and shook his head. “You still haven’t admitted it to yourself, have you?”

“Veer, my head hurts, I’m drained both emotionally and physically, and now I have to figure out what the fuck I’m going to say tomorrow. I don’t need you psychoanalyzing me.”

Why wouldn’t he let this drop?

“Pretending isn’t going to change the fact that it’s true.”

I clenched my teeth and thought about punching him. I couldn’t care less that he was a good foot and some change taller than me.

“Fine, tell me, Mr. Knows-Everything. What have I not admitted?”

“That because of Minesh Kumar, you stayed in a marriage that was destroying you from the inside out.”

I touched my chest and closed my eyes for a moment. “Dev’s making an effort to change. Hell, look what he did to get my parents here. I can’t imagine what Papa must have said to him.”

Papa used the crudest language when the public wasn’t watching. The way he’d spoken tonight was barely the tip of things he was capable of voicing.

“I’m happy you’re working it out, but that doesn’t change the truth of what I said.”

“Let it go, Veer.”

“You’re the attorney. Would you let it go?”

“You’re such a pain in the ass.”

“Give me something to make sense of it all. Samina, you are a catch any man should be honored to have. Why did you stay with Devin all these years? And don’t say love. I know it’s bullshit and you do too.”

“You don’t know anything, Veer Kiran George. Devin Camden is the only man I love and will ever love.”

“That’s not the reason you refused to leave him. No matter how much Ash and I tried to convince you to come back to Texas, you stayed. Hell, your best friend, his sister, wanted you to leave his ass.”

I folded my arms across my body. I couldn’t deny Veer’s claims.

“No woman with your education, career, or money puts up with the way you were treated unless there is a reason. I know the reason, Ash knows the reason, and sure as hell, your father knows the reason. I even suspect Devin knows the reason. Why can’t you admit the truth?”

“Fine. You want to know why I stayed. I stayed because…” I paused as the door to the library was pushed open.

“I’d like an answer to that question as well.”

“Dev,” I whispered.

He peered at me and repeated his previous statement. “Finish what you were going to say to Veer. I’d like the answer to his question, as well.”

I looked between Veer and Devin, my heart beating out of my chest.

Veer walked up to me and kissed my cheek. “Tell him, little sis. He deserves to know. Maybe it will help you admit it to yourself too. And then you can truly start fresh as a couple.”

Veer turned, walking past Devin and shutting the door behind him.

We remained quiet for a few seconds, gazing at each other before I walked onto the balcony.

I stared toward the river and rubbed my arms as a chill shot through me even though it was at least a hundred Fahrenheit.

This was a conversation that was years in the making, one we’d touched on here and there but never addressed.

Devin approached me, leaning against the balcony railing next to me.

“If not for love, tell me why you stayed.” Pain laced his words. The truth was going to hurt him as much as it hurt me to admit it.

“Because…because I refused to let my father win. I wasn’t going to fail at my marriage as he predicted. He told me we’d never last. He said you didn’t understand me or what my dreams were. That you couldn’t care less about our culture and would push me to turn my back on it, instead of trying to become part of it. He insisted you only cared about your career and your family’s reputation. He predicted our love wouldn’t survive your ambition or mine.” I turned toward him. “I loved you so much, but I’d never have allowed the way things went with us if I wasn’t determined to prove him wrong. I tolerated a marriage like my parents’, all because I was never going to let Papa see that he was, in fact, right.”

He stepped toward me, grasping my upper arms with both of his hands. “But he’s not right. Don’t let his words change the road we’re trying to mend. We can fix this. I won’t ever take you for granted again.”

Why was he so calm? I’d just told him I stayed in our marriage because of Papa and not him.

“Why aren’t you angry about what I’ve just admitted?”

“I already knew why you held on for so long.” He released me and then ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “I’ve known since we started having problems.”

I remembered the first time I realized our marriage was in trouble. Devin had been angry with me that morning two years ago. I’d taken on a new client who happened to be the wife of a major critic of his father’s. He’d left my condo after a heated argument about loyalties and then returned, threw a stack of papers on the coffee table, and said he was now officially a nominee for federal magistrate judge.

I hadn’t spoken to him for over a month. We lived in the same condo, neither acknowledging the other’s presence. The only way we ever expressed ourselves was in bed every night through angry sex, filled with pain, need.

It was a repeated cycle we visited every time things became complicated.

“That was years ago.”

“You should have left me then. Hell, you should have left me before that. But you stayed. You put up with my crap, no matter how much it hurt.”

“Like when you took that bitch Veronica to all your family events or Judge McGregor to the charity event.”

“Yes.” He hung his head. “I was such a bastard. It won’t ever happen again. It should have been you by my side from the beginning.”

“There’s so much hurt between us. Is it possible to move past it? Is a fresh start going to work or are we kidding ourselves?” Tears streamed down my face as I peered up at him. “I won’t be the woman who let you turn her into a secret anymore. As I told you in Seattle, I’d rather live without you and have a broken heart than with you and be less than who I am.”

“I’ll do whatever it takes to make this work. We made a vow on that beach. To love, honor, and cherish each other through thick or thin. Don’t give up on us. I won’t ever let you down.”

“Our lives are going to become insane. I’m going to fight Sanders and Decker. It’s going to get dirty. After what happened tonight with Papa, I have to do this for all those who’ve encountered someone who used their power to hurt them.” I closed my eyes, letting my tears fall. “So please don’t make promises if you can’t keep them.”

“You’re more important to me than anything. When the time comes, I’ll take an indefinite leave of absence and be by your side every step of the way.”

I couldn’t believe what he said. He was going to put his career aside for me. He loved his position. It was all he’d ever wanted. I knew what he’d told his father, but I hadn’t thought he’d stop working.

“That’s not something I’d ask of you.”

“I know you wouldn’t. I’m making the choice. I’m all in, baby. Now the ball is in your court. You decide how things go for us. I’m not going to say things will be easy. My parents’ marriage is proof enough, but as long as we agree to meet each other halfway, we can survive anything thrown our way.”

I held his gaze, seeing the truth in his words. What he’d been trying to tell me since he muscled his way back into our house. All these years we’d let other people dictate our actions. It was time to live honestly. The way we should have from the beginning.

I had to trust this, trust him. I either forgave the past and moved forward, or I had to give him up.

“I’m in, Sami. Are you?”

After a few more seconds, I nodded. “I’m in too.”

Relief played across his face, and he pulled me toward him. I buried my face in his chest, feeling the first wave of sadness evaporate from my shoulders.

“What about your father?”

“What about him? He has no say in what I do.”

I pulled back. “He’s going to go ballistic. Your mom told me he’s hoping you’ll change your mind about a judicial nomination by the president.”

“That’s my father’s plan for my life, not mine. It’s time your career took priority over mine.”

I pointed toward the vans and media outlets on the edge of the estate. “Are you ready for that on a regular basis? Once we go down this path, it will be a long time before we become private citizens again.”

“I’ve never been a private citizen. Did you forget my father is a career politician? And you have groupies because of our dear friend Clint. Your privacy went out the window months ago, with no return in sight. Though his need to protect you has started to win me over.”

“I’m sure he will be happy to hear about your change in esteem.”

“I’ll deny it if you ever tell him, but I think he is going to be one of your biggest assets.”

“I’ll keep it between us.”

“I have a request.”

“Go ahead.” I lifted a brow and then folded my arms.

He caged me against the balcony. “If I stop judicial duties, I have one condition.”

Of course he did.

“And what would that be?” I asked, smiling up at him.

He was so handsome.

“A baby.” He traced my bottom lip with his thumb. “If I’m quitting my job, I’d like to be upgraded to stay-at-home dad.”

My lips trembled. I’d wanted a baby for so long, and until this moment, it never felt like the right time.

“Are you sure you want a baby now? Elections and pregnancy might not be a good combination.”

His face broke out into a huge smile. “I don’t think you have a choice in the matter.”

“Of course I have a choice. I’m the one who has to carry our child.” I leaned against the railing and frowned.

“What’s today’s date?”

“Well, it’s past midnight, so July fifth. What does that have to do with any…” I trailed off as I realized where he was going with his question.

The last time I had had a period was almost two months ago. How could I not notice until now? I’d had a period on the first or second of the month like clockwork since I was a teenager. Then when I went on the pill, I could predict it to the hour.

The exhaustion and crying weren’t just because of the case or the separation.

Holy shit. I was pregnant.