I knew I had to tell Dane that I was pregnant, but it was damn hard to get the words out when everything between us was up in the air. As for Huck, it would serve Dane right if I let him think that I’d finally given Huck a chance. But that seemed cruel, especially when he’d come all the way to Hawaii to try to make things right between us.

“Huck is just my friend. My very good friend. But a friend nonetheless.” When Dane let out a huge sigh of relief, his hazel eyes lighting up as if it somehow meant that he now stood a chance of getting me back, I made sure to set the record straight. “That doesn’t mean I’m taking you back, Dane. Things have been screwed up between us for way too long, and the blame for that lies on both our shoulders.”

“Then let’s start fresh. A new beginning for the both of us.” He knotted his fingers with mine, pulling me to him as if knowing the effect he’d have on me, when he was this close. “We can wipe the slate clean. Take our time. Learn to trust each other as we fall in love all over again.”

I wanted to believe that we could do just that. Because I did love him. I always had. And now? There was a baby on the way. And for the baby’s sake, I needed to make this work. “So we’re going to simply start dating?”

“I swear, I’ll do whatever it takes to make you happy, and I’ll try my best to be as patient as possible.” Not that either of us believed that we could resist each other for long.

My heart hammered inside my chest, pounding with a ferocity I only ever felt in Dane’s presence. Except that this time? It wasn’t just because he was close, but because I was going to tell him my secret, and I was unsure of how he’d react. This would change everything.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. “Before we go any further, there’s something you need to know.”

“Please tell me you didn’t sleep with Huck.” He all but growled out the words, and it would have been funny if they hadn’t just tried to pummel each other to death. I had no doubt both of them would be sore and bruised come morning, since Dane was already dealing with some scrapes and bruising on his face, his lip split open and swollen.

“Even if I had, I’d have every right to. You get that, right?” I shook my head at him, and though I was chastising him for his jealousy, I welcomed the distraction since it meant I had a few more moments’ reprieve.

“I get it. It’s just that I see the way he looks at you...” But then he shook it off, as if realizing that he had no right to be jealous. With my hand still in his, he led me to a nearby bench, and sat us down. “I’m sorry. What was it you wanted to tell me?”

I didn’t know how he was going to react, and it had my heart skittering out of control. But I took a deep breath and forced the words out past my lips. “Dane...I’m pregnant.”

His eyes went wide with shock before darkening as his brow furrowed, almost as if he was trying to figure out how he felt about this not-so-little tidbit of news. “Avery...”

My eyes burned with threatening tears, as hurt and anger bubbled up inside my chest, making it difficult to breathe, the warm, humid air suddenly stifling. “You know what? Forget about it. I don’t need you, Dane. I’ll happily raise this child on my own if you don’t want to be a part of your child’s life.”

He grabbed my hand when I tried to pull away, desperate to get the hell away from him. “The baby is mine? Not Huck’s?”

“You’re a fucking idiot.” I yanked my hand free of his and got to my feet, taking off down the winding path without sparing even a single glance in Dane’s direction, my heart breaking all over again. Why the hell did I keep thinking that we’d find a way to make this work?

“Avery, stop!” He grabbed my hand before I could get away, spinning me back toward him.

Except the last thing I expected to see was him getting down on one knee and holding out a gorgeous ring toward me.

“What are you doing?” This couldn’t be happening.

It felt so surreal, especially after all we’d just been through. He couldn’t really be serious—except that I knew he was. And since he hadn’t simply pulled a diamond engagement ring out of thin air, it meant he’d come here with the intention of proposing—before he’d even found out about the baby.

“I love you, Avery—even if I don’t deserve you. I should have done this years ago, but now more than ever, with our baby on the way, it feels right. Please...say you’ll marry me, love.” His words were so heartfelt. And though I had no doubt that he loved me or that I loved him, how the hell was I supposed to agree to marry him when we couldn’t even make a basic relationship work?

I pulled him to the side, so we could sit on the stone wall that lined the path we were on, since this wouldn’t be a straightforward answer. I took his hand in mine, my heartbeat racing as I tried to sort through my feelings.

“I’m not saying no—but I can’t say yes. Not when we couldn’t even manage to stay together longer than a few weeks, after finally getting together again. And you know I love you, but this is complicated, given the lives we lead.” Especially if he and his family were still involved in questionable pursuits. I couldn’t bring a child into a life that was going to be under constant threat from any criminal who wanted something from the Blackthorns, or had a beef with them over something stupid. “I won’t subject my child to a world that’s going to put it in constant danger. And no offense, but you and your family don’t exactly have a great track record.”

It was why I had wanted him to leave all that behind years ago. At the time, we had been serious enough about each other that starting a family seemed like a definite possibility. Yet it would have been irresponsible to bring any child into a world that wasn’t safe or when jail time could have easily become a possibility. So I’d pushed him to leave behind any illegal activities—for all the good it did me.

“My family and I have spent the last three years trying to start over—and I swear, we’re just a heartbeat away from being able to leave our old life behind. Stubbs was the last tie to our old life, Avery.” He gave my hand a squeeze and brought it to his lips, the gesture sweet, though I wasn’t going to fall for it. “You need to know that I’d never do anything to put you or our child in harm’s way.”

“I know.” And I did. Except that sometimes there were forces out of our control. “But I still can’t say yes, Dane. Even though I love you.”

“But you’re not saying no. I just need to prove that I’m worthy of your trust...worthy of your love. And I don’t care how long it takes, Avery. You and this baby are my whole life. And I’m going to do right by you both.”