The Perfect Storm 3

Chapter 278

Miles's POV

I don't know how often I've found myself watching her sleep today, but something tells me that she hasn't been getting enough sleep, or at least not the sleep she's used to getting and I know it's all my fault; I should have known.

I should have protected her, I've always known there was something off with him; I've always known, and yet, I let this happen to her, I always have. I let Hayden have his hands on her because of my stupidity of needing to know I got her and now I have her but with all of the mistakes I'd give anything to take back.

Everything we've been through has made me a better person and yet, all I have to offer her is my fucked up self and my father who probably broke whatever I didn't yet get my hands on.

My eyes shift over to her stomach and the way the two must be sleeping so peacefully, I don't know if the baby even has eyes yet or if it looks like something between a frog and a human, I never paid much attention to whatever baby biology studies I had throughout my life, but now I wish I had.

I feel my eyes swelling up.

"Fuck." I bite my tongue. What the fuck.

Madison's POV

I don't know how many times I've fallen asleep today or if it's all even the same day, everything feels so blurry and so mashed together.

I feel as though I've already in some way been to Jace's wedding but I know that the image I have in my head of Rosie and Jace hasn't made me cry yet which makes me believe it wasn't reality.

"You know . . ." Miles's voice trails off, and I finally realize I'm awake, open eyes staring at the windshield before me, watching the Porsche swallowing the road at a hundred and thirty miles an hour. 

Miles's eyes aren't on mine even though I'm so obviously watching him, his perfect skin, his perfect eyes, everything.

"I was thinking," he bites his lip before finally finishing.

"Maybe after this, we should go baby shopping . . . or whatever the hell it's called," his eyes meet mine and with the tired skin resting on my body, it's the first strong sensation I've felt since waking up, jolting me even more awake.

I want to laugh but I know I can't. I look down, blushing and trying to hold down the giggles trying to escape me, both of how funny it is seeing Miles taking this role and changing into a father to be whether he sees it or not and knowing that this is what he truly wants.

"I'd love to," I tell him softly and he smiles at me, making me feel at home. Anywhere he is, I feel like I belong too. the image of the two of us shopping for everything the baby will need fills my heart, and I think that just with that, I'll forever be at peace. But almost instantly, I'm proving that the feelings we have are all over the place; never stable, never truly present for too long.

"Will you be okay with telling Jace?" he looks at me, wild hair and eyes that have been through too much but always feel so secure with mine. I want to swallow my tongue and never speak again, I want to start choking, hoping he'll focus on saving me and forget any of this but nothing seems to happen the way either of us wants them to. and sometimes it feels perfect while other times, it feels as though I'm in a forever hell.

I know that the maturing we will have to do in the next nine months will have to be drastic because no child will be able to survive what we can barely comprehend. I want something stable, something quiet, something that I can count on but right now I don't see that ever happening not just with him but now with me either.

I look down at my fingers, knowing that he knew before Miles did. I gulp down the pain but I don't want this to escalate any further, I know what I want and that requires honesty between both of us. I swallow the guilt and hurt before finally daring to part my lips to him.

"I already told Jace."

"You told him first, didn't you?" he isn't looking at me anymore.

"No," I speak small.

"Stephanie and Elijah--"

"They knew first?" he says, almost even more offended but I know it's only because more people are being added to the list.

"They found out when I did . . . at the hospital," I explain, trying my best to stay calm as I watch every possible thunder and storm brew inside him.

"But Jace didn't."

"No . . . he didn't." I finish, I've kept this from him too long and I don't want to keep anything else from him, not again; not like I did.

"Right," he says, his lips sealed and his jaw tight. 

I feel a sting in my stomach, not knowing how I'm going to be able to handle this wedding knowing how much this is hurting him.

"I made a mistake--"

"We're here," he interrupts me and with a small 'Miles' smile, he's out of the car, quickly opening my door and pretending that none of this just happened.

Tears start to slowly move themselves down my cheek as I watch the white shoes beside me; the ones I was going to wear to the wedding I know can't see myself attending.