182

EOIN

THE MOMENT THE WORDS CAME OUT OF ALINE’S MOUTH, I COULD SEE

that she wanted to take them back. Not because she regretted accepting my proposal or didn’t want to live with me, but because blurting it out like that had been like dropping a bomb.

Now, we were just waiting for it to explode. I could read it on their faces. I read it on her face too. She realized the impact of what she’d done.

And then Freedom turned on me, her expression furious.

“What the hell did you do?!” She pointed at me, her clear blue eyes flashing. “How dare you take advantage of her when she was upset! Out on her own for the first time and vulner–”

“We’re engaged,” Aline cut her off, clearly deciding to get it all out now that things were in motion for a confrontation. “And I’m pregnant.”

Freedom’s jaw dropped, and her face went white. Aline’s jaw tightened. “So, back off.”

“What?”

The word came out as a whisper, confirming for me that Aline had never spoken to Freedom that way before.

“Eoin is m