Always (Family Justice Book 1) Read Online Free PDF

waterworks. Fantastic.
    “Draegyn…I’m scared and I feel like shit all the time. My body is like a stranger to me, and all of a sudden, you’re not there.”
    “I know it seems that way, honey, but I’m right here by your side. See—that’s why we need your mother. To help keep your chin up. It’ll make me feel better to know there’s another woman around. What I know about being pregnant and having a kid could be written on one side of a dime. Stephanie will know what to do.”
    Yeah. Whatever. Cutting to the chase now. “I want you to sleep in our bed tonight.”
    “Victoria,” he started to grumble.
    “No. Don’t Victoria me. I want you in that bed. Tonight, Mr. St. John—no excuses. You say you just want to keep us safe. Well, how safe is it for me not to get a decent night’s sleep? Huh? Think about it. I thought you were the cool, analytical one. I need you to hold me. Is that too damn much to ask?”
    Fucking waterworks. Shit. She knew it didn’t take long for things to get ugly. Only took a minute for snot to start pouring from her nose and for her face to become blotchy and hot. Were all pregnant women this desperate and pathetic?
    Jesus Christ, Drae thought as he tilted his head to get a better view of his wife’s face. The forlorn, miserable expression he found cut through him like a hot knife through butter.
    Sliding out from beneath her, he settled Victoria in the new chair and hurried to the baby’s dressing table where he grabbed a box of tissues and returned to her side. God, he hated seeing her like this. Hated being the reason for it. He was afraid of hurting her or the baby so he kept his distance. She was in this predicament because he’d gotten her pregnant. No matter how he looked at it, Drae was the villain.
    Kneeling at her feet, he pulled five or six tissues from the box and mopped up the cascade of tears, murmuring the whole time gently.
    “I love you, Victoria St. John. Don’t you wimp out on me now, honey.”
    She was trying to rein in her tears but having one hell of a time. Each of her pitiful sobs tore at his heart. Grasping at straws, he promised to come back to their bed, hoping she’d calm down with his assurance.
    “Do you mean it?” she whimpered, her shoulders shaking from the effort to block a new round of tears.
    “Yes. Of course, I mean it. I’ll even build you a pillow fortress so you can be comfortable.”
    Suddenly, she clutched frantically at his shirt. “Make it a promise, Draegyn. Promise me you’ll come back to our bed.”
    “Shhh, shhh, honey. Yes, it’s a promise. Just please stop crying, okay? I don’t think my heart can survive any more of your tears.”
    Fuck. He needed to have a talk with Cam. Find out if Lacey lost her shit near the end of their pregnancy. Somehow, he didn’t think so. Those two were living some sort of charmed life. Lacey never seemed to have any pregnancy issues; in fact, she positively glowed right through those last weeks and after Dylan was born. He doubted she’d been a hysterical mess, crying over every little thing and feeling like her body was being remote controlled by someone with a sick sense of humor.

    “WE’LL STOP AT THE MAIN house first, Stephanie. That way you can check in with Carmen before heading off to Drae’s.”
    Stephanie chuckled and started gathering herself together now that the car had turned onto the long drive leading to the compound. “Carmen is a treasure, Alex. I hope you know that. I’d kill for a housekeeper like her.”
    “No argument there,” he answered drily. “She’s part drill sergeant, part Mother Superior, and part Julie the Cruise Director. The Villa would fall apart in less than a day without her directing every little thing that goes on there!”
    “She’s been texting me. Apparently, she kept notes from my visits. I nearly died!” she chuckled. “Somewhere on her iPad is a list of my likes and dislikes. No, seriously,” she hiccupped with laughter when Alex