Arianna Blinking my eyes open, I have a pounding headache and my stomach hurts. It takes me a second to understand where I am. A hospital. I’m in the hospital? Then, as if watching a movie trailer of a horror film, pieces begin flashing inside my mind. My mom with the bottle, with a knife. So much blood, so much bleeding, and then... nothing. “Sparrow?” a panicked voice asks before I look to my side and see Logan beside me. “Oh my god,” he gasps, his shoulders shaking as he cries. I’ve never seen him cry befor e. Frowning, I reach my hand out to him, rubbing his back slightly as his head is pressed against my other hand resting on the bed. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?” His head whips up, his rich brown eyes hidden behind a thick layer of tears. “Am I okay? Ari, I thought I lost you.” My frown de epens. “Am I okay now?” “You’re doing well,” a man says as he comes in from the hallway. “I’m Dr. Parker, I was one of your surgeons today.” “Surgeon? I had surgery?” He nods. “You came in with a ruptured spleen and a mino r brain bleed.” A brain bleed? What the fuck? I don’t even know how minor and brain bleed can be used in the same sentence. “We were able to r epair the damage to your spleen, and your brain bleed should heal on its own. We’re going to ke ep you for a few da ys just to monitor you and baby.” It takes my fuzzy brain a second to process his words before I pause. “Baby?” The doctor looks down at his tablet. “Yes, we monitored the fetal heart rate during surgery. Good heart rate and the ultrasound showed no free fluid or damage to the amniotic sac . It’s truly amazing they made it. Babies in the first trimester with trauma like this to the abdomen usually don’t.” “Whose baby?” Logan asks. The doctor frowns. “You’re only seven weeks along, but you’re definitely pregnant. I’m sorry, did you not know?” “Did our shocked expressions give it away?” Logan drawls sarcastically, and I wave him off. “I’m pregnant? I... I’m gonna have a baby?” He nods. “I’ll have OB come down and talk to you, and a nurse will be in momentarily to get your vitals.” “Thank you,” Log an says as I sit there in shock. “Sparrow, are you alright?” My head turns to him, incredulity no doubt all over my face. “I’m gonna have a baby... I’m — ” “ We, Ari. We are gonna have a baby, ” he says, pressing his lips to my hand before a wide smile spreads across his face. I feel a matching one take over my own before Logan cups my face in his hands and kisses
me. “Don’t give me that shit! We are her family. Fucking move before I throw your ass down this hallway!” a familiar voice screams. Cassi and Naomi rush into the room, slamming the door shut like that will ke ep people out. “Fucking bitch,” Cassi mutters. “ Ari!” Naomi rushes, coming to my side. “How are you? How is she?” she asks Logan. “What are you guys doing here?” I ask. Cassi gives me a disbelieving look. “When you get a call that your best friend is in surgery, you drop everything. We would have been h ere sooner, but I had difficulty tracking down Nay.” She gives Cassi a sharp look before turning back to me. “What happened, babe? Are you okay?” I nod. “I’m okay,” I say as I notice Logan sink into the back of the room, allowing more space for my friends. I begin telling them every detail, and they hang onto every word, their mouths falling further and further open until I look at Logan, wiggling m y fingers for him to come closer. He does so with a small smile on his face as he bends down and presses a featherlight kiss to the top of my head. “And that’s not the craziest part,” I say. “How the fuck could your mom going psycho and trying to kill you not be the craziest part?” Cassi asks, eyes wide in shock. “Well,” I say as I look up at Logan. “We’re having a baby.” Naomi gasps as Cassi’s mouth drops. “No way! We’re gonna be aunties?” I give them a tear streaked smile and they both hug me gently, kissing my che ek before they shake their heads. “Wow, you’ve certainly been busy these last three months,” Cassi says with a laugh. Fuck, has it really only been three months since Cassi’s birthday. I look up at Logan and he seems to be sharing my thoughts. It feels lik e it’s been a lifetime already, and yet, not nearly long enough. I can’t believe this is my life. That on a dime, everything changed. One look. One touch. One night. Epilogue Logan I’m holding Arianna’s hands as we sit on the couch, awaiting her test results. She was discharged last week and has basically been on bedrest. I took a short leave from work to be here with her, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. That first day in the hospital was a flurry of doctors. The OB came in and told us that the baby appeared to be strong and healthy after performing an ultrasound on Arianna. I’ve never felt pure awe or more joy than when I heard that tiny heartbeat for the first time. Then , the image appeared on the screen, and there was our little gummy bear. Well, that’s what Arianna calls it. It’s fitting, since they really do look like a gummy bear in the sonogram. Since then, she has been closely monitored as we approach the end of the first trimester because, unfortunately, she is at extreme risk for miscarriage. We’ve been taking it one day at a time, and as of yesterday, our little gummy bear was still doing great. She insisted on a paternity test since she was with Tyson and myself so close together. She discussed the dates with the OB, and I guess based on her cycle and when she was ovulating, the doctor assured her that it would be almost impossible for Tyson to be the father. Arianna insisted that a test would give her peace of mi nd, so we did it. Her finger clicks on the paternity test, showing mine first. Possibility of Paternity: 100% She looks up at me with relief and I smile
at her. Of course I wanted the baby to be mine more than anything, but there definitely would have been worse people to be the paternal father of my baby. There was never any question whether that baby was mine outside of DNA, but now that it is one hundred percent certain, it does alleviate a little bit of stress. Arianna looks at the screen again, moving to the other test. While we were at it, we decided to find out what the baby’s sex was. I told her I’d be happy with anything, which she agreed, but I know she’s hoping for a boy. Maybe it’s from the trauma of her childhood and upbringing, but I know she will be an incredible mother no matter what. The screen pops open and Ari anna’s mouth drops as I smile. A boy. She leaps into my arms, and I hold her tight, smiling into her hair. Ten weeks down, thirty to go until we meet our little man. Arianna pulls away from me, tears in eyes as I hold up her hand, kissing her ring. As soon as I knew she was okay and fell asle ep, I left her with Cassi and Naomi before driving straight to the jewelry store and buying her the biggest ring they had in stock. Cassi and Naomi looked at me like I was crazy when I asked what kind of ring she would like before they helpfully pulled up inspiration pictures. I took those down to the store and walked away with a three and a half carat cushion cut. She deserves something much better, and while I’d custom order any ring she would like, this one could be a placeholder. When she woke up the next morning, I was on my knee, sliding the ring onto her finger. She said that I was supposed to ask if she would marry me, which I pointed out she already agreed. Ultimately, she wanted a better memory, and I was happy to give that to her. I told her how much I loved her, how I can’t fathom a moment without her, and that I want to spend forever by her side before she finally acc epted. I wanted to get married then and there, but she is insisting on waiting until the baby is born, which grates at me a little because I just want her to be mine in every way humanly possible. I understand, though. She wants the big wedding and the perfect dress, and with her body and energy levels changing with the pregnancy, that would be challe nging. So, I’ll wait, for her. Let’s not pretend I wouldn’t wait until the end of time for anything she wanted. I’d find a way to wrangle the moon and gift her the stars if she desired them. Tyson came and visited Arianna in the hospital. He was so upset w hen I told him what happened and rushed right over. He also expressed a few choice words of what he would do to Kelly if he ever saw her again. I shared every single sentiment. Neither of us will ever get the chance, considering Kelly is currently in King County Jail with no bail, thanks to a judge that I have a wonderful relation ship with. She is facing twenty to thirty years in prison, but I’m pushing for life. I never want my fiancée or my child to ever walk this earth in fear of that psychotic bitch. Last I heard, Tom has been trying everything to get her out, claiming to be he r husband. I guess the dumb motherfucker made his choice and chose the nut job carrying his baby over his wife and children. Marissa came and saw Arianna on one of her last days in the hospital. She apologized for not returning her calls and texts. She
said she took off with the kids and just drove. They ended up in Montana in a little rundown town and just... processed. Now she is in the middle of divorcing Tom and attempting to take every cent he has, with the assistance of a colleague of mine. She’s a fu cking shark, and most of the men she goes up against end up completely penniless, so she’s in good hands there. Naomi and Cassi have been coming over to visit Arianna often. I don’t get the details obviously, but I’m observant enough to put things together . Seems that both the girls also made... unique connections at the club that night and are dealing with the chaos that ensues. Thankfully, none of them are dealing with a psychotic, murderous mother, but still, I don’t envy them or the men in volved. “We’re go nna have a baby boy, Logan,” Arianna smiles. I hold her face in my hands, bringing her lips to mine as I nod. “Yes, we are, Sparrow. You ready for it? A lifetime with me? A lifetime of being my love, my best friend, my partner, my Sub?” She grins. “Heavy o n that last one.” I smirk, pulling her in for another kiss. I never thought that I would be able to find happiness like this. I wasn’t sure happiness like this even existed. To hold it, feel it, experience first hand. It’s truly unfathomable that the love of my life was in plain sight for years. It’s completely insane that everything shifted from One Night. One Night of Seduction turned into a lifetime of bliss.