And Baby Makes Three by Dahlia Rose

other. Marie, tell me.”
    “Charlie Milton. He used to be a sergeant,” Marie said.
    Brody got on his knees and fit himself between her legs. He rested his head on her belly and the baby kicked. They both laughed. He looked up at her, his eyes pleading. “Marie, I was coming over here as soon as you got home to ask if we could live together. I was surprised to see you at my place because you had never shown any interest at ever coming to my house. Plus, with the pregnancy, I didn’t want you driving all the way out there to me.”
    He met her gaze, and she didn’t see lies there. She was pretty good at spotting a liar, having had the experience from living with Charlie. Their gaze shifted and could never stay in one place. “Marie, since that first night we got together, I haven’t been able to think about anything else but you. And then I found out you were pregnant and I wanted to rush home from Pendleton. You’re my world. This boy growing inside your stomach is my world. I would never put that and what I could have with you in jeopardy. I’ve always wanted a family, not like I had, but one where I could love my children the right way. Without fear or mental abuse. Let me move in with you and we can work towards being a family.”
    “Oh, Brody, you know how to say all the right things, and I fell for that before,” Marie said softly.
    “Darling Marie, what did that man do to you?” Brody asked.
    She felt the story falling from her lips even though she told herself she wasn’t ready to tell him—or anyone. “I met Charlie at the hospital. He was a patient. I should’ve known how messed up he was, but he bloomed when I was around and he worked harder when it was just for me, and maybe I let it give me a big head.” She closed her eyes and willed herself not to cry. “After he was discharged from the hospital, we got married and everything was fine for a while, but then the problems began. When he hit me, I always told myself it was just because of the PTSD. When he cheated I blamed that on the PTSD as well and he told me it was because he felt as if he meant nothing to anyone. The more he hurt me, the harder I tried to fix him. I thought he needed more love, more attention. But, actually, he was just plain mean and rotten to the core. I was losing myself to him and then the one time I fought back, it put him in a rage that kept me out of work for a month. I told Ivy and anyone who called that I came down with the Swine Flu, but I was bruised from head to toe.”
    “I’ll kill him,” Brody said softly and she saw his hands clench.
    Marie covered his hands with hers and met his gaze. “He’s not worth it. The final straw was when he hit me and the next day I came home and found a woman in my bed. Something inside me snapped, I swear, and when I was throwing them out, I swear I saw fear in his eyes. The bed went next and then all his shit.” Marie laughed. “I was the Incredible Hulk that night, and the next day I promptly filed for divorce. I wanted nothing from him, just wanted him out of my life.”
    “Where is he now?” Brody’s voice came out a growl. His body was tense with anger but not at her. It was for the man who callously hurt her and for that she felt her heart swell just a little more. Oh, yes, he was hers and she would fight for him if she had to.
    “I honestly don’t know. I know he’s out of the Army. He could be in Timbuktu now for all I care.” Marie lifted his hand and kissed his knuckles. “He doesn’t mean enough to me to give a damn where he landed.”
    “Well, he hurt you and it means a damn lot to me. One of these days I will find him and I will hold him accountable,” Brody said.
    “I came to your townhouse tonight to ask you to move in with me,” she admitted. “But God, seeing those girls there, they’re all tall and sexy and I’m short, round and dumpy, I could never compare with them even if I wasn’t pregnant and having a baby. I was jealous, okay? I