Chapter 374

It was already late. After finally getting his pregnant wife to fall asleep, Ethan Shaw sat still for a moment, his fingers brushing lightly over her thin shoulder. His brows furrowed, and a wave of guilt washed over him. Since she got pregnant, she’d been through so much—physically, mentally—and even though he thought he was protecting her in his own way, maybe he was just making it all worse. Time wasn’t on his side. He had to head back to base soon. He bent down and gently kissed her forehead, lingering in her scent. As he carefully pulled his arm out from under her neck, every movement was as cautious as when he disarmed explosives. "Wait for me." When even the slight rustle he made disappeared, Celeste Harper finally opened her swollen eyes and sat up in bed. His scent still lingered on the sheets—no cologne, just that faint metallic chill. After all these years, she didn’t need to see him to know he’d been there. That smell? That was him. She hadn’t slept at all, just pretended t