Jason POV
I don't know how long we laid there like that—her head on my chest, my fingers tracing lazy circles on her back—but I could've stayed there forever. Everything felt quiet, calm. Like the storm we'd barely survived had finally passed.
Then I felt it.
A soft thump against my stomach.
I froze. "Was that…?"
Ella pulled back slightly, a sleepy smile blooming across her face. "Mhm."
"The baby?" I whispered, because suddenly even speaking felt sacred.
She nodded and took my hand, guiding it to rest fully over the curve of her belly. And just as I was about to tell myself maybe I imagined it—
There it was again. A kick. Stronger this time. Sure. Real.
My throat tightened. "Holy shit."
Ella laughed softly, her voice hoarse from sleep and… last night. "Don't curse in front of the baby."