Madly Yours (Nora Reed) novel Chapter 664

"Yes, it's gorgeous," Nora nodded, perfectly happy to let them do whatever they wanted.

It was the holidays, after all.

As long as they were happy.

"Archer, you're coming with me to the market tomorrow. We're picking up a ton of fireworks. We are going all out this year!" Olive slung an arm over Archer's shoulder, her voice booming with enthusiasm.

"..."

A ton?

Nora's eye twitched slightly, a mix of amusement and disbelief crossing her face. "Are you planning to buy out every firework stand in San Francisco?"

Olive flashed a brilliant smile, showing off her perfectly straight teeth. "Obviously! It's the holidays, we need a little spectacle! The Boss even said we should celebrate properly this year. Unlimited fireworks!"

"Alright, alright, do what you want. Just don't burn the yard down."

Olive patted her chest confidently. "Don't worry, I'll supervise personally. We're only lighting up the sky, not the grass."

Nora shook her head with a laugh and turned toward the living room.

As she passed the dog enclosure, she instinctively slowed her pace.

Bane was resting at the entrance of his doghouse, his chin resting on his front paws. His ears perked up, his eyes tracking her movements, and his tail thumped rhythmically against the ground.

Inside, on the soft grass mat, Luna was lying on her side. Her belly was swollen, round as a balloon. She was breathing evenly, sound asleep.

Nora crouched down and reached out to rub Bane's massive head.

He immediately lifted his snout, nuzzling into her palm. A deep, contented rumble resonated in his throat, and his tail wagged even harder, slapping against the floor.

Nora's eyes curved into a sweet smile, amused by how the massive dog practically wiggled with sheer joy. She gently stroked the fur behind his ears, and Bane closed his eyes, melting into a puddle of absolute bliss.

"Congratulations, you're going to be a dad," she whispered softly. She glanced over at Luna, who had been roused by Bane's enthusiastic tail-thumping.

"Congratulations to you too. You're going to be a great mom."

As if he understood, Bane let out a soft whine, then trotted over to Luna, affectionately nudging her nose. The two dogs cuddled close together.

Nora watched them, her smile lingering, but her thoughts drifted back to a cobblestone lane in Northampton from many years ago, to a large black dog with a missing left ear...

"I hope I can be a mother soon, too," she murmured softly, unsure who she was even speaking to.

Whether Bane understood or not, he trotted back over and affectionately bumped his wet nose against her hand, his tail wagging so hard his entire body shook.

Liam's brow furrowed deeper. "How is there no rush? Dr. Silas Vane told me everything. Your body won't hold out for another six months. His medicine might slow the spread of the toxins, but once it fails, the damage is irreversible."

He paused, his voice dropping to a heavy whisper. "When that happens, you'll lose all your senses..."

He couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence.

To lose hearing, smell, touch, taste, and sight entirely—it would be like being sealed alive in an airtight coffin. Unable to see, hear, or feel a single thing in the world.

He couldn't even stomach the thought of what Hudson would do when that day came...

Compared to Liam's desperate anxiety, Hudson looked entirely unbothered. He cast a cool glance at Liam. "So? What exactly do you want to do?"

Liam set his jaw, stubbornly clinging to his plan. "Grab his family. Even if I have to chop them to pieces, I'll force them to tell me where The Ivory Pill is."

Hudson let out a dark, hollow laugh. "You actually think they still have it?"

Liam's heart dropped, a cold sweat breaking out across his back.

"What... what do you mean?"

"River isn't going to just sit on The Ivory Pill waiting for me to take it," Hudson said plainly. "Knowing him, the second he got his hands on it, that pill was already gone."