CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

SIRE

I can’t stop smoothing my hand over her beautiful belly and making wishes. I can’t stop kissing her soft lips and making her moan. I can’t stop the urge to climb between her legs to get her pregnant with twins.

I know it’s not possible but tell that to my heart. It’s so goddamn alive again beside her.

“God, I missed you so much.” I have her in our bed and trapped in my arms. My legs ensnare her, too. I’ll never let her go.

She lingers her fingertip across the fresh scar, from left of my belly button, down to my pubic hair. It tickles, and I warn, “Angel, keep touching me like that and we’re going for round three.”

“Does it hurt?”

Damn, I missed her voice.

“Not when it’s getting hard again.”

“Be serious.” She props her chin on my chest. “How weak do you feel, and don’t lie to me.”

“Okay.” I sit up a bit. “After months in a hospital bed, a twelve-hour flight, and two rounds of hot sex with my beautiful wife and queen?” My voice drops an octave. “Angel, I’ll admit…”

She tilts her head like a nurse, ready for my maudlin medical update.

“I got a bad case of a breeding kink. Seeing your belly with my child makes me spike a fever in my dick for you.”

“Uh, Sire.”

She slaps my chest, making me laugh. “It’s the truth, and I’m fine. I swear.”

“You’re still recovering.”

“No, I’m still and will always be so in love with you, Wren Chapel Rutledge, you’re my cure.”

She fights a smile, but I see her fighting tears, too. It kills me to guess how many she’s cried while I was gone.

With my fingertip, I lift her chin higher. “The only thing I feel is my vow to never leave you again. I promise I’ll give you five kids and fourteen grandkids. I saw them in my dreams.”

She beams. “You did?”

“Yeah, they had your curls and my eyes. Our kids will be beautiful.”

Kids.

My heart clenches. “But Axel. I need to talk to him. Today.”

“They’re with Ruby’s sisters for Christmas,” she reminds me. “I’ll call her and set up lunch tomorrow.”

“Alright.”

My mind lags, processing everything. It’s a symptom from the sepsis but it’s getting better. Much better. Or maybe I’m just overwhelmed. There’s a lot about to happen.

Wren fills the silence. “What did Jace say when he saw you last night? No one but your mom knew you were coming home. You’re lucky he didn’t shoot you.”

I let my fingers twirl through her soft curls. “He drew a gun, then saw it was me and gave me a back-slapping hug before shoving me into the chapel to be with you.”

“No one knows.” Her topaz eyes widen. “I swear, I told Nadine that you had to be the one to tell Axel how Ruslan bribed you and no one—”

“You told The Queen what to do?” Impressed, I grin. “And you’re still alive?”

Her smug look melts my heart. “I told my mom what to do, and she said she was proud of me.”

I brush my fingers over her cheek, relishing her velvety skin. “For such a cute former foster kid, you sure got this family drama thing on lock.”

“Speaking of… He has lots to tell you.”

“Let me guess: Loch knows about Axel and Alena.”

She perks up. “You knew?”

“Yeah, Axel told me earlier this year. He wanted to tell Ruby but didn’t want to betray Alena’s secret.”

Her brows bend, worried about her second king. “Does Nash know?”

Add it to the million things I love about her, because I worry, too. “If Axel’s still breathing, then no, Nash doesn’t know. But first, I need to talk to Axel and pray he doesn’t kill me first.”

“He won’t kill you.” She kisses my chest. “I won’t let him.”

“I sure hope so.” My heart starts racing at the wheels I’ve put into motion. “Not with what I have coming.”

Our lunch with Axel and Ruby at The Mercier Hotel is like the slice of three-layered red velvet cake Wren and Ruby split.

The top layer is all sweet.

I’m so goddamn relieved to see my little brother again. Ruby’s pregnant, so he’s happy, too.

Our wives banter about what to name our daughters or sons. It’s a sugary subject, hiding another layer to this conversation.

Axel has no idea where I really was, why I was there, the death I escaped, or why I need him to forgive me.

I sense the bottom is that he’s hiding something from me, too.

You can’t be brothers who shared a bed because you were scared you wouldn’t awake the next day and not sense when the other’s heart is breaking over someone.

Is it Alena?

No. Axel’s madly in love with Ruby, and the truth is, it was never love between him and Alena.

Is it Nash?

Maybe. It’s a matter of time before that ticking bomb explodes. But I’ll be there, defending my brothers and family. Always.

“Oh, shit.” Ruby jumps up after a belly laugh with Wren. “Excuse me. I gotta hurl.”

“I’ll go with you.” Axel jumps up after her, but Ruby insists, “Please. I don’t need an audience for version two point O of my chicken salad. I’ll be right back.”

She races to the elevators, whisking her to their new penthouse apartment in The Mercier.

“Those are rough days,” Wren sighs. “Morning sickness doesn’t understand the assignment; it hits at any time of the day.”

I reach for Wren’s hand, regretting I missed every day, every hour she went through to get this far along.

We try to make small talk with Axel, but he keeps glancing toward the elevators, worrying about Ruby.

“Sorry, folks.” He tosses his linen napkin on the table. “My wife needs me.”

“Hey.” I catch his wrist before he leaves. “We need to talk.”

“Sure, man. We’ll catch up.”

He thinks I want to testify about my missionary work in Ukraine and would rather get a root canal. I know my brother, but I’m running out of time.

“Tomorrow night,” I insist. “At the church. Meet me there at seven.”

He’s dismissive. “Yeah, if I can.”

Fuck, Axel’s a bulldog with his priorities: his wife and kid. He won’t commit to anything else.

“No.” I stand, still holding his wrist, and pulling him toward me. “Tomorrow night. Bring Ruby. You have to be there. Promise me.”

His eyes narrow like I’m about to be cross-examined. He’s a goddamn good lawyer that way.

But silently, I cock my eyebrow, because I’m finally a goddamn good oldest brother.

“Alright, man,” he huffs. “Tomorrow night. Seven. The church. Got it.”