“She’s all for it.” He crosses his right leg over he left as he stretches back, comfortable now that the news is out. “She hates having to keep this a secret as much as I do. I got her elected toher dream job. The deal was to get Owen elected as an Independent, then Susa. After she runs for and wins re-election, it doesn’t matter what happens or what people say. She hasn’t decided yet if she wants to run for the Senate, but I believe she’s starting to swing toward no on that one.”
“POTUS?”
Carter smiles. “No. We’ve discussed that already. Maybe before this baby that would’ve been an option, but she doesn’t want to run for POTUS. Once she’s done in Tallahassee, she can write her own checks as a political adviser. I don’t want our children raised in a fishbowl and always worried about who’s watching. Even if she does decide to run for the Senate, she already knows Owen and I will stay in Florida with the kids while she commutes. If we didn’t have children, it’d be different. Even she admits she’d hate to lose her freedom like that.”
Jace squeezes my hand again. “What do you think, pet?”
“It’s your call, Master.”
I don’t look at Carter because I don’t want to see if me calling Jace that hurts him.
I don’t want to know.
I want Carter to be happy, but I can’t hide who I am around him, either.
“I askedyou, pet. I want your input.”
I slowly nod, not daring to hope. “It’d be nice to have a large family. I’ve never had a family before.” I meet Carter’s gaze. “Before now, Carter was the closest thing I ever had to a family.”
Carter’s wistful smile tugs at my heart but I hope he realizes I wasn’t saying that to hurt him, only to tell the truth.
I never give Jace anything less than the full truth.
“Then it’s settled.” Jace returns his focus to his little brother. “When are we doing this?”
Mentally, I check out from the conversation at that point. I need to process everything.
Not because it’s a bad thing, either. I think it would have terrified me had Carter coaxed me to come home with him back then. Probably to the point I would have balked because I knew how much he loved his family.
I would never want him to do anything to alienate them, even at my own expense.
Now?
I trust Jace, and I trust Carter. If they want to tell their family, then I know it’ll be okay.
Because they say it will be.
Chapter Twenty-One
Eddie
Three days later, a little after seven in the morning, our front gate chime signals through the intercom that an access code’s been punched in. By the time I can reach to the security panel to view the camera feed, our unexpected visitor is already on their way in.
“Master!” I call out, alarmed.
“It’s just Carter,” he calls back. “I gave him a code.”
When irritation hits me, I immediately tamp it back. Of all the people for me to get pissy with, these two men arenotthem. They’d double-Dom me, I bet. If there’s a reason Jace didn’t want me to know Carter was coming over so early today, then I have to accept that.
I take a deep breath, hold it, and let it out. Letting go to him is getting easier, but sometimes, I hit speedbumps like this and have to remind myself I handed everything over to Him.
I’ve already opened the front door when Carter climbs out of his SUV. He’s wearing jeans, a collared short-sleeved pullover, and mirrored sunglasses. Definitely not work attire.
He’s also wearing his handsome, bastard smile. “Good morning, Topper.”
“You sound chipper this morning.” It’s still difficult to remember not to call himsir, but that’s getting easier.
Plus, Jace said he’ll never punish me for slipping, as long as I don’t ever call CarterMaster.
