“Oh, shit.”True regret filled the bond Vanessa shared with the Polar Bear Princess.“Dammit, you’re right. I’m sorry. I just…”
“You just got carried away because (A) You hate Aamon Blackwood more than you hate collard greens and spinach. And (B) His little stunt on the road that evening was the spark that set the dumpster fire our lives have become ablaze?”
“Now, wait a minute. I didn’t even think all that. Things aren’t that bad. We’re way closer to finding Cyrus than we were eight and a half months ago. You remember that, right? When we finally got back to the house, and he was gone?”
“Yeah, I remember.”Vanessa sighed. Then, grabbing ahold of her usual sass and determination, she added, “Woohoo. I somehow wish we’d just stayed home.”
“And that brings me back to my original statement.”
“Well, hell. You set me up for that one.”
Sighing, Celeste just kept right on going, and Vanessa continued to rub her swollen tummy, half-listening and praying for a miracle.
“If you had let me have my way,”The Polar Bear Princess ranted.“We wouldn’t have had to worry about being thrown in the slammer for murder. There wouldn’t have been enough of that rat bastard left for anyone to find. He would’ve been another missing person who lost his way in the Chihuahuan Desert. No body-no crime. Isn’t that what they say on all those murder shows you’re always watching? Didn’t you learn that in one of those fancy law classes you took?”
“Well… Yeah, it is-sort of… And there is legal precedent for that defense, especially when no one initiates a missing person report. However, we now know…”
“Now, we know he has a family,”Celeste growled.“Aamon Blackwood is not the Rogue he told you he was. He was never all alone. Bastard just used your big heart and good nature to get close to you. It was all just another lie from that worthless snake. Was anything he said the truth? Are you sure his name is even Aamon?”
“Umm, well, I’m pretty sure that’s his name.”
“I swear, if he’s not the best reason for birth control, then I don’t know what is.”
“Celeste!”Vanessa
“What?”The Polar Bear Princess snapped.“You know I’m right.”
“It’s not that.” She continued to rub tiny circles on her pregnant stomach.“The baby can hear everything we say. I don’t want…”
“Girl, that ship has sailed,”Celeste scoffed.“You know as well as I do that the little one heard every word Aamon said before he threw that nasty powder in your face. He called you everything but a show, white Polar Bear Shifter, and the things he said about Cyrus. HA! Let’s just say I can’t wait to tell that old Dragon ass. It’s gonna be fun to watch him beat the crap outta that worthless Red Wolf.”
“Yeah, I know you’re right about the baby. Poor dear is gonna have quite the vocabulary when he or she is born.”She paused for a second, then added,“As for what Cyrus will do, who knows. He might slam the door in our faces.”
“Nope,”Celeste adamantly declared.“That boy loves you more than barbeque ribs, baked beans, cornbread, and sweet tea.”
“Only ‘cause we taught him what those things are,”Vanessa laughed.“When we met him, he was lookin’ for bangers and mash if I remember correctly.”
“You do know he was puttin’ you on, don’t you?”
“He was not.”
“Oh, yes, he was,”Celeste chuckled.“There are Dragons all over the world, even if we thought they were all gone until a decade or so ago. The ones from the Isle of Skye, like Cyrus MacDonald, have been over here just as much as the ones who call the US of A home have been over there.”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course I’m sure,”Celeste snickered.“I saw the way that boy’s eyes lit up when you lifted the lid on the grill and slathered those ribs with sauce. His mouth was watering so hard, I was sure it was gonna roll down his chin.”
‘Well, I missed all that.”
“Sure, you did,” the Polar Bear Princess teased. “You were all starry-eyed and in love. All you saw was your happily ever after with dark eyes, wide shoulders, and an ass that filled out a pair of jeans like nobody’s business.”
“Celeste!”
“Oh, puhlease, that baby knows it’s momma and daddy love each other. I just hope he or she is not as stubborn as the two of you.”
Clearing her throat, trying not to throw up from the lingering taste, Vanessa abruptly changed the subject,“What was that crap Aamon threw at me?”
“Way to change the subject, Princess.”
