“She’ll find out soon enough. I just need some time.”
“You’re so pigheaded, I swear…”
Heavy footsteps bounded down the stairs until Zoe could no longer hear their conversation.
The front door opened and banged closed. Zoe raced to raise the bedroom window while the two continued their argument. Olivia had one hand on her hip and was pointing and shaking her index finger at Jack.
What was it he didn’t want her to know?
Zoe cursed and ran down the stairs and out the door. The sharp stones split the skin on her bare feet and the brisk wind cut through her light t-shirt.
“I hate it when you guys do this. What are you two hiding from me, now?”
“Go upstairs and put some clothes on, Zoe. I’ll be up in a minute.” Jack didn’t give her the satisfaction of meeting her angry gaze.
“No way, Fialko.” She glanced down and realized she had run out of the house wearing only an oversized t-shirt. Damn it. She crossed her arms over her breasts. “I’m sick and tired of being kept in the dark. Tell me now.”
“Fine. Can we talk in private?” He scowled at Olivia who nodded and stormed down out past the dunes.
Her flowing clothes and long red hair whipped around her in the early morning sunlight, creating the illusion of one very angry goddess. The waves from the ocean drummed and crashed with her every step.
She followed him back to the porch.
“Let’s go inside.” Jack’s mouth was in a grim line and his jaw clenched. His tension matched the relentless crashing of the stormy ocean and the screeching of the gulls.
“No. Tell me now.” She sat down on the swing and shivered.
“You’re not even dressed.” Jack placed his jacket over her bare legs.
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Now, Jack.”
“I was going to tell you.” He pulled off his sunglasses, revealing dark circles. “There just hasn’t been a chance.”
“You have your chance now.” Zoe drank in his beautiful eyes, then looked down. Damn, her body responded to him, despite everything.
There was a long silence.
Jack exhaled slowly and knelt in front of her. He tucked his finger under her chin, and drew her eyes to meet his serious gaze. “Look at me, Zoe.”
She did, and what she saw nearly gutted her. There was real fear in his eyes. How bad could it be?
“Just tell me,” she whispered.
“When we mated, you got one other thing besides my power.”
“What are talking about?” She licked her suddenly dry lips and eyed him nervously.
“You’re pregnant, Zoe.”
A hysterical laugh escaped her lips, but her smile fell when she realized he was being serious.
“It’s not possible. We just had sex last night and I’m on the pill.”
“Doesn’t matter, angel. It’s a mating thing.” He gripped her hands.
She pulled away. “Youknewthis would happen and you didn’t warn me?”
“I thought you understood. That you had read through all the rules. You recited that one back to me so well. I just assumed–”
