My chest constricts as her words wrap around my insides, taking root in abandoned places.
It’s mine. The child she’s carrying is mine.
The thought sends another jolt of primal possessiveness through me.
“Then why have you been avoiding me?” I ask, my chest rising and falling against her from both the adrenaline and this completely unexpected news.
“Because I needed a chance to process!” Her hand grasps mine before she pulls me toward her suite. “Let’s just talk inside. I’m assuming you’reAlex Fleming, since he hasn’t shown up?”
I smile, following her in. “Did you know he was the scientist who discovered penicillin?”
“I do now.”
“I debated going with Michael Faraday, the creator of the helium balloon, but given your aversion . . .”
She glares at me, and I drop my smile. Pregnant or not, it would take point-two seconds for my ex-wife to have me sprawled out on the floor like the other idiot.
“Anyway, if I’d given my real name, you know you would have found a way to cancel.”
She rolls her eyes, but says nothing, probably because she knows I’m right.
“Give me a second,” she says, heading toward the half-bath connected to her suite. “I need to pee. Be right back.”
I turn to close the suite door when the sight in the hall makes me freeze.
All three cats—Beaver, Snatch, and Vajayjay—are starting to circle Micah as he tries to stand, tails in the air like bullwhips and alien-eyes locked on him like they’re about to do a human sacrifice.
Micah flaps a hand at them. “Shoo. Go on now. Move.”
The cats just hiss at him in response, causing him to pull his hand back quickly like it’s been bitten. I can’t help the smile that tugs at my face. Mr. Fifthdanis losing his shit because of three house cats.
Vajayjay, the most “talkative” of the three siblings, breaks the formation to press one of the buttons against the wall, making it speak in a robotic voice.“I’m hungry.”
Since they adopted the cats, Piper, Sarina, and Nisha have been training them to use communication buttons to announce their needs. And while his siblings love using the buttons, Beaver is more of a silent-type. According to Nisha, he prefers to communicate through unnerving stares and random gifts.
But two weeks ago, when I’d dropped by to see Nisha after she left my bed without giving me my usual good-morning kiss, Beaver shocked everyone. Right as I was leaving, having gotten more than a kiss when I took my girl up against the wall in her suite, Beaver rushed to press the “Stay with me” and “I love you” buttons.
Not going to lie, it was that day I knew the hairless hellion had wormed his way under my skin. I still won’t call myself a cat person, but Beaver is the exception.
“I’m hungry.”Vajayjay presses the button again, staring straight at Micah before hitting the “Go away” button.
“Uh, Nisha?” Micah calls out, trying to take a step out of their circle, only for Snatch to block his path, tail swishing like a sword. “Anyone? Bloody hell, are these hellhounds about to attack?”
“Patton? What’s going on out there?” Nisha’s concerned voice resounds behind me.
My grin widens. “Looks like the cats are vetting your friend.”
She makes her way to the door, taking in the scene. A gasp falls from her lips when she sees Micah is now back on the floor with Beaver sitting on top of his chest like a triumphant hunter over a kill.
“Christ, can someone please take this demonic cat off me?” Micah wheezes.
And right when Beaver raises a paw, claws twitching, about to bop Micah in the face, Nisha’s voice cuts through. “Beaver, no!”
Beaver freezes mid-strike while the other cats flee the scene like the little criminals they are.
Nisha swings her glare onto me. “Seriously? You just stood here, watching them torture him?”
“Torture is such a strong word. They were . . . interviewing him.” I rub my jaw, wincing dramatically. “Doesn’t look like he passed.”
