“What?” Corbin shook his head. “No way. I make it a point never to have to deal with my mother.”
“I’m aware, my love, but at the same time, you get much of your growing energy from her, and it’s not good for you two to be out of sorts. Why don’t you invite her to some sort of a high teaor a luncheon here at the house, and she and I will get to know one another.” Evander kissed the back of his neck, making him shiver.
He scowled at Evander. “She hit me. Did you forget that part? The one where she hit me and didn’t apologize?”
He hadn’t forgotten it yet. In fact, it was making him a little grumpy. He didn’t want to have to be the one to extend the olive branch.
Of course maybe Evander didn’t want to get stuck in the house forever. Maybe he wanted to be able to get out.
“We’ll just step outside, go see her, and tell her she can forgive me even though I didn’t do anything wrong. She could get over her fucking self.”
He was a little grumpy, wasn’t he?
“Not at all.” Evander’s horns grew out on the top of his head. His face hardened into lines that told Corbin nothing was forgotten. “But I can tell it’s making you worried, Corbin. So we must give her a chance to apologize. Thank you.”
“No, I don’t want to give her a chance to come here and apologize. She has to send me a message or she has to try to apologize from her side.” He wasn’t just being stubborn; he was establishing boundaries because he had to. If he was going to have babies with Evander, she had to suck it up.
He blinked up at Evander. “We’re going to have a baby. A baby that’s going to be three-quarters fae.”
Evander nodded to him, his expression unworried, unbothered. “Our babies will be amazing, strong and sure. And they’ll be able to grow anything.”
Evander reached for him, and for a second, he couldn’t figure out whether to pull back or push in. He just didn’t know what to do. His universe was changing again.
But the universe did, didn’t it?
It changed all the time. Change was the only constant.
So he stepped in and took a kiss and held on tight.
“I love you,” he whispered. “I don’t know if I’m ready to have a baby.”
“Fortunately, you have many months to decide if you are.”
He opened his mouth to argue, but Evander had a point. He did have time to figure this out with his mate. “Okay, that’s fair.”
He was going to have to tell his brothers soon.
Evander smiled at him and bent to take another kiss as horns were seating a little bit. “I love you too. Perhaps I don’t say that enough. You have become my whole world, Corbin, and now there’s going to be a baby to prove our love to the world. I couldn’t ask for more than that.”
Evander’s sweet sentiment went a long way to relaxing his shoulders down from around his ears. “I’m not afraid of being pregnant. I’m just a little afraid of everything else.”
“Are you frightened that the vampires will come back here? I know Cullen says that they have come many times to this house.” Evander stroked his belly as if soothing both of them.
“The idea does scare me. That’s why there are roses out front everywhere. I’m propagating them out there, so it would be hard to get in.” He knew all sorts of things were drawn to this house because it was a portal. It was a magical place, and then there were the three of them: him, Cullen, and Cosmo. They were not like any other creatures in any of the lands that their people came from.
“I understand. They are terrifying. So are many of the other things that would like to find their way through the portal.” Evander chuckled lightly. “You and I, we’re warriors, both of us, and we need to raise our children to be just as strong and fierce.”
“We do. Do you mind if I call my brothers down for supper tonight? We could tell them together.” Maybe that would make it seem less overwhelming. Evander was wonderful, incredibly supportive, and happy to help him in any way, but he was used toimmediately sharing things with his brothers, always, and if they didn’t know, it felt strange.
“I think that’s a wonderful idea. We’ll make food and we’ll talk to them about it. Ask your brothers, who have both been pregnant, what to do about your upset stomach.” Gorgeous eyes glowed for him, happiness in every line of Evander’s face and body.
“Cool.” He closed his eyes, searching for his brothers with his mind.Cosmo? Cullen? Do you guys want to come down for dinner tonight? Evander and I need to talk to you. He’s willing to cook.
With or without the spouses and the kids?Cosmo asked.
Oh, with, definitely. We’ll make something everybody will like.
I’m in.Cullen was laughing about something that his kids were doing that came through in his mental voice. The bubbles that popped up around Evander’s head made him laugh because they were clearly part of Cullen’s happiness, even from a distance.
