“Ifhe causes a problem, I’ll handle it like I always do. It’s my job, and I’ve never let you down before.” Vane tugged at his trench coat with his spare hand and pursed his lips. “I just wanted you to know what happened.”
Midberry peered at me carefully, like he was dissecting me through his gaze, and I didn’t back down from it. I stepped up against Vane’s side, offering my support. Midberry must have found whatever he was looking for because he grinned. “Fine. I trust you. Now if you’ll excuse me, a pretty man named Bambi is waiting for me to fuck him. Time is money.”
“Bambi tonight, huh?” Vane rolled his eyes when Midberry laughed and turned his back to us, walking up the stairs. I wondered why he wasn’t taking the elevators tucked to the left of the staircase, but I supposed in an old building like this, the stairs made the hotel more vintage and elegant, especially with their opulent marble and thick wooden bannisters.
“So that was interesting,” I murmured.
Vane chuckled. “That’s Ross, your mayor.”
“Hmm.”
He cocked his head toward me and smirked. “So.”
“So?” I asked carefully.
“We’re here in the Courtesan, which has amazing rooms with all kinds of fun and interesting toys.” He laid his hand on my belly and rubbed in a circular pattern. I chewed on the corner of my lip as pleasure slid through me and settled very low in my gut. “How about we get a room and make the most of tonight? We’ll both take a personal day tomorrow. There’s room service, too, the best food you can eat.”
“But what about Roberts?” I whispered.
He snorted. “I can handle that weasel when I’m back in the office. Right now, your parents need us.”
I sighed in relief and laid my hand over his, stopping it on my stomach. “Let’s go, Daddy. Our baby needs food.”
His eyes grew hot with desire. “Yes, you take good care of our pumpkin.” He brushed his thumb over my abs, and for a strange second, I wished that he would find the thing that would have him rock-hard and aching for me: a round belly. “Let’s go book a room, and then Daddy can treat you and his baby.”
14
Vane
Jaxson leaned against my side and nodded. “That sounds good to me.” The huskiness in his voice made me want to kiss him, but we had things to take care of first.
With our plan to stay the night set, I glanced over at the front desk. Darcy Winters was there, standing guard like a prissy bulldog, and he seemed like he was chewing out a pale woman who had a real Morticia Addams mystique going for her. Her long black hair brushed her ass, and the hem of her wine-red dress kissed the floor, but there was nearly nothing covering her porcelain chest. She was a good deal taller than Darcy, and as she leaned down to say something to him that I had no doubt was exceptionally scathing, judging by his scowl, I was convinced there was going to be a nipple bouncing out into the room. Through some feminine magic, her tit stayed in place. Jaxson snickered and poked my side.
“He looks like he ate dirt.”
“Doesn’t he?” I ushered my little baby-maker that direction. “Sometimes I think we’re the lucky ones. A man might punch you, but a woman willendyou.”
He hummed his amused agreement as we stopped in front of the desk. “You should meet my friend Elsie.” He winced. “Fuck, I wonder how she’s doing. She’s pregnant right now.”
My mind blanked and I stumbled but righted myself quickly. “You have a pregnant friend? Did you… go shopping for her baby together?” I tried not to sound outright sleazy as I asked, but he only grinned at me, so I must have missed the mark.
“Hmm… we do go shopping together,” he murmured vaguely, a gentle smile curving his lips.
“That’s hot,” I said, and Darcy turned toward me, away from the woman curling her lip at him, as we came to a stop in front of the desk.
“Yes, Mr. Elwood. How may I help you? Would you like to augment your date with Holland or Indigo? They’re both familiar with your interests.”
Darcy was a modern miracle. Hell, I knew my kink, and I still would have had trouble saying all that to someone like me with a straight face. “My interests, huh? Jaxson here will be taking care of all myinterestsfor the foreseeable future, but we would like to rent a room for the night.”
“He will?” Darcy’s face fell. “That’s too bad.”
“Why’s that?” Jaxson asked before I could.
Darcy ran his finger along the top of the shiny mahogany desk, as if inspecting it for dust. “Mother was intrigued when Indigo inquired if we would purchase something that would perhaps have you spending more time at the Courtesan, and she approved the purchase.”
“Is it a baby bump?” Jaxson blurted.
Darcy’s nostrils flared and he pursed his lips.
