Scarlett hesitated, then decided to spit it out.“I’m pregnant.With twins, according to Casey.”
Saber stiffened, but she still had trouble reading his expression.
“Who is the father?”Leo demanded.
“We’ll gut him,” Felix added.
“You will not touch a hair on his head,” Scarlett snapped.“Last time I heard it takes two to make a child.That’s if you’re doing it the natural way.”
“Is it the dragon?”Felix asked.
“None of your business,” Scarlett snapped again.She turned to Saber, and he bore a weird expression.
“Are you happy about this pregnancy?”Saber asked.
Scarlett considered.“I’ve only learned about it.”It meant she had the best excuse to see Ransom again.She hadn’t realized she’d miss him so much.“I think I’m pleased, although I’ll need to rejig my master plan.”
Leo snorted.
“You and your plans,” Felix said.“Your baby—excuse me, babies—aren’t on the plan.”
“Neither was a quest to find a purple prince,” Scarlett said sweetly.“Maybe I’ve decided I enjoy going off-piste occasionally.Changes are cleansing and not always a mistake.”
Saber understood her reference and glowered at her.“Lori catching the virus wasn’t your fault.I’ve told you that.All of us have told you.”
“It doesn’t lessen the guilt,” Scarlett retorted.
“I feel guilty whenever I recall how I gained ownership of the resort,” Saber countered.“We both have to admit we’ve made mistakes.Own them and don’t repeat them.We must step forward into the future and do our best to compensate for our past.”
“Scarlett,” Leo said.“You harbored a virus of sorts a second time.It enabled you to stop the suffering of the Narenda inhabitants.”
“The residents of Tiraq too,” Saber said.“Ransom cares for you.”
“I know.”Although they hadn’t spoken to each other since parting on Narenda.Why hadn’t he called?“Works both ways.I could’ve called him,” she muttered to herself.“I like him a lot.”
“Is he your mate?”Felix asked, his eyes narrowing until he resembled Saber at his most fierce.
Scarlett shrugged.“How do you tell?”
“You think about the other person even if you don’t want to.Parting from them makes you feel like crap, and you’ll do anything to keep them safe,” Leo said.“They might irritate you at first, but the idea of ripping off their clothes and fucking them makes you come alive.”
“Oh,” Scarlett whispered.
“He’s your mate,” Saber said.
“I’ve been unhappy with life since we left Narenda.”Scarlett counted the points off with her fingers.“I can’t get him out of my head.He’s the last person I think about before I fall asleep and the first one when I awake.Every time I have a thought, I wonder about Ransom’s opinion.I’m not as upset about these babies as I should be.He has messed up my entire plan, and I’m not stressing about it when normally, I’d be a real grouch.And once he comes to mind, my next thought is sex.Oh!”
“They’re mates,” Felix and Leo said at the same time.
“I talk to Ransom every morning,” Saber said.“We talk about you.The dragon is crazy about you.He told me he’d never have escaped the prince if it wasn’t for your help.He loves you, Scarlett.”
Hope dawned in Scarlett until her mind constructed a roadblock.“But two babies.I don’t want to trap him.And the other thing—I want to pursue my jewelry enterprise.Ransom must take care of his people.They’re the reason he fought so hard.Did you know he intended to exchange me for their freedom?”
“He told me,” Saber said.“He feels bad about it.Scarlett, if anyone threatened our family, what would you do?I know what my decision would be.The prince placed him in an untenable position, and Ransom did the best he could under the circumstances.He never surrendered but kept fighting, unlike his parent.”
“You admire him,” Scarlett said in surprise.
“You like him,” Saber pointed out.“Why shouldn’t I?”
