My brain fires off around a hundred responses at the same time, and none of them make it to my mouth.
She said shelovesme…?
And it’s because she’s knocked up and hormonal?
Fuck, I gotta keep her pregnant all the time.
All.The.Time.
Breeding kink unlocked. Never going back.
I drag a hand down my face, fingers digging into my jaw.
“Jesus, Em,” I mutter, sounding rough. “You can’t just drop that on a guy.”
She giggles so damn adorably. “My apologies, Stan.”
I start walking again, because if I stay still too long I might actually have to deal with how hard this is hitting me.
“I love you too,” I whisper super quick when I realize I haven’t said it back. “I’ve loved you, Em. You’ve been the final boss of my damn nervous system since the second I saw you.”
Laughing at my own dumb pickup line, I run my fingers through my hair, realizing I’m sweating worse than when I was sniping down dummies.
“I sound like an idiot, don’t I?” I joke.
“You don’t sound like an idiot,” she says.
“Strong disagree,” I snort, rubbing at my chest like that might calm it down. “I feel like my heart just did a backflip and forgot how to land. Got any recommendations to fix me, doc?”
She smiles. I can hear it. “I wouldn’t fix a single thing about you, Stan, except perhaps your promise to speed. For my sake and Lix’s, please come home but drive safely.”
“Yeah, sure, gorgeous, just wait for me,” I say, opening my car door and sliding in, still grinning. “I’m coming home to you, okay?”
“Okay, Stan. See you soon.”
She gives me the tiniest, faintest smooch, and then she hangs up.
But I’m sitting here for a few more seconds, chuckling quietly to myself like I’ve completely lost my damn mind.
I might’ve, but I don’t care. I have the loves of my life to come home to, and yeah, Em said I should drive safe. Still, I drive as fast as possible to get back to ‘em.
‘Cause I just can’t wait.
25
Em
April light feels different in Darkhaven. I suppose I’m used to living elsewhere and traveling a lot. It was the lifestyle I had before stepping out of that ship one late February day.
That day feels so far away now. So many moments have come to pass.
Last month, I learned I was pregnant with Idris’ child. He asked Lix and Stan to watch over me while he handled a feat more impossible than cleaning up the blood from my failed experiment. He was navigating much murkier waters—evading his father who was after his heart. Though Darius helped Set ultimately achieve that, he also helped Idris survive by giving him a mechanical heart.
Since our last farewell, I haven’t seen Idris. But I trust him, with Damon’s help, to be kept safe and sound from Set’s clutches. I heard that Damon is protecting Darius too. I can only hope he’s reunited with his son, and perhaps even Idris. I know how much they mean to each other, especially now that all’s been exposed, at least within those living in the Knights’ estate.
The secrets stay with the Song-Smiths, and I…belonghere too, with them, with these people I’ve found have become my family.
For the many weeks that have flown by, our family has shared many meals, many stories, and more and more shared ambitions. All of which align with our first mission—to clean up Darkhaven. Lessen its crime rate. Give people cleaner Kys.
