She bites into it like it’s the most decadent thing she’s ever tasted.“Oh.My.God.I love you.Can I marry you instead?”
I roll my eyes but smile.“How far along are you?”
It’s a fairly common question so I figure it’s a good place to start.It’s not her fault my brother’s an asshole.I grab another cupcake.
“Almost three months.”She looks down at her stomach.“It’s been weird, knowing something’s in there but no one else can tell.”
She swallows another bite before asking, “Do you want kids?”
Can I see having babies with my guys?Two little mischievous boys just like Drew and Finn.They’d get into all the trouble.A little girl with Dante’s curls and eyes, who would keep the others in line.And Wyatt… Fuck, his child would be serious and loyal and command all the others.
Warmth blooms in me, but there’s also this fear.Fear of hoping for things that might not happen.But I’m not about to lay my soul out for this woman.Madison, Hope, and Kayla, yes.We’re friends.This woman may be bonded by marriage, but all I know about her is that her father is evil and so is her best friend.Which makes me wary of her.
“Not right now, but in the future, yes.”I set the final cupcake on the plate and grab a dome to put over them.
“You’ve met my father…” Natasha waits for me to lift my gaze to hers.When I do, she swallows.“I didn’t really expect to get pregnant or fall in love, to be honest.How could I with a family like mine?I love my father, but he wants my respect and loyalty more than my love.”
“You turned him into the Feds?”That’s what Wyatt and Drew said.Does that mean she isn’t loyal?
Her face flushes pink and her dark eyes meet mine.“It wasn’t an easy decision.But if it’s between my father or my child’s future, I’m going to pick my child.”
I lean back against the counter to watch her.“Verity Baron claims you’re her best friend.”
She chuckles.“Is anyone friends with Verity?Her father and mine do business together.It put us in close proximity, and for some reason, my father approved of Verity.Pretty sure she used me to get into places by throwing around my father’s name.”
She shrugs like it doesn’t matter.“I didn’t really have a chance to make friends on my own.”She slides onto one of the breakfast chairs and tilts her head.“You know Verity?”
“Did Tom tell you about her?”I cock an eyebrow, knowing Tom betrayed me when he set Wyatt up with Verity for that benefit.Wyatt wouldn’t have agreed if he’d known our history.And not knowing, he might have slept with her.My stomach churns.
She might have been just another notch to him, but that would have burned me to my core.
I’m not sure I could ever get over something like that.Even if he hadn’t known what she did to me.She would have held it over me for the rest of my life.
Natasha shakes her head and looks over her shoulder at the closed door.“He was surprised she was my friend.He hoped my father would be willing to let me go to the benefit with him if Verity had a date with his friend.”
Fire burns inside me.“No other reason?”
Everything he put me through was for this woman he met only a few months ago?He risked me for her.I’m not discounting the fact she’s pregnant, but it doesn’t make the sting go away.It used to be he’d drop everything to help me.
He hasn’t had to do that for a long time because I stayed to myself.
She shrugs.“He didn’t mention one to me.How do you know Verity?”
“Ask Tom.”I push off the counter.If I stay here, I’ll tell her everything and that’s Tom’s job.“I’m sorry, but I need to go work.”
“Oh.”She stands and wrings her hands.“I was hoping to talk more.Maybe…” She glances back at the door.“Help mend things between you and Tom a little.”
My laugh is short and bitter.“Ask Tom about Wyatt and Verity.Ask him how he knew what he did would hurt me.”
Her eyes widen but she nods.“I will.”
* * *
Finn
There’s plenty of work to keep us busy without an internet connection.Even Drew has a laptop out and works at his end of the table.Sara had a couple of open projects, so she sits across from me while she sorts through them.
She came into the dining room with her cheeks stained pink with anger.I’m not sure if she ran into Tom or just thought about what he’d done again.None of us asked.
