Page 77 of Consume Me

It was true. I was stalling. I’d endured the media’s questions before but this would be entirely different. Nothing could prepare me for facing them today after all that had happened. “You aren’t either, but I’m not complaining.”

I drank in the sight of his hard upper body, the muscles and scars carving across it, were a little too tempting. Alexander seemed to sense that my mind was in the gutter. Prowling toward me, he shook water from his hair, before bending down to kiss me.

“I believe the doctor said two more weeks.” To us, waiting that long translated into a lifetime. Not that he hadn’t found other ways to amuse himself. Once I’d finally convinced him that I wasn’t going to shatter, we’d been engaging in other well-needed activities. “Unless you’re ready for number three.”

“Down, X.” I pushed him away with my free hand. “Let’s give this one a little more time.”

“Like two weeks?” He smirked as he stood and allowed the towel to fall to the ground.

“That’s playing dirty,” I called to him as he sauntered to our closet, making a show of his shapely ass the whole way.

“I don’t play any other way.”

He was in a good mood considering the day’s itinerary. It made me a little nervous. Then again, he’d had me home for weeks, neither of us interested in leaving. A new baby was a perfect excuse to stay in and we’d taken full advantage.

But although time had passed, we’d only just begun to heal. This time I knew the scars would never fade. We would carry them with us for the rest of our lives.

A few hours later the next stage of our lives was about to begin. We’d discussed what to say for hours, planned every word, but now that it was nearly here, I wasn’t certain I could face it.

We’d call the press conference with a smaller number of reporters than normal, biasing our picks toward those that had been friendly to us in the past.

I smoothed the cotton wrap dress I’d chosen for the event, wondering if my stomach would ever be flat again. Exercise didn’t feel like the highest priority for the moment, and Alexander certainly didn’t have any complaints. I wondered again if I should have put my hair up. Then I remembered that it didn’t really matter how I looked. People were interested in the baby.

Before we reached the White Room, a vaguely familiar older gentleman stepped into our path.

“If I might have a word, Your Majesty?” he said.

Alexander didn’t seem shocked by the man’s boldness. In fact, he appeared to recognize him. He took my arm and led us into a private room.

“Perhaps it would be best…” The stranger trailed away leaving me to fill in the blanks.

I was an uninvited guest, but before I could excuse myself and find Norris or Georgia—one of them would no doubt be lurking nearby—Alexander tightened his grip on my hand.

“I don’t keep secrets from my wife. She knows about the Council.”

I did my best to hide my shock and failed miserably. After hearing about the Council of Ghosts, I suppose I hadn’t expected a man of flesh and blood to appear.

“Clara, this is Minister Clark,” Alexander introduced us.

I ignored Clark’s displeased look and smiled warmly at him—as warmly as a woman could smile at the man who might decide to assassinate her husband.

“There are unsettling rumors in Parliament,” Clark said, bypassing continued pleasantries. “They say you plan to make an announcement today.”

“We do,” Alexander said serenely.

“And the nature of this announcement?”

“I suppose you’ll find out. If you’ll excuse us.” Alexander directed us toward the corridor, but before we could step away, Clark clapped a hand on his shoulder.

“Think about what you’re doing,” he advised in a gruff voice. “You’ll make enemies. This is a dangerous game you’re playing.”

Alexander shook free of him and considered this for a moment. “I’m done playing games.”

I could barely keep up with his long strides as we made out way to the reporters. I felt the purpose blazing within him and suddenly my anxiety evaporated, replaced with pride.

This was the man I’d fallen in love with. He’d faced his darkness. He’d embraced it. He’d chosen a path most men could never face. But Alexander didn’t believe in accepting what fate handed him. He had rejected that lie a long time ago. Today, he was going to publicly show the world that he would not be intimidated.

He paused before we entered and pulled me close to him. Brushing a finger over my lips, he stared into my eyes, turning my core molten. “Are you ready?”