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“He’s the handsomest little fella, isn’t he?” she says.

My mother, in a word, is smitten.

“I know.”

Lex is lingering by the kitchen, expression indecipherable as he lugs the second diaper bag onto the counter. “I still say you could have come to the palace,” he grunts, pulling out diapers and blankets. “It would have been easier than hauling all this stuff up here.”

“I’m happy to watch Justice for you,” Mama says, tapping Justice’s nose with a sharp, lacquered fingernail as she beams down at him. “Thrilled even, but there is no chance in hell I’m stepping into that haunted mansion, even if it is to see my grandson. He’s fine here.”

‘Here’ is the apartment above Royal Ink. A compromise. There’s nothing wrong with the little house I grew up in, but with all of the Royals in Forsyth headed to the black wedding, it seemed like the best option for the future King. Security here is top-notch, and Sy agreed to let two of our men stand guard downstairs. That, and the fact Mama likes the massive flat screen where she can watch her reality TV shows.

“How do I look?” I ask, adjusting the top of my dress again. I’d changed after feeding him, fighting my way into the first non-maternity clothing I’ve worn in months. Although, to be fair, the top is fashioned for nursing. “Tell me the truth, Mama, because he’ll just tell me I look gorgeous, and I’m pretty sure the sleep deprivation has made us all delirious.”

“Stop fidgeting, and let me look,” she says, and I force myself to stand still. “You look beautiful.”

“Really?” I worry, tugging at the bodice. “I don’t look like a sausage stuffed in a casing?”

“Honey, you look amazing.” My mother can’t lie. She’s a born truth-teller, and if I looked like shit, she’d just come out and say it. She appraises me head to toe. “Your tits look spectacular.”

Lex smirks. “That’s what I keep telling her.”

I shoot him a glare, but he just grins back, shrugging. It’s hard to stay mad at him when he’s doling out complimentsandwearing the hell out of a suit.

“Listen to your man,” she tells me. “And you better get moving before he gets hungry again.”

I squirm as I adjust my dress strap. “I’ve got, like… six nursing pads stuffed in my top. Hopefully that’ll soak up any overflow.”

Even though I fed him the minute we got here, topping him off to keep his belly full, we’ve probably only got two to three hours max before we need to get back. The clock is ticking.

“Everything you need is in the bag,” Lex says. While the guys stayed downstairs going over the security procedure, Lex followed me up to oversee the hand-off. Just like old times. “Clothes if he needs a change, plenty of extra diapers, spit-up cloths, wipes, and some blankets.” He pulls out a yellow blanket with ducks on it. “He likes to be swaddled in this one, not the dinosaur one—that one’s for tummy time. The lilac blanket is for?—”

“I’m sure we’ll be fine,” Mama says, only half listening.

Lex’s forehead pinches. “If he gets fussy, it may be gas, so you can put him on his tummy to work it out—the dinosaur blanket. Specifically. Also, there’s cream for his diaper rash, but don’t put it on too thick. He’ll get hungry in about two or three hours, so he should be able to wait until Verity gets back, but if he doesn’t, there’s an emergency bottle of milk in the refrigerator.”

“Liquid gold,” I mutter, thinking about how much of a challenge it was to pump those precious ounces.

“I can handle a baby for two hours, Dr. Daddy,” Mama says, rolling her eyes, then looking back down at Justice. In a sweet baby voice, she adds, “Tell your daddy to get out of here before I take off my shoe and?—”

“We’re leaving!” I announce, bending over and giving Justice a kiss on the forehead. He smells so good. Lex does the same, but before we leave, I make sure to pull my mama into a long, one-armed hug.

With my heart in my throat, I whisper, “You’re a really good mom.”

She turns to kiss my cheek, eyes softening. “You’re not too bad yourself, kiddo.”

“Learning from the best.”

Before either of us can procrastinate any longer, Lex ushers me into the hallway to the elevator.

“He’ll be fine,” he says, as much for himself as for me.

I don’t tell him the gratitude in my hug was more about Mama offering Lex our last name than for babysitting. “I know.” The doors open and we step inside. “We’re not going far, and if we have to leave, we leave. Who’s going to notice?”

Lex adjusts his tie. “No one. Not with the epic wedding everyone is about to witness. What are they? Twenty? Twenty-five years apart?” He glances at me then, eyelids growing heavy. “Also, your mother is right.” His hand cinches around my waist,and suddenly his body is against mine, pushing me against the elevator wall. Amber eyes sear into mine as he leans close with a velvety whisper. “Your tits look fucking spectacular. I can’t help thinking about what my cock would look like, slick with milk, buried between them.”

My knees almost buckle, nipples pebbling at his words, but it’s followed by the sharp pinprick that I know leads to my milk letting down. His hand slides up my side, but I swallow thickly and stop him. “You absolutely cannottouch my breasts, or it’ll trigger a reaction that’ll look like Niagra Falls right here in this elevator.”

His tongue darts out on a smirk. “I’m not seeing the problem.”