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Emily rolls her eyes. “Her other man went for breakfast, and hopefully, he’ll return soon. We need to get started.”
That puts a damper on my mood. “Who?”
“Ricky, the bodyguard who stares at Aurora as if he wants to join your orgy.”
“Em,” Aurora snaps. “Don’t.”
“Does your mouth ever close? You’re as bad as Jax.”
I say it as a joke, but it makes sense. She’s extroverted, has no shame, and constantly runs her mouth. She probably spoke upfor Aurora, talked her through her anxieties—and into things—and now, Aurora has us.
“Come sit with me.” I motion towards the living room and walk away, not giving either of them the chance to argue.
I find an open recliner in front of the panoramic windows. Everyone is sitting in vintage upholstered chairs; in the middle sits an old trunk that serves as a coffee table.
The place has an industrial vibe, with exposed brick and ductwork. It’s clean. Somebody painted, polished the floors, and found some furniture, but that’s about it.
I set Aurora’s mug on the table.
She clicks her tongue. “I need caffeine. Someone kept me up all night.”
“Along with the rest of us.” Desi yawns. “We’re going back to bed if it’s okay with you.”
I nod, and they disappear down a hallway to the right, which I assume leads to the other three bedrooms. This place is impressive. It must span the entire floor of the building.
With my hands on her hips, I draw Aurora onto my lap. “You may need caffeine, but the baby doesn’t.”
She swings her legs over the arm of the chair and rests her head on my shoulder.
I press a kiss to her forehead and caress her stomach, eager to feel him move again. “You should cancel. Go back to bed. You need to rest.”And I need you.
Emily sits opposite us. “We can’t cancel. We were supposed to finish yesterday.”
“I wish I had popcorn for this,” Jax says from his seat beside me, a smile in his voice.
I’m tempted to keep quiet, but this girl grates my fucking nerves. Plus, I don’t want Aurora working. She’s mine. She should be in bed, resting and growing my son.
My eyes take on that stony stare. “You don’t dictate her schedule. She’ll work if she’s well enough, and not for long.”
Aurora snuggles into me further. “Everyone can stop. I’m fine. We’ll finish today.”
Emily meets my stare head-on. “You don’t dictate her schedule either. That’s Jackson’s doing. You know, herfiancé.”
“I’m well aware of who her fiancé is, seeing as we slept in the same bed together. If you think Jax is controlling, you haven’t seen anything yet.”
I thought a lot about Jackson and Aurora’s engagement. It’s not that I don’t want a commitment. I do. It’s that marriage isn’t important to me. He’ll cherish the shit out of being married to her. It would mean everything to him, and it wouldn’t be right for me to take that away.
I’m jaded. The concept of marriage is tainted in my eyes.
I crave something deeper.
Jax can have his ring on her finger. I want her submission.
Aurora’s body relaxes, her breathing goes steady, and I rest my head. If she falls asleep, I’m kicking everyone out and we’re going to bed. The last I checked, it wasn’t even eight a.m. We had maybe four hours of sleep.
“So let me get this straight.” That annoying voice breaks the silence. “You’re engaged to Jackson but having a kid with Ethan?”
Aurora answers with a sleepy groan. “Yes. Em.”