Page 165 of Broken Bonds

“What’s it mean, though?”

He lays his hand over mine on my stomach. “You might deliver as early as six or seven months, and the baby will be perfectly fine. She said it’s too soon to tell. Once she can start tracking the baby’s development with scans, she’ll start measuring and give us an idea.” He smirks again. “Not like there’s any doubt about the date of conception.”

I lean against him and close my eyes. “What time is it?”

“After midnight. I came to bed a while ago and didn’t want to wake you.” He kisses the top of my head. “I’ve already told everyone I’m taking the next four days off and giving them double overtime pay for working extra.”

“You don’t have to do that. I’ll be okay.”

He gently tips my chin back so I’m looking him in the eyes. “But I won’t. Be okay, I mean. I want at least one damned ‘normal’ thing for us. Humor me, huh? Besides, I’m moving all your stuff in here in the morning, and then you and I are going shopping.”

“I told you, I don’t want to buy baby stuff?—”

“Groceries.” He arches an eyebrow at me. “And wedding rings. And we need a marriage certificate.”

I bite back the overwhelming rage filling me.

Not at Todd—at my father.

“We can’t,” I remind him. “If my name pops up anywhere official, they’ll be able to track me. There’s already enough going on here. We don’t need my father’s men showing up here, too.”

Although if he really is behind all the other bullshit, bringing him to us to take care of could solve everything in one swoop.

But I hate the disappointment in his eyes. “Ah. True.” He sighs. “Still, wedding rings. And groceries. Looots of groceries.”

“Aren’t we pretty well stocked up?”

“Well, one of the other calls I made was to Mom. She and Caleb are coming over tomorrow for a late lunch.”

The bottom drops out of my stomach. “Your parents?” I whisper.

He snorts. “That’s what fills you with terror? Meeting my parents?”

“I-I mean… I just…” I swallow hard. “I’ve never met someone’s parents before,” I quietly admit. “I never had a relationship before. Nothing…permanent.” I didn’t count Lana Chastain’s parents because a) I’d already known them, and b) it was a fake relationship.

He smiles. “I didn’t tell her what’s going on, but she is my mom, and she immediately started playing twenty questions with me despite not answering her. I have a feeling you’ll be heavily ‘mommed’ tomorrow as soon as she walks in the door and meets you.”

“If she likes me.”

“Hey!” He grabs me. “I’m not fond of laying down relationship rules beyond no lying or cheating, but this is a rule, okay? Stop putting yourself down. Easier said than done, I know, but your father’s an asshole. Mom and Caleb—Dad—will love you, as will my brothers. They’re working and can’t come over until dinner tomorrow night—oh, yeah, we’re having them over for dinner tomorrow night, too—but you just gained a family. I don’t mean only my family, but the pack. And stop with the ‘but I’m not initiated’ BS, because Jax himself told you not to worry about it. You aren’t the first person to have their initiation process delayed or changed around for some reason. The important thing is you’re safe, you’re pack?—”

He pulls me in and kisses me, “And you’re mine,” he growls.

I…

Well, I melt. And if it wasn’t for the prohibition against sex I’d be riding him like a rented pony.

“Why not just have them all come together?” I ask when he finally stops kissing me.

“Because I know you’ll be overwhelmed as it is, and I wanted to ease you in one step at a time. Besides, my brothers are working. There’s a good chance Mom will stay behind when Dad leaves, because he’s supposed to be helping someone with a roof repair later this afternoon. Either I or one of my brothers can run her home after dinner. Fair warning, she’ll probably have your baby shower all planned before Dad even leaves.”

He stretches out again and tucks me against his side. “Let’s go back to sleep, baby. We don’t have to get up with an alarm in the morning.”

At least I didn’t have another nightmare. Maybe we didn’t have to get up with an alarm, but out of habit Todd and I both awaken not long after dawn, and neither of us can go back to sleep.

And since I’m not supposed to have sex—and he’s being overly cautious and won’t even let me give him a blowjob—we get up and shower together and cook breakfast. While we eat he’s making a shopping list on his phone.

“You don’t think your mom suspects anything?” I ask.