Page 226 of Conquered

“What you said to her earlier, about her mom…” I trail off, seeing her gaze turned pained and knowing that I won’t get anything else out of her.

“I shouldn’t have said it, but she looked so downtrodden, so broken,” she replies, swallowing painfully. I reach for her cup, bringing the straw to her lips so that she can drink. “I can’t say any more, Jax. I promised…” she starts, getting restless, and her heart monitor picks up slightly.

“Hey, don’t worry, Mom. I won’t force you, just rest,” I assure her, feeling pleased as she relaxes into the pillows again. Suddenly, I have the overwhelming need to tell her about the baby. She’s always loved children, and she desperately needs to smile. Plus, I know that I can trust her, she’s clearly good at keeping secrets. “Lilly’s pregnant.”

Her whole body goes still as she looks at me, joy warring with desperate sadness in her eyes.

“Oh, baby. Is it, I mean, are you…” she trails off, looking away and blushing. I can’t help the grin that splits my lips in a rare smile.

“Loki,” I say, feeling a twinge of...something, at the fact that it’s not my child she’s carrying.

“I guess, it doesn’t really matter,” she surprises me by saying, my mouth hanging open. “I know that you’ll all be fathers to that baby, and damn fine ones, too.” Her eyes shine as my chest goes tight. “You’ll take care of them both, my sweet boy.”

“I will,” I croak out, clearing my throat which feels tight all of a sudden. A part of me may wish that Lilly’s baby was biologically mine, but Mom is right. It doesn’t matter if we share the same genetics, that baby belongs to the five of us as we belong to each other.

“Julian has other things planned,” Mom says into the weighted silence, the room filling with tension at her words. “I don’t know what, but I think he’s trying to teach you all a lesson for disobeying him. Be on your guard, son.”

My stomach rolls, my heartbeat feeling sluggish as I take in what she’s telling me. It seems that Julian’s ire is not yet sated.

I just hope we’re ready for his next move.

LILLY

Another week passes with Jax’s mum still recovering in hospital. He told us of her warning, about Julian’s reign of terror being far from over, and to watch our backs. We remain on high alert, tension surrounding us as we wait for his next move.

Jax visits every day after school, somehow managing to keep up with his studies, too. I would be woefully behind if the guys didn’t keep on my arse, making me sit down to study, even though some days, I can barely keep my eyes open.

I’m approaching what I think is my twelfth week, sitting in the library with Willow when she leans over to whisper in my ear.

“Have you had your twelve week scan yet?” she asks, jerking me awake after I almost fall asleep in my calculus book.

“Huh?” I ask on a yawn, rubbing my eyes.

“You know, the scan you get at twelve weeks?” she questions me, brows raised.

“Ummm…” I trail off with a cringe, my hands fiddling with my pencil.

“You have seen a midwife, right?” I bite my lip, and her eyes roll so hard I’m surprised they don’t get stuck. “Bloody idiots! The lot of you!” she hisses, packing up her stuff, then standing to do mine. “Come on,” she orders, grabbing my hand and pulling me to my feet.

“Hey!” I whisper-yell as she drags me from the library, my Converse squeaking on the floor. My feet are just too achy at the moment for my beloved Irregulars, plus none of the guys will let me wear heels because of the baby-le sigh.

She manhandles me all the way to my dorm, holding her palm out when we get there.

“Key,” she demands, and I can see a fire in her eyes that lets me know she’s pissed. I obey, trying to placate her, which doesn’t seem to work as she throws the door open once she’s unlocked it, pulling me inside before slamming it shut.

“What the fuck?!” Loki exclaims, jumping up from the sofa, Ash and Kai doing the same.

“What the fuck is right, you prick!” Willow snarls, finally letting go of me. I watch wide eyed as she strides towards him, getting all up in his grill. She looks ridiculous, like a tiny fairy up against a giant, but she doesn’t let that stop her, poking her finger in his chest. I wince, knowing how much that hurts from past experience. “I don’t know what kind of shit is going on with you guys, but you need to get your heads out of your arses and take Lilly to a fucking midwife! She needs tests and a scan to check that the baby is okay. Plus, regular check ups and shit!”

Loki stands there, jaw clenched as his cheeks flush. He heaves a sigh, bringing his hands up to run through his hair. He turns to look at me, his eyes pained.

“Fuck, Lilly, I had no idea,” he says, and I shake my head trying to tell him that neither did I.

“Of course, you bloody didn’t! You’re an eighteen year old guy for Christ’s sake!” Will says, throwing her hands up. She turns to Ash, who stands there with a gleam of respect in his eyes as he looks at her. “Get on it, Vanderbilt,” she orders.

One perfect black brow arches, his lips twitching with amusement that she probably doesn’t spot otherwise she’d be spitting mad again. He reaches into his suit trousers pocket, pulling out his phone and scrolling until he finds what he’s looking for. Holding my gaze, he brings the phone up to his ear.

“Dr. Richards? Yes, it’s Asher Vanderbilt here,” he says, cool as always, holding my gaze as he speaks. “My fiancée needs to see an obstetrician, do you have someone on your team?” He pauses. “Yes, thank you, we are very excited, but needless to say this is news of the utmost confidentiality.” He says the last part in a hard tone, almost threateningly, and I wonder if he has something on this doctor that he doesn’t want shared. “Tomorrow at ten, perfect. We shall see Dr. Kent then. Thank you.”