Page 50 of Duke's Baby Deal

The mirror was firmly stuck and, in a panic, I fastened my pants again and ran out of the bathroom, looking for Becca, or Patrice, or anyone I knew well enough to talk to about this. Elise was in with the five-year-olds, but I for sure wasn’t talking to her about omega stuff. I couldn’t stand the giggling. Same with Telinda, who looked at me like she knew what had happened and was still on the fence about me.

The two and three year olds were outside, not like they could be trusted on their own anyway. But… Jason.

He was walking across the park with Macy in his arms, Mac beside him. I could ask Jason—he’d know.

I ducked back inside to check on the pups, then hovered in the doorway, waiting to pounce on Jason as soon as he set foot inside the building.

“Bram, what’s up?” he asked as they got within not-quite-shouting distance.

“Can I ask you something?” The words flew out in a rush.

Mac smirked and took the baby. “I’ll drop her off, Big Brother.”

Jason slapped him with the back of his hand and pushed him toward the door with a grin. “Be good. He didn’t have my advantages.”

Mac slipped past me with a nod and a smile.

“So, what’s up?” Jason asked.

Now that I had someone to ask, I realized I didn’t know quite how to describe this. “It’s my… line.” I blushed, saying it in the open, where the pups could hear.

“Itchy? It happened with Macy too.” His eyes fell to my swollen belly. “Have you gotten bigger again?”

“Yes.” I put my hand underneath it, relieving that painful tugging at my bellybutton. “But it’s more than itchy. It hurts.”

“Ligaments, Bram.”

I shook my head—he wasn’t taking me seriously. “I think—I’m not sure—” I was sure though, but now I was scared. “Does it normally start opening this early?”

He went still and his eyes widened. “What do you mean by opening?”

“I touched it this morning, there’s a sore spot.” My voice shook. “And I thought I felt a spot where the sides came apart.” The fingers of my free hand went to that spot, though I couldn’t feel it through my pants.

“Let’s go inside and I’ll have a look.” He put a hand on my arm and ushered me back into the building.

“What do you mean, look?” I asked.

“I mean, I need to see your line.”

“I can’t do it here!” I hissed at him, one eye on the pups in the room, still playing at their tables.

“We can both fit in the bathroom.”

“I can’t leave the pups.”

“Mac can keep an eye on them for a minute. It’ll do him good.” A spark of mischief lit Jason’s eyes, then he sobered. He glanced over my shoulder, and I heard Mac’s steady footsteps coming up the hall behind me. Jason patted my shoulder. “Hold on while I let him know he’s getting a crash course in siblings.”

I couldn’t help a smile at that, but it didn’t last long. I stood half in the door, watching the pups, until Jason came back.

“Come on.” He pulled me out into the hall and Mac slipped into the room behind me, though before he went he gave me a sympathetic nod.

We scurried into the bathroom and Jason locked the door behind us. When he turned around, I already had the front of my pants undone and had lowered the cloth so he could look.

“Shit,” Jason whispered, and stood up. “Pull your pants up. We’re going to see Adelaide.” He pulled out his phone while I dressed again. “Bax, can you meet Bram and I at the clinic?”

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

Adelaide frowned at my omega line, pushing at the flesh beside it. “I can put a couple of stitches in it, but I don’t know how much it will help.” She sighed and met my eyes. “There isn’t much information on omega pregnancies.”