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A rctic

Who the fuck is Reese?

Has Paisley been seeing someone else?

Reese, the accountant. Fuck! I swear I’ll find him and break him in two.

No! I won’t!

My dragon is being a problem. He’s so possessive, it’s scary. We’re on the Mainland. I need to stay calm. I can’t lose my shit, but the thought of another male anywhere near Paisley is fucking killing me.

We’re sitting in the back of the SUV. We’re both strapped in. Neither of us says a word for most of the trip. Not a single word. The air is super-charged.

We drive through a typical suburb. The lawns are manicured. The streets are lined with trees. Kids ride bikes.

I look out the window and try to relax. It doesn’t work. I’m worked up. Paisley’s ex is an absolute prick. It took everything not to put my fist through his face. The asshole was hitting on her. He was trying to get back into Paisley’s panties after nearly breaking her.

If I ever run into him in a dark alley, the fucker is dead.

“I smell smoke,” Paisley says.

“I’m a little tense right now.”

She’s not wrong. I think if someone lit a match, there’d be flames.

Calm down!

“Your ex is a piece of work,” I growl.

“Yes, he is,” Paisley says. “It’s funny how stepping away can change your perspective,” she says absently. Then she gets this look and swallows thickly.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m just a little carsick. It’s nothing.”

Come to think of it, she does look a little pale.

“We’re nearly there,” I tell her.

“Wait a minute. How do you know we’re nearly there? Actually, how do you know how to get to Rebecca and Dave’s house? I never gave you the address. How did you find me in the first place?”

“You told me that you were staying with a friend from school. Someone called Rebecca. It wasn’t hard to find her. I looked up her address and went to the house. The neighbor was very nice…Jessica, if I remember correctly. She was pruning her roses when I arrived, and she told me that I’d just missed you guys. You were headed to the church for a christening. Since there is only one church in Cedar Pines, it was easy to find, and the rest is history.”

“Oh…okay. I see.”

We pull into the driveway.

“This is it,” she says. “It isn’t fancy like you’re used to.”

“I don’t care about fancy.”

We get out of the vehicle. Paisley doesn’t wait; she heads for the door.

“Stay outside,” I instruct my guards. They do as I tell them, moving to stake out the perimeter.

Paisley’s hand is shaking when she tries to put the key in the lock. I take it from her and open up, gesturing for her to go inside.

“Who is Reese?” I ask as soon as the door closes.

“Wait just a second,” she tells me. She walks through the living room to the backdoor, which she unlocks and opens. Two dogs come running into the house. “Hi, boys.” She gets down on her haunches and scratches them. “It’s good to see you, too.”

Then they run to me, bouncing around my legs. I pet them both. One of the dogs goes to the front door and whines.

Paisley snickers softly and shakes her head. “Not right now, Cookie.”

“Cookie? That’s his name?”

“Yeah, and he’s Fortune.” She points to the other one.

The dog gives her a forlorn look, and they both jump up on a nearby sofa.

“Are you going to tell me who Reese is?”

She folds her arms over her chest. “It’s none of your business. I heard you’ve been seeing Hannah. That you guys have been getting close.” She lifts her brows.

“You heard wrong. Who the fuck is Reese?” I shake my head, willing myself to calm down. “I’m sorry. I have no right to be a controlling asshole.” I rake a hand through my hair. “I have no hold over you. Are you dating someone?” I growl the last. “I just want to know. I swear I won’t hurt him…even if I want to.”

She laughs. “You’re funny.”

“Please, Paisley. Just tell me already.”

“No, I’m not dating anyone.” Her cheeks go blood red. “Reese is someone I made up. I like these chocolates called Reese’s Cups. It doesn’t matter. He doesn’t exist. Lexi and Jim seemed to have everything. When Lexi asked me if I was seeing someone, I felt like such a loser that I lied about dating an accountant called Reese…okay? I called him that after the chocolates. Are you happy now?”

“Yes, I’m happy.” I grin.

Thank fuck .

“Well, I’m not happy at all.” She puts her hands on her hips. “You kept dating the Tributes after I left.”

“You made me promise.”

“You’re seeing Hannah. I know you are. Don’t even think about lying to me. I heard her; she was with you when I called you the other day.”

I smile.

“Don’t you dare do that. You can wipe that smile right off your face.” She points a finger at me, and I love it. Just how I loved that she made me wait outside that church for fucking ever. Just like how I loved the way she looked at me when I first arrived and then refused to look at me again. She turned her back, and that was that.

I couldn’t take my eyes off her. I still can’t. I’m totally fucked.

“I did date the Tributes. I tried really hard, but I hated every single second of it.” I give a one-shouldered shrug. “I kept telling myself to try. To push through. When that didn’t work, I went out with Hannah a few times because you said she was nice, but I hated that even more. I couldn’t so much as hold her hand, let alone kiss her. She’s really nice but seriously fucking annoying. She started talking about our future together. How many children we were going to have. The fact is that nothing happened with anyone after you left. Much to their dismay, I told the Council I was stepping down from the program.”

“Why was she with you, then? I heard her in the background. I know the sound of Hannah’s voice.”

“One of the guards was caught leaving Hannah’s apartment in the early hours of the morning. I was having a meeting with her, the guard, and Thorn.”

“She was sleeping with a guard?” Paisley’s eyes go wide.

I nod. “Yes. Turns out the only candidate she wanted, she couldn’t have.”

“You?” Paisley asks, lifting her brows.

“Yes. She started secretly seeing this guard. Anyway, we’re having to rethink the rules. We want Tributes to fall for shifters, even if they aren’t candidates. We want them to stay on our island. Maybe such strict rules don’t serve our needs. Enough about that. Bottom line, I’m not seeing Hannah. I don’t want Hannah. I never have.”

“Why didn’t Maggie tell me you weren’t seeing Hannah anymore?” She looks confused. “I spoke to her just last week.”

“You talk about me with Maggie?” I smile. I can’t help it.

“Actually, no, not since the first time we spoke two weeks after I left. At that stage, you were dating Hannah, and it seemed exclusive. After that, we never talked about you again.”

Oh well, fuck!

“Look, Maggie cares about you. I’m sure that whatever she said or didn’t say was to protect you.”

“For sure. She wanted me to move on,” she says, still looking unsure. “That’s probably it.” She looks like she’s deep in thought.

“Steel wanted me to do the same. He was worse than the Council.” I shake my head. “It came from a good place, a well-meaning place. Our friends want the best for us, but they don’t always know or understand exactly what that is.”

“Why did you come here, Arctic?” Paisley looks so vulnerable in this moment that I want to pull her in close.

I don’t.

We’re not there yet…not even close.

“Why did you call me?” I ask. It’s been driving me nuts ever since. “It wasn’t an accidental dial. You’re a terrible liar, Paisley.”

“Oh, thank god.” She clutches her chest. “I thought I was getting good at it…lying, that is.” Then she widens her eyes and clears her throat. “I’ve had to tell so many whoppers since getting back that I thought I was getting good at it, which worried me.”

My mouth twitches. “Are you going to tell me why you called?”

“No.”

I laugh, putting my hands in my pockets. “Of course not; that would be too easy.”

“You go first,” Paisley insists. “Why are you here?” She folds her arms.

“Okay.” I pull in a breath. “I know you don’t want to hear this, but I’m going to tell you anyway, and you’re going to listen this time.” I lick my lips. I’ve never been this nervous in all of my life. “I am in love with you, Paisley Reed. Totally and utterly in love. I’m a mess without you. I’ve missed you more than words will ever do justice. These last weeks have been fucking miserable without you. I should never have let you go.” I take her hand, and thank fuck she lets me. “Never.” My voice is a rough rasp. “I know you have fertility problems. It doesn’t matter to me. I’m hoping we can look at other options. I’ve been researching this topic. There’s egg donation and surrogacy.”

“You’ve been researching?” Her eyes are filled with hope. Then they fill with tears, and her lip wobbles.

“Yes, of course I have. And it turns out that there are other ways to have a child together. Provided you want children?” I ask.

“What will the Council say? Surely they won’t agree?” Her voice is so soft it crushes me. Ends me.

“I don’t give a fuck about the Council. I have one life to live, and I want to live it with you, Paisley. Whether we end up having kids or not is fine by me. What’s important is us. That we’re together. If need be, my brother can take the crown. Frost is perfectly capable. He’ll need to find a mate…” I chuckle at the thought.

Paisley doesn’t look happy about any of what I just said.

“Say something.” I squeeze her hands. “What do you think? You don’t look happy.”

“You were born to lead…to rule, Arctic. You can’t step down.”

“I was born to be with you first.” I’m not sure how that came across because it sounded corny to me, even though I meant it. “We’re meant to be together.” That sounded worse, even though I mean every single word. “Don’t you feel it? Inside your heart…your soul?”

Paisley starts crying. “That’s the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me.” She cups my face. “You are the sweetest…kindest…most—”

“Please say badass next.”

She laughs. “Yes…that, too. I’m also very much in love with you, Arctic.” Her whole stance softens, and a tear runs down her cheek.

I start to go in for a kiss, but she stops me with a hand to my chest.

“There’s something I have to tell you.” Her whole face morphs. She looks worried, like maybe it’s bad. Really bad.

“What?” I think I pop out a few scales. My voice is a rough growl. “Sorry, it’s just that you’re scaring me a little.”

She licks her lips. “I’m… I don’t know how it’s even possible. I still can’t believe it myself. It’s a miracle.” She looks down at her shoes and then back at me. “I mean, these things do happen. At least, according to Becs, they do.” She licks her lips again. “No, I have seen cases with my own eyes where—”

I put my finger over her lips. “Shut up, Paisley.”

Her eyes go wide. “Don’t tell me to—”

“What I meant to say was, there’s no need to be nervous with me; just tell me.”

“Okay.” She swallows thickly. “I’m pregnant.”

I just look at her for a while. At first, it doesn’t really register. Maybe I heard her wrong. I must have heard wrong.

“Pregnant,” I repeat, expecting her to laugh and to say another word that sounds just like “pregnant” but isn’t. I can’t think of a single word it could be. Not a one. “Did you say pregnant?” I repeat.

“Um…yes…I’m pregnant. It’s your baby. I mean, of course it is. It’s not like I’ve had sex with anyone else.” She giggles, sounding nervous. “It’s still early days, Arctic. I don’t know how it even happened, but I’m pregnant. I don’t ovulate…I hardly ever ovulate. How the hell did I ovulate?” She’s talking more to herself. “My uterus is like a war zone. Actually, it’s more like a desert.” She looks me in the eye. “It’s why I called you the other day. I had just found out. I wanted to tell you, but then I heard Hannah’s voice and freaked out because Maggie told me you were dating her that first time I chatted with her, and I assumed you were still together with her. That you had forgotten me.” She sniffs. “But I was going to tell you, I swear. I have an ultrasound booked for Tuesday. I just needed to confirm that everything was okay. That—”

I pick her up, hugging her close. “You’re pregnant, Paisley.” My eyes sting. My throat clogs. I put her down. “Pregnant with my baby,” I say again, like a fool. My eyes are stinging. I’m going to be a father.

“Yes, Arctic.”

I go down on my knees and nuzzle into her belly. “We’re going to have a baby. A baby.”

“No, you shouldn’t do that. It’s too soon. My uterus isn’t the greatest. It’s not the most hospitable place for a baby. We shouldn’t celebrate yet or tell anyone. We—”

I stand and cup her face. “You’re pregnant with a shifter baby, Paisley. With my baby.”

“That’s what I just said.” She sounds frustrated.

“No, Paisley. Shifters are strong, even when they’re still being formed. You don’t have to worry.” I kiss her softly. “Miscarriage is rare with shifters. It happens once every ten years or so.”

“Ten years?” She looks completely shocked. “Like in total? Out of all the pregnant women?”

“Yes, we don’t get sick or—”

“Yes, but my uterus—”

“Is perfect, just like the rest of you.” I brush a kiss on her lips.

She laughs, and we kiss. I pull her close. She wraps her arms around me and moans. It happens in an instant. The air becomes charged. My blood heats.

Paisley moans again, sliding her hands up and down my chest, my arms. She cups my junk, and I hiss.

“I’ve missed you,” I tell her against her mouth.

“I can tell.” She rubs herself against me.

Fuck, but she feels good. So soft. All fucking mine.

She pulls away and then pulls her dress over her head. “We should take this to the bedroom before Dave and Becs get back.”

My eyes drop. Cotton never looked so good.

She cups her breasts, looking a little self-conscious. “They’re bigger, and I’m showing a little already. I look bloated.” She rubs her belly.

“You look incredible.” I mean it. “I need you out of these clothes.” I pick her up and walk to the bedroom, kicking the door shut.

Then I yank off her panties. They rip and fall at her feet. I cup her sex and—

“Oh, shit! You’re pregnant. Do we need to be careful? Is there anything I should know? Can we still…? On second thoughts, we probably shouldn’t—”

She puts her finger over my mouth. “Shut up, Arctic.”

I choke out a laugh.

“The baby is fine,” she says. “Hard sex is fine. Any position is absolutely fine. He or she is a shifter baby, so that means doubly fine. I can take it. I can take you. I was made for you.” She smiles sweetly at me as she unclasps her bra. Her lush-as-fuck tits spill out. Her nipples are a touch darker.

I growl, scales popping out on my chest. “I love you,” I rasp as I take off my jacket. “Get on the bed.”

“So demanding.” She does as I tell her, opening her legs for me.

“My favorite color. Fuck.” Then I’m ripping off my shirt. Buttons go flying. I break my tie. I’m desperate for my woman. My pregnant woman.

Paisley giggles. “You’re so cute.”

My dragon growls. “Terrifying, you mean.”