Page 24 of Risk (Gods #3)

I spent most of the car ride home from the doctor’s visit staring at the ultrasound photos.

Dr. Adams gave us four copies. Kaden has one, which he put straight into his wallet, which I thought was super sweet.

I have one that I think I’ll tack on the fridge for now.

The other two, I thought I could keep for the babies.

Babies.

I can’t believe I’m having two kids. I wonder if this was how my mom felt when she found out she was pregnant with Lo and me. She already had Zeus and Ares by that point, so it was probably scarier for her because she was going from two kids to four.

But then I am going from zero kids to two.

It’s times like this when I miss my mom so much and wish she were still alive. She’d be able to give me advice and help me through this. But I know no wishing is going to change things.

“Hey, you doing okay?” Kaden asks me.

“Yeah.” I look over at him sitting behind the wheel of his car. “I was just thinking about my mom. Wondering if she was freaked out when she found out that she was pregnant with me and Lo.”

“I’m sure she was. I’d bet any woman would be freaked out to find that out.” He’s quiet for a moment. “You could maybe…ask your dad. He would know how your mom was feeling.”

Turning my face away, I look out the window again. “Yeah, I guess I could.” I won’t though.

My relationship with my dad is…distant. That’s the best way I can describe it. He’s sober now and constantly trying to make up for his past failures with us, but I guess…I just don’t have a father-daughter relationship with him. I have that with Zeus and Ares.

Zeus and Ares feel more like my parents, if that makes sense. The thought of telling my dad that I’m pregnant doesn’t bother me at all. The thought of telling Zeus and Ares makes me want to piss my pants.

I’m afraid of letting them down and disappointing them.

Kaden pulls into an open parking spot outside my apartment building.

“Do you want to come in for a coffee?” I ask him, not feeling ready to leave him yet. Not after having the scan and finding out we’re having twins. Well, at least that’s what I’m telling myself. “Decaf, of course.”

“Of course.” He smiles. “How about I go to the deli down the block and grab some lunch for us both while you make coffee? You must be getting hungry.”

Just as he says it, my stomach growls loudly.

“Well, that was embarrassing,” I groan, and he laughs. I ate a slice of toast this morning, but it came straight back up.

“What do you want?” he asks me.

“Something simple that’s not gonna make me want to throw up.”

“You’re having bad morning sickness?”

“It was bad at first, but it’s getting a bit easier.”

“So, a simple sandwich?”

“Just cheese on rye, no mayo.”

“Got it.”

We both get out of the car, and I meet Kaden on the sidewalk.

“Let me grab some money for the sandwich.”

I go to get my wallet, but Kaden stops me.

“My treat. You’re providing the coffee.”

“It’s hardly expensive.”

“Neither are sandwiches.”

I have no comeback for that, so I huff and say, “Fine. I’ll get the next ones.”

Before I go inside, I give Kaden the code to get in my building, saving myself from having to buzz him in. I grab my mail, and I have an Amazon package, which should be the pregnancy book I ordered. I climb the stairs to my apartment and let myself inside, leaving the door unlocked for Kaden.

I kick my sneakers off and get started on the coffee. While it’s brewing, I open the package, and it is the book I ordered. I’m going to need to read this so I at least know what I’m doing. Not like I don’t have enough course reading to do. I glance over at the pile of textbooks on my coffee table.

I’ve really lapsed on my coursework this past week. With everything going on, the last thing I wanted to do was schoolwork. But I’m going to need to catch up.

Coffees made, I tuck the book under my arm, carry them to my living space, and put them down on the table.

I’m flicking through the pregnancy book when Kaden comes in through the door.

“Hey,” he says, taking the seat on the sofa next to me.

He hands me a sandwich bag, and I thank him.

“What are you reading?” he asks, unwrapping his sandwich and taking a bite.

I show him the front cover, and he nods.

“I need to start learning about pregnancy and babies.”

“We,” he says after swallowing his bite of sandwich, and I stare at him. “This is a team effort, Beautiful.”

I can’t help the smile or tingles in my body that I feel at his words and the term of endearment that he’s come to use for me since that night we hooked up. I really hope he doesn’t call other women that. The thought of him calling some other woman Beautiful turns my good feelings sour.

I cover up my feelings by unwrapping my sandwich and taking a bite. This cheese is the most flavorsome thing I’ve had in days. I let out a little moan. I’m just praying the food stays down.

Kaden coughs, then thumps his hand on his chest.

“Okay?” I ask him after I’ve swallowed.

“Yep.” He shoves the last of his sandwich in his mouth. The man can eat fast. “Just gonna use your bathroom.”

“Sure.”

I’ve finished my sandwich by the time he returns and sits down. I grab my coffee and pick up the book. Turning so my back is against the armrest, I bring my legs up so they’re bent at the knee, and I rest the book there and open up to the first page.

“Read it to me,” Kaden says.

I look up at him. “You want me to read the pregnancy book to you?”

“Yeah, so we can learn together. I don’t want to miss out on anything.”

I ignore that warm feeling inside me again at his total and utter sweetness and tell myself that his thoughtfulness is not about me; it’s about his children that I’m currently carrying. Before putting my drink down, I take a sip. Then, I shift on the sofa to get comfy.

“Bet you’re regretting our night together. Jesus, twins. Now, I know how my mom felt when she found out she was having me and Lo. You’ll probably want to check the next time you hook up with a woman that she’s not a twin or has a family history of them.” I laugh, nudging his thigh with my big toe.

He grabs hold of my foot and tugs it onto his lap. Then, he looks at me, my sock-covered foot in his hand. “First off, the only regret I have from our night together is the way I left it. And second, there will be no other women, period.”

I want to challenge him on what he said, especially the no other women part, but he pulls off my sock, tosses it aside, and then starts to give me a foot rub.

And it’s so good that I instantly forget what we were just talking about.

All I can do is stare at him.

The man is rubbing my foot. No one has ever rubbed my feet, except for the times when I’ve had a pedicure, which isn’t often, to be honest. I’m just thankful the cute pink color on my toes that I painted on a week ago is still holding strong.

I feel like I should write a thank-you letter to the nail polish company for making such a fabulous product.

This honestly feels so good. He digs his thumb into my arch, and I almost groan in pleasure. I also feel a flutter of arousal down below.

Oh no. I am not getting horny over a foot rub.

Even if the guy doing it is a machine in bed and hot as fuck.

Sex is off the table when it comes to Kaden Scott and me.

We have enough going on. And only he knows if he’d want to fuck me again.

One thing Kaden definitely is, is hard to read.

And I’m going to be a psychologist, for fuck’s sake.

This is what I’ve been learning—still learning—for the last six years.

“Read the book, Beautiful,” he tells me, interrupting my thoughts, and I know he’s caught me staring at him in what probably looked like a mixture of wonder and arousal. “Educate us both.”

“Okay.” I clear my throat, and I start to read to the father of my babies.

Babies.

Plural.

This is really going to take some getting used to.