Page 92 of The Devil's Heir

I squeeze the toothpaste onto the brush and ask, "What is it?"

I find him grinning mischievously in the mirror behind me and narrow my eyes at him. I spit and then brush again. Jarek remains silent until I'm done and I've rinsed off my toothbrush. Spinning on him, I place my hands on my hips and raise my brow at him.

"It's not nice to tease me by bringing it up and then not telling me what it is. You should at least wait until it's time to give it to me." I huff.

Jarek pulls me into him and nuzzles my neck. "Maybe I want to give you something else before I give you your surprise."

Instantly,I melt in his arms. I never knew how hormonal I'd get by being pregnant, but just the slightest touch causes a sopping mess in my panties. He chuckles because he's also aware of it.

"Jarek…" I whisper softly. "I should shower. I'm still dirty from last night."

"You're only dirty with my cum. It doesn't matter because I'm just going to fill you up more," he muses.

"I reek of sex," I argue.

"No, you reek of beingmine—and I love that scent."

That's all it takes for Jarek to have me falling back into bed with him so I can let him have his way. We're learning each other's weaknesses when it comes to the other, and we use them to get our way. It's the one thing we have in common, at least.

"So, what's the surprise?" I ask as I lay in Jarek's arms after our little fuck session.

He rubs my arm and hums, "Hm? What surprise are you talking about?" he teases.

I slap his bare arm. "The one you told me about when I was puking my guts up because of your spawn," I joke back.

He laughs and then turns me onto my back to grin down at me. "Thatspawnyou speak of is going to be perfect because they're going to be good like their mother."

I lose my smile, not because I'm upset, but because I'm stunned. Every day, Jarek becomes sweeter toward me, and I'm not sure how to take it. I love it, but then I'm uncertain how to feel. I'm still struggling to lower my wall completely. I want to—but I'm scared to.

"I'm serious, Lily. You're the only good in my life, and I know that any children we have together will turn out just as good because they have you."

"I'm scared. I don't know how to be a mother, never mind teach a child to be good." This has been one of my biggest concerns since learning of my pregnancy.

"You're going to be a great mother—stop doubting yourself." He leans down and kisses me before pulling away altogether. "We should shower. Your surprise should be here soon."

Pulling me into the shower with him, we clean each other up and then towel off and dress for the day. It takes me a bit to blow dry my long hair, but he waits for me, and when I'm finished, we walk downstairs together.

"I need to go away for about a week. I have business to attend to, and I can't take you with me," Jarek states just as the doorbell chimes.

"Oh, okay. When do you leave?" I ask.

"I leave this evening."

My eyes widen. "So soon? Why are you just telling me this?"

"I just learned of it yesterday, and I've been busy trying to put together your surprise," he explains, walking toward the door. "I don't want you to be lonely, Liliana, so I went ahead and found you some company. They will stay on for as long as you need them to."

I furrow my brow, not understanding what he's talking about, but then Jarek opens the door, and the familiar faces of Heidi and Fran smile back at me.

FORTY-FOUR

Jarek

I've thought a lot since that night Liliana and I fought last. Joey told me I needed to do some kind of grand gesture, and although it took me a while to figure out what I should do, I found one. It doesn't matter that it helps me out in the process. All that matters is that it makes my pauper happy.

Thinking back to that evening when she wanted to send leftovers to Sunset Avenue for her friends got me thinking. I had Jackson's help to find her two friends, and then it took a bit of convincing to get them to agree.

It's not like I was just asking them to come visit. No, I offered them a job and living quarters here on the estate grounds. There's a two-bedroom cottage sitting empty at the back of the property, and after bringing in a crew to clean it up and get it ready, all it needed was someone to occupy it.