Page 37

FIFTEEN

Kensley was so relieved and excited when Bishop got a text that Malori was sleeping peacefully and would make a full recovery from his gunshot, that he lost his mind a little and gave Bishop a blow job.

He’d missed being sexual with his charus, his protector, his love, and he put everything he had into sucking Bishop into a powerful orgasm.

Bishop kissed him for a long time, but Kensley couldn’t get hard.

He was still too stressed out from the day and from waiting to find out if he was pregnant or not.

As anxious as he was about that, Kensley still made sure the other freed victims were seen by Dr. Melish, before Kensley acquiesced to his own exam in the modified office.

Since Kensley hadn’t been violated, an anal exam felt a little overly cautious, but he endured the embarrassing procedure.

His vital signs were all normal for what he remembered from his last physical.

When the basic exams were over, Kensley asked Bishop to come into the room. He held Bishop’s hand tight and asked, “Do you have a pregnancy test I can take?”

Dr. Melish blinked at him through large, wire-rimmed glasses. “I do. I didn’t think you were sexually active, Elder Thorne, and you said no one touched you while imprisoned.” He cut his eyes at Bishop. “I take it this development includes Mr. Burton there.”

For a split second, Kensley was confused. Bishop’s last name was Anders, not—oh. Bishop had said that only he and King knew Bishop’s true identity. To the rest of the world, he was still Drew Burton.

“It does,” Kensley replied. “The woman who sold me to Decker told me I was pregnant, but she didn’t show me proof.

And I honestly can’t say if I feel any different or not, because this past week has been incredibly stressful, so I don’t know if my upset stomach is anxiety or early morning sickness. ”

“Could be both.” Dr. Melish reached into one of several leather satchels and produced a small box. “This is the best I can do without a lab to run proper blood tests. Instructions are simple. Take the cap off the white end, pee on it, and cap it back up. Bring it to me.”

“Does it give one stripe or two?”

“Tests for omegas are slightly different. I have to add a solution to the stick for a positive or negative result.”

“Gotcha. Um.”

Dr. Melish smiled, and he reminded Kensley a bit of an old schoolteacher of his, a long time ago. “Bathroom is the first door to the left. If you don’t have to go, it can wait.”

“The hell it can.”

Kensley hadn’t drank much liquid all day, but he’d squeeze out what he could to get his answer.

He was sick of waiting and wondering. He took the box to the single-person bathroom that was probably for lodge staff, peed on the stick, and brought it back to Dr. Melish within three minutes.

The good doc took it to a small table and pulled another container out of a different bag.

Kensley pressed his face into Bishop’s chest, heart galloping away, even as his tension calmed a bit under Bishop’s warm, protective touch.

No one spoke. Kensley wasn’t sure he was breathing. Seconds ticked by loudly on a clock somewhere in the room. He couldn’t move to look. Bishop’s fingers traced small circles on his back. Time seemed to stand still.

“I’ll need an official blood test and ultrasound to confirm,” Dr. Melish finally said, “but it does appear that you’re pregnant, Elder Thorne.”

Static buzzed in Kensley’s ears, and then his entire world became Bishop’s crushing hug.

Bishop’s joyous laughter and babbling promises to love and protect them both, no matter what.

Kensley held tight, his brain a storm of thoughts, his entire being a cacophony of battling emotions.

He wanted to be ecstatic at their good fortune, but reality kept dousing that joy with fear.

Fear of his current circumstances as a pawn in a game between King and some unknown player.

Fear at the idea of being pregnant at all—a future he’d never imagined for himself after joining the Order.

Fear of failing this innocent child growing inside him, of being a horrible parent, of not protecting them—and a thousand other things.

Bishop gently eased out of their embrace, his face painted with confusion. “You aren’t excited about this.”

“I’m scared, for so many reasons.”

“You don’t think I can protect you?”

“Of course, I do.” He clutched both of Bishop’s hands over his own heart.

“I love you, and I already love this baby. But we are deep in the middle of a violent world, and as much as I want to celebrate this news, it worries me. If the wrong people find out, it’s something else to potentially hold over King’s head. ”

“Forget about King and that world for a little while, sweetheart.” Bishop sat in the desk chair and drew Kensley onto his lap.

Looped both arms around his waist in a comforting hold.

“Just for tonight, let’s pretend none of that exists.

Let’s go back upstairs to our room and pretend we’re on vacation again. Just you and me.”

Kensley’s stomach chose that moment to release an angry growl, and he chuckled. “Can we find food first? I’m eating for two, remember?”

Bishop kissed him. “Of course. I’m sure someone has invaded the kitchen by now. There are a lot of mouths here tonight. Do you want to eat with the others? Or take food to our room?”

“With the others, I think. I’ve been isolated for so long. First the cabin, then the island, and then all of this. I need to be around people. Is that okay?”

“Of course. But we aren’t sharing the pregnancy yet, right?”

“Right.” Kensley glanced around, but Dr. Melish had given them privacy. And the doctor wouldn’t blab Kensley’s private business, not even to King. Right? “I’ll have to tell King soon, but not tonight. Not until we know what our next step is.”

“Agreed. We don’t have to know every single thing right now. What’s most important is that we’re in this together. We’re going to be a family.” Hesitation crinkled the corners of Bishop’s eyes. “If that’s what you want?”

“Definitely!” He blushed, having not meant to shout that. “I am happy about this, it’s just so unexpected. Getting pregnant this soon was not how I anticipated our relationship going, but I chose you the first time we had sex, Bishop. I don’t want to be with anyone else, not ever. I love you.”

Wonder and joy spread across Bishop’s face, and a wide smile told him everything before Bishop said, “I love you, too, Kens. I’ve loved you for a long time and from a long distance but no longer. I can love you front and center, for the world to see. From now on, it’s you and me. Side by side.”

Joy filled Kensley’s heart to bursting. “Yes. My charus.”

“My charus, as well. My always.”

Bishop tried not to hover too conspicuously during their meal of steak and eggs, plus sides of salad, dinner rolls, and canned fruit, but he couldn’t help it.

Every instinct in his body screamed to protect Kensley and their child at all costs—especially after the horrible news that Malori’s own two children had been stolen from him.

If anyone ever took Kensley’s child, he’d burn the world down until he found them again.

But Kensley wasn’t kidding when he said he needed to be around people.

He spent every possible moment chatting with the other men and women they’d saved.

None of them had been recently wounded, or as physically traumatized as Malori, and while they were all shy and tentative to ask for things, they showed a lot of fighting spirit, especially the young alpha female named Ember.

Her courage and tenacity glowed as brightly as her name suggested.

From what Bishop overheard of their conversations, Ember had been the newest person sold into sexual slavery, about three months before Kensley arrived. She was angry but unbroken.

King didn’t eat with the group, passing through the dining room to the kitchen for a plate, and then leaving the same way he came.

Bishop wanted to talk to his friend, but he also couldn’t leave Kensley’s side.

Not yet. Not with the pregnancy news still so fresh.

And even though the lodge’s perimeter was surrounded by trusted guards, anything could happen at any time.

If their enemies somehow tracked them here and struck, he needed to be near Kensley.

He needed to be with his family.

Even after the food was cleared, the group remained in the dining room, talking quietly, seeming to like being clustered together, rather than off in separate rooms. Bishop couldn’t blame them for not wanting to be alone, especially if they were kept as isolated from each other as Malori had been.

Such an existence was impossible to comprehend, and more horrifying to know all those souls had lived it from three months to three years.

Bishop didn’t want to think about the victims who’d died in that brothel.

King’s men remained at points around the room at all times, observant without interfering, so when King texted him at seven o’clock to meet in the parlor, Bishop kissed Kensley soundly on the mouth, and then excused himself.

It took him a few minutes to find the parlor in the sprawling lodge.

King sat in a tall, upholstered chair, which was angled toward a lit fireplace.

An open laptop was balanced on his thighs while he typed on his phone.

Without asking for permission, Bishop sat in the matching chair opposite King’s and waited.

King finally looked at Bishop, his normally stone-cold expression stormy.

“I’ve got Hartford in charge of the six people we rescued.

I’ve arranged for a private, secure location for them to continue their mental recovery, and for him to help them ease back into civilian life over the next few months. ”