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Ayla couldn’t stop smiling this morning. Io was up, showered, and her eyes were clear. Whatever drug she’d been given had worn off while she slept.

“I know I was out of it last night,” Io said, towel drying her hair, “but what’s up between you and the dude you were talking to? Did I hear right? Did he say protect you and our baby?”

Her smile faded. “I’m pregnant,” she admitted.

Io nodded. “That explains the crackers you ate before getting out of bed. Want to give me some more details?”

There was a padded bench near the mirror and Ayla sat before filling her twin in.

Tossing the towel on the foot of the king-size bed, Io sat beside her, wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and asked, “What do you need me to do? You know I’m here for you, no matter what.”

Ayla nodded. “We have each other’s backs.”

“Absolutely, Ay.” Io straightened and shifted on the bench. “Although you never should have come to Puerto Jardin. This country isn’t safe.”

“I received your message.”

“It seems you only got part of it. I told you to contact Archer at the Paladin League, not fly down here yourself.” Io frowned.

“I knew it was a long shot that you’d get anything with the distance involved, but you hate flying and the situation was too dangerous.

I wouldn’t ask you to run down here and rescue me. No matter how serious things were.”

Reaching out, Ayla grabbed her sister’s hand. “Io, I love you. I would never leave you in trouble. No matter what.”

“Love you, too, and we’re both still in trouble.”

“The Russian mobsters.” Io looked confused, so Ayla filled her in on that.

“Damn,” Io said. “We’re in bigger trouble than I realized. If we didn’t look alike…”

“But we do. Who kidnapped you? Who drugged you?”

“Have you heard the name Fuentes?”

Ayla nodded. “Archer sent you down to learn about him. He wants the treasure.”

Io frowned. “Lots of people want the treasure. I didn’t realize how many assholes would come out of the woodwork the minute it got out that I work for the Paladin League.

There’s Fuentes, an arms dealer, two drug lords, guerilla fighters expelled from the rebel army, and now Russian mobsters.

” Her lips curved, but it was a rueful expression.

“Maybe more I didn’t run into yet. You’re in danger because of me, and I’m sorry. ”

“It’s not your fault,” Ayla said, and because she knew her twin would continue to beat herself up, she changed the subject. “I’m going to need help getting my second bedroom set up as a nursery. Will you help me paint and assemble furniture?”

“You know I will. What about your baby’s long-haired daddy?”

“His name is Oziah, but he prefers Oz.” Ayla sighed. “And I don’t know how much he’ll be around. He’s working in Puerto Jardin.”

Io turned to meet her gaze. “You are aware that he’s not a mercenary, right?”

Ayla tried for an innocent expression. “Why do you think that?”

She must not have pulled it off because Io nodded.

“You do know what he really is. Good. You also better realize that a man in Special Forces is not walking away from his responsibilities to his baby or its mother. You’re going to be parenting with him for the next eighteen years minimum, but my guess is you get a proposal.

I saw the way he looked at you last night. Oz is thinking forever with you.”

“You were out of it last night.”

“Not that far out of it.” Io smiled. “At least not until I passed out.”

She was tempted to ask how Io knew Oz was a Green Beret, but she’d save that question for later. She had a more important one first. “I need a favor. Will you help?”

“Absolutely. Anything, Ay.”

“Switch places with me.”

Io stiffened and got to her feet, turning to stare at her. “We haven’t switched since we were teenagers. Why do you want—?” She stopped short. “Oh, no, Ayla. You do not want to test him. He will tell us apart, and he’s not going to be happy with you.”

Ayla stood. “No one can tell us apart. Even Mom and Dad get us mixed up. If Oz can’t notice the difference, well, maybe I don’t mean much to him.”

Her twin shook her head. “He’ll know immediately.”

“Why would he?”

“He’s in love with you.” Io crossed the room and took hold of her shoulders.

“Don’t let Mom and Dad’s actions ruin your chance with the man you’re in love with.

Our parents have ignored us both since we became adults.

Don’t you get it, Ay? We were an oops . They never planned to have kids, not ever. ”

“How do you know that?”

“Grandma and Grandpa were talking about it one of the times we were dumped off at their house. I overheard the entire conversation. It explained a lot of things.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because you would have let it eat at you even more than what you believed the situation was. Is it better to think you’re extra or to know you were never wanted at all?”

Her sister understood her sometimes better than Ayla understood herself. “How do you deal with knowing we weren’t wanted?”

“Your heart is more tender than mine. As long as I have you, I don’t give a shit about them.” Io shrugged. “They care about us as much as they’re capable of, for what that’s worth.”

Ayla was all too familiar with their level of caring. “I need to think about this for a while.”

“I recommend therapy. It helped put things in perspective.”

Pushing their parents out of her head, Ayla asked, “But back to switching places, will you do it?”

Io groaned. “It’s been years.”

“So? We know each other backward and forward. We’ve always been able to imitate each other for short stretches.”

“He’s going to be mad, Ay. Really mad. At both of us, but mostly at you. He doesn’t know me, but Oz is in love with you. It’s going to feel dishonest. It’s going to feel like a betrayal. You don’t want to do this, trust me.”

“I need to be sure. I need him to be able to tell us apart. I need him to pick me. Please, Io? I’d do it for you.”

Oz stopped when he stepped into the dining room. The sisters were sitting at the table shoulder to shoulder and murmuring to each other. When they noticed him, they grew quiet and stood. Then they watched him.

One twin had curls, the other’s hair was straight. One wore business casual, the other wore leggings and a lime-green T-shirt. One smiled, the other simply looked at him. The problem was the twin with the curls, smile, and dressed in slacks and a button-up shirt wasn’t his twin.

He looked at Ayla. It was strange to see her blonde hair stick straight. “What’s going on, Pollita?”

Ayla turned to her sister. “You let him call you little chicken?”

And then Oz knew exactly what was happening. He saw red. “You switched places. I didn’t realize twins pulled this bullshit when they’re thirty years old.”

“Nearly thirty years old,” Iona corrected him, her smile broadening. She turned to Ayla and raised her brows, the sisters communicating without a word.

“Excuse us,” Oz said, crossing to Ayla and taking her hand.

“We need to have a private conversation.” He didn’t wait for a response before pulling her into the sitting room next to the dining room and closing the door.

Folding his arms over his chest, he stood with his back to it, not wanting her to escape before they had this out. “What the hell are you doing?”

“Io warned me you’d be angry.”

That answered the question about whose idea this was. “Why are you pretending to be your sister?” It took all his self-discipline to keep his voice even. He was more than angry. Oz was royally pissed off.

“I wanted to know if you could tell the difference.”

His temper climbed higher, and gritting his teeth, he took a few deep breaths. “You don’t think I recognize you no matter how you’re dressed?”

“I wanted you to pick me.”

“Explain.”

“All our lives, people haven’t been able to tell us apart. I had to know we weren’t interchangeable to you. I had to know that I mattered enough that you’d recognize me. Our parents never knew when Io and I switched. They couldn’t tell us apart. Our parents didn’t care which one we were.”

Tears filled her eyes. Oz’s temper abated enough to remember the conversation they’d had about her family, about how she was a constant disappointment.

How a parent was forced to stay behind because Ayla was unwilling to do anything daring.

The rest of his anger seeped away. She was as messed up by her upbringing as he was by his, just in a different way.

Dropping his arms to his sides, he moved to her, wrapping her in a hug. “We’re a pair, Pollita. Both of us are so fucked up by our childhoods that we’re still not over it.”

It took a moment, but Ayla’s arms slowly wound around his waist, and she snuggled her face against his throat.

Something inside Oz relaxed. Pressing a kiss to the top of her head, he said, “I knew as soon as I walked in the room that you weren’t dressed like you. It stopped me in my tracks because I couldn’t figure out why. You’re pretty set on your style.”

He felt her lips curve against his skin. “That’s your nice way of saying I was a pain in the rear when we were shopping for my disguise.”

Leaving that alone, Oz circled his hand over her back. “Let’s get a few things straight. I’m not attracted to your sister. You might look alike, but I don’t react to her the way I do to you. You’re the one who makes my body heat. You’re the one who leaves me drooling with lust.”

Ayla leaned back. She must have decided he was telling the truth because her smile grew wider.

“That alone makes it easy for me to tell you apart, but it’s more than that.” Oz gathered up his courage. This was frightening territory, but he wouldn’t avoid it any longer. “When I look at you, my heart beats faster. I love you, Ayla.”

“You do?”

“Absolutely. When our eyes meet, I see a lifetime together.”

“Because of the baby,” Ayla said.

He was looking deeper than the surface, and Oz could see the insecurities her parents embedded within her. “Because of you, Pollita. Even if you weren’t pregnant, I’d be saying the same things that I’m saying now. I love you. The baby is just a bonus.”

For a moment, Ayla studied him, and then she relaxed into his embrace. “I love you, too, Oz. So much.”

“Thank God. You were scaring me there for a minute.”

Ayla’s smile faded. “I’m sorry I talked Io into changing places with me.”

“And I’m sorry I manipulated you.”

“Like you said, we’re a pair.”

Oz returned to rubbing her back. “You already know I’m Army Special Forces, so at least I don’t have to convince you to marry a man you think is a mercenary.” Ayla leaned back, studying him. “Yes, that was a proposal. Marry me, Pollita, and let’s create our own family.”

“I like that idea. Yes, Oz, I’ll marry you.” She stopped him before he could kiss her. “Just so you know, I want more than one baby.”

His lips curved. “I’m up for that job. As many as you want, I’m in.”

Oz leaned down, sealing his promise with a kiss.