Page 39 of Hoarded By the Dragon

“That’s needed for the baby.” I swallow. “He’s not going to change his mind and even if he did, why would I want him?”

Stella blinks at me, amused. “Because he’s powerful, gorgeous, and the sex was incredible?”

I shrug. “He doesn’t want me. I’m not going to beg for his affection. Living here while he’s doing everything to avoid me is… whatever. Anyway, there’s more to life than sex.”

Living here is comfortable, but there’s still a thread of loneliness that crops up every so often when I let my mind wander. When I imagine what the future is going to look like.

“Keep telling yourself that,” Stella says. “But yeah, if I’m still single, we can go hunting for partners together. Partners that aren’t going to be stupid and will appreciate us. I’ve heard whispers of a matchmaker. Maybe we’ll try that.”

I tilt my head at that. That wouldn’t be a bad idea. I could ask for someone kind. Someone agreeable who would be excited to help me raise a kid. I don’t think Kalos has any interest in being a parent or helping with anything other than financial support.

Even with him being well off, I didn’t expect the credit card with no limit that Ben gave me on Kalos’s orders.

I should still ask what type of arrangement Kalos wants to have after the baby is born. If I ever see him that is.

The loneliness isn’t just from being here, but being here makes it more obvious. If I’m honest with myself, it’s clung to me for years.

Work has been about searching for redemption, not fulfillment. Stella is incredibly supportive but has her own life with her mom. Maggie and Ben have been nice and will be good to have in my and the baby’s life, if they want to be, but the people who are only in my corner… I don’t have that.

I may have thought at one time that Nemo was that person, but I don’t want him anywhere near my kid.

“A matchmaker sounds interesting,” I say.

“Want to hear the best part?”

I raise a brow at her, and Stella whispers. “It’s at a sex bathhouse.”

I blink. “A sex bathhouse? Do those really exist?”

“Oh, my sweet summer child, you have no idea. We’ll have to go sometime when your jailer allows it.”

I throw a piece of grass at her. “You’re the worst.”

“But you love me.”

“I do.”

Stella grows serious. “I worry sometimes that you’ll feel trapped here.”

I worry about that too.

“It’ll get better. I have a bunch of appointments to deliver projects next week, so I’ll get some new scenery.” There’s a rustle in the bushes behind me, and I sit up. “What was that?”

The foliage is thick, and I don’t see anything at first. I’d gone over the security with Ben and had him strengthen it with my advice so someone shouldn’t have been able to sneak in like I had.

“I didn’t hear anything. Maybe it’s a squirrel,” Stella says. Then there’s a raspy meow, and Stella jumps to her feet. “Cat! That was a cat.”

“Don’t scare it!” I whisper, but the rustling gets closer as if spurred by the sound of our voices.

The bushes part, and with a loud meow, a rangy orange cat pushes through.

“Oh, I love orange tabbies,” Stella says immediately, crouching down, but the cat pads toward me instead.

“Maybe it lives nearby?” I ask as the cat starts to rub against my legs. I crouch and pet the creature awkwardly.

“It looks like a tom cat.”

“How can you tell?”

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